#Pandemic and Biosecurity Policy Program

[scowcroft-institute]

Examining the Impact of Pandemic Policies on Public Health in Texas

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to public health systems worldwide. The response to the pandemic has been multifaceted in Texas, a state known for its resilience and independence. The Scowcroft Institute, with its Pandemic and Biosecurity Policy Program, has been at the forefront of analyzing the impact of pandemic policies on public health in Texas. This blog delves into the complex interplay of Texas's public health and pandemic policies.

Public Health in Texas: A Vital Concern

Public health has always been a paramount concern in Texas, a state with a diverse population and unique healthcare needs. Even before the pandemic, public health initiatives were central to addressing health disparities, promoting wellness, and ensuring access to healthcare services. The COVID-19 crisis intensified the importance of these initiatives.

Impact of Pandemic Policies on Public Health

Pandemic policies, ranging from stay-at-home orders to vaccine distribution strategies, have played a pivotal role in mitigating the spread of the virus. However, their impact on public health in Texas is a complex subject.

Containment Measures: Early in the pandemic, containment measures were crucial to prevent overwhelming healthcare systems. Stay-at-home orders and social distancing measures helped reduce transmission rates, offering some relief to strained hospitals and healthcare workers.

Vaccine Rollout: The vaccination campaign has been a cornerstone of pandemic policy. With its large population, Texas faced unique challenges in equitably distributing vaccines. The state's efforts to prioritize vulnerable communities have been instrumental in protecting public health.

Mental Health: Pandemic policies have also significantly impacted mental health. Isolation, economic uncertainty, and the fear of the virus have taken a toll on the psychological well-being of Texans. Recognizing this, Texas has expanded mental health services to address the growing needs.

The Role of the Scowcroft Institute

The Scowcroft Institute, through its Pandemic and Biosecurity Policy Program, has been instrumental in examining the impact of these policies. By facilitating research, convening experts, and promoting evidence-based decision-making, the Institute has been a vital resource in navigating the complexities of pandemic response.

Challenges and Lessons Learned

The pandemic response in Texas has been challenging. Balancing economic interests with public health imperatives, ensuring equitable vaccine access, and addressing vaccine hesitancy are ongoing struggles. Lessons have been learned about the importance of preparedness, data-driven decision-making, and the need for robust healthcare infrastructure.

Conclusion

As we reflect on the impact of pandemic policies on public health in Texas, we acknowledge the critical role played by the Scowcroft Institute. Through its Pandemic and Biosecurity Policy Program, the Institute has been a beacon of expertise and a catalyst for positive change. The Institute supports Texas's journey toward a healthier and more resilient future by fostering research and promoting evidence-based policies.

In these challenging times, the importance of robust public health systems and effective pandemic policies cannot be overstated. The Scowcroft Institute remains committed to addressing these issues, ensuring that Texas is well-prepared for whatever public health challenges lie ahead.

To learn more about the Scowcroft Institute's work in pandemic and biosecurity policy, please visit our website: https://bush.tamu.edu/scowcroft/. Together, we can build a healthier and more secure future for Texas and beyond.

[industryforecastnews]

Synthetic Biology Market Size, Share And Trends Report, 2030

Synthetic Biology Market Growth & Trends

The global synthetic biology market size is expected to reach USD 42.06 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 17.30% 2025 to 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The presence of government and private funding to support research in vaccines and a strong synthetic biologic-based product pipeline in clinical trials are the key driving factors for the market. Synthetic biology processes provide crucial advantages for producing antigen and diagnostic reagents for disease identification, accelerating the speed of vaccine development, and improving overall vaccine performance and yield.

Furthermore, support from government agencies and the presence of several programs are likely to boost the market growth. For instance, in the U.S., COVID-19 vaccine R&D, manufacture, regulation, and purchase have been highly supported by collaboration between federal agencies, including the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), DOD, FDA, and others (formerly OWS).

Other factors such as expanding demand in industries such as textiles and nutrition are also contributing to the market growth. Several optimal food production processes have been identified with the help of synthetic biology. In addition, synthetic biology is predicted to aid in the generation of higher agricultural yields and pest control development. It is expected to help in the production of better food yield and pest control management.

The COVID-19 pandemic is anticipated to positively impact market growth. Synthetic biology has been highlighted as a means to accelerate vaccine development by the National Institute of Health in the U.S. Therefore, synthetic biology labs and companies have been actively utilizing this technology to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the usage of these technologies is projected to increase during the outbreak.

The growing demand for personalized medicine is expected to majorly drive market growth during the coming years. The use of engineered novel proteins for use as therapeutics has demonstrated synthetic biology in the medical segment. These proteins are designed with some modified protein structure to get the desirable properties required for the treatment. For instance, researchers are developing a therapeutic enzyme candidate that is GI-stable and can be given via oral route to treat Phenylketonuria (PKU).

On the other hand, synthetic biology has raised a few concerns regarding biosecurity and biosafety. Exposure to these products may cause unknown hazards to public health and the environment. To prevent such issues, countries of Europe, the Americas, and Asia have formulated policies to manage the application of synthetic biology techniques in basic & applied research.

Request a free sample copy or view report summary: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/synthetic-biology-market

Synthetic Biology Market Report Highlights

By technology, the PCR segment held the largest share of the market. This is attributed to the accelerated development in modern life science, with PCR technology being widely employed in numerous fields of medical research, virus detection, and the food & beverage industry

The genome-editing segment is expected to grow steadily during the forecast period. It enables researchers to modify the DNA of various organisms, including plants, bacteria, and animals, and their demand is expected to skyrocket in the coming years

By product, Oligonucleotide and Synthetic DNA is anticipated to have the larger market share in 2030. The falling price of synthesis and increasing requirement for synthetic DNA, RNA, and genes that are employed in numerous applications contribute to the segment growth

By application, the healthcare segment held a larger global market share. This is attributed to an increase in drug screening and discovery. Moreover, the use of synthetic biology can reduce the cost of drug discovery and propel market growth

By end-user, the biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies segment held a larger share in 2024, owing to the growing availability of modern research facilities, favorable legislation, and government assistance and funding

North America was positioned as the dominant market in 2024 due to the presence of high R&D investment, the availability of technologically advanced healthcare research frameworks, and the development of the synthetic biology market in the region

The Asia Pacific is expected to witness considerable growth in the future owing to the rising development of personalized treatment and the presence of key players

Synthetic Biology Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global synthetic biology market based on product, technology, application, end use, and region

Synthetic Biology Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

Oligonucleotide/Oligo Pools and Synthetic DNA

Enzymes

Cloning Technologies Kits

Xeno-Nucleic Acids

Chassis Organism

Synthetic Biology Technology Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

NGS Technology

PCR Technology

Genome Editing Technology

Bioprocessing Technology

Other Technologies

Synthetic Biology Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

Healthcare

Non-healthcare

Synthetic Biology End Use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical companies

Academic and Research Institutes

Others

Synthetic Biology Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

Middle East & Africa

List of Key Players of Synthetic Biology Market

Bota Biosciences Inc.

Codexis, Inc.

Creative Biogene.

Creative Enzymes.

Enbiotix, Inc.

Illumina, Inc.

Merck Kgaa (Sigma-Aldrich Co. Llc)

New England Biolabs

Eurofins Scientific

Novozymes

Pareto Bio, Inc.

Scarab Genomics, Llc

Synthego

Synthetic Genomics Inc.

Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.

Browse Full Report: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/synthetic-biology-market

[newstfionline]

Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Meat Is Latest Cyber Victim as Hackers Hit Top Supplier JBS (Bloomberg) The world’s biggest meat supplier has become the latest casualty of a cybersecurity attack. JBS SA shut its North American and Australian computer networks after an organized assault on Sunday on some of its servers, the company said by email. The attack sidelined two shifts and halted processing at one of Canada’s largest meatpacking plants, while the company canceled all beef and lamb kills across Australia, industry website Beef Central said. Some kill and fabrication shifts have also been canceled in the U.S. Hackers now have the commodities industry in their crosshairs with the JBS attack coming just three weeks after the operator of the biggest U.S. gasoline pipeline was targeted. It’s also happened as the global meat industry battles lingering Covid-19 absenteeism after recovering from mass outbreaks last year that saw plants shut and supplies disrupted.

China’s future gateway to Latin America is a mega-port in Peru (America Economia) Despite local opposition, Chinese investors are pumping billions into the Chancay project, a massive port complex north of Lima that will boost trade between China and Latin America as a whole, reports Gonzalo Torrico in business magazine America Economia. The Chancay port complex, with an initial investment of $1.3 billion, will turn this fishing and farming town into a regional hub that could redefine shipping lines in the entire southern Pacific. Since 2019, the project’s main stakeholder is the Chinese state firm Cosco Shipping Ports (60%). Cosco is a partner in 52 port projects worldwide. But in the Americas, Chancay is the first being built with Chinese capital. The complex is expected to be fully functional by 2024, helping consolidate China’s influence in South America, and in Peru especially. In the last decade, this country has become the regional crux of China’s economic and geopolitical interests. So far, Chinese firms have invested more than $30 billion in Peru, a figure exceeded only by money spent in Brazil. The principal sector is mining, which has absorbed more than half all these investments and has proven to be an excellent source for the mineral materials China needs to keep its industrial sector humming. One of those materials is copper, which Peru produces in great quantity.

More boats on canals and rivers than in 18th century as thousands opt for life afloat (Guardian) Little more than six months ago, Paul and Anthony Smith-Storey were still living in a three-bedroom semi-detached house near St Helens in Merseyside. But now the couple—and their dog, Dexter—have traded it all in for a life afloat in a two-metre-wide narrowboat on Peak Forest Canal in Derbyshire. “We took the equity out of the house, bought the boat and thought we’d enjoy it while we were still alive,” said Anthony, 48, an NHS sonographer. They are not the only ones. Record numbers are spending time on Britain’s rivers and canals, according to the Canal and River Trust. Such is their popularity that the charity, which manages 2,000 miles of waterways across England and Wales, says: “There are more boats on our canals now than at the height of the industrial revolution.” The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) said there are about 80,000 powered boats across the waterways of England, Scotland and Wales. Boat builders and sellers put the surge in interest down to the pandemic.

NSA spying row: US and Denmark pressed over allegations (BBC) European powers have pressed the US and Denmark over reports the two worked together to spy on top European politicians, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Danish broadcaster DR said Denmark’s Defence Intelligence Service (FE) collaborated with the US National Security Agency (NSA) to gather information from 2012 to 2014. Mrs Merkel is among those demanding answers. “This is not acceptable between allies, and even less between allies and European partners,” said French President Emmanuel Macron, after speaking with Mrs Merkel.

The Taliban Say They’ve Changed. On the Ground, They’re Just as Brutal. (WSJ) During a recent trip, Kamaluddin visited a barbershop to obtain the illicit pleasures of clean-shaven cheeks and a fashionable mustache. But the shopkeeper, 25 years old, planned to let it regrow before heading home, wary of incurring the Taliban’s wrath. His father and brother were caught last month using smartphones in their home district of Arghistan, an area effectively ruled by the movement. The insurgents confiscated the devices, which could be used for supposedly un-Islamic behavior such as playing music and videos, and forced the men to swallow their SIM cards. Kamaluddin recounted the incident as he waited to return from Kandahar, the government-controlled provincial capital. “They will put me in prison if they see me like this,” he said. “If the Taliban come back, they will bring darkness.” The Taliban, ousted from power by a U.S.-led invasion 20 years ago, are poised to expand their influence as American forces leave the country. The group has sought in recent months to present themselves as a responsible state actor to regional powers and the West. Indeed, some of their most-violent punishments, such as amputations for accused thieves, are used less frequently than in the 1990s as they seek to avoid alienating Afghans. Yet accounts from Kamaluddin and others living under Taliban rule, as well as insurgents themselves, suggest that the group’s governance is as ruthless as ever.

Delhi Reopens a Crack (NYT) The Indian capital, which just weeks ago suffered the devastating force of the coronavirus, with tens of thousands of new infections daily and funeral pyres that burned day and night, is taking its first steps back toward normalcy. Officials on Monday reopened manufacturing and construction activity, allowing workers in those industries to return to their jobs after six weeks of staying at home to avoid infection. The move came after a sharp drop in new infections, at least by the official numbers, and as hospital wards emptied and the strain on medicine and supplies has eased. Life on the streets of Delhi is not expected to return to normal immediately. Schools and most businesses are still closed. The Delhi Metro system, which reopened after last year’s nationwide lockdown, has suspended service again. But the city government’s easing of restrictions will allow people to begin returning to work—and, more broadly, to start to repair India’s ailing, pandemic-struck economy.

Myanmar carries out air strikes after militia attacks (Reuters) Myanmar’s military used artillery and helicopters on Monday against anti-junta militias in the country’s east, witnesses and rebels said, forcing residents to flee and join thousands of others displaced by recent fighting in the region. Residents of Kayah state bordering Thailand said the military was firing artillery from positions inside the state capital Loikaw into Demoso, about 14.5 km (9 miles) away, where a People’s Defence Force said it had attacked troops and was coming under heavy fire. Myanmar’s military is fighting on multiple fronts and struggling to impose order since its Feb. 1 coup against Aung San Suu Kyi and her elected government, sparking nationwide protests and paralysing strikes. Decades-old conflicts between the military and ethnic minority armies have also reignited, while militias allied with a shadow government have stepped up attacks on the army, which has responded with heavy weapons and air strikes, forcing thousands to flee.

North Korea’s missile warning (Foreign Policy) North Korea warned the United States on Monday that relaxing South Korea’s missile limits could lead to an “acute and instable situation” in the region. “The termination step is a stark reminder of the U.S. hostile policy toward (North Korea) and its shameful double-dealing,” said Kim Myong Chol, an unofficial mouthpiece for Pyongyang, in a statement issued by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency. The United States recently lifted a 500-mile range restriction on South Korea’s missile program, in place since 1979. South Korea’s industrial ability to ramp up new missile production “could lead to an arms race with devastating implications,” Donald Kirk wrote last week in Foreign Policy.

Australian court upholds ban on most international travel (AP) An Australian court on Tuesday rejected a challenge to the federal government’s draconian power to prevent most citizens from leaving the country so that they don’t bring COVID-19 home. Australia is alone among developed democracies in preventing its citizens and permanent residents from leaving the country except in “exceptional circumstances” where they can demonstrate a “compelling reason.” Most Australians have been stranded in their island nation since March 2020 under a government emergency order made under the powerful Biosecurity Act. Surveys suggest most Australians applaud their government’s drastic border controls. The Australian newspaper published a survey last month that found 73% of respondents said the international border should remain closed until at least the middle of next year.

Lebanon’s economic crisis (Foreign Policy) Lebanon’s economic collapse could rank within the top 3 “most severe crises episodes globally since the mid-nineteenth century,” according to a new report issued by the World Bank. The report cites the “brutal and rapid” contraction of Lebanon’s GDP, which dropped from $55 billion in 2018 to $33 billion in 2020. “The social impact of the crisis, which is already dire, could rapidly become catastrophic,” the report notes, as more than half of Lebanon’s population is already living below the poverty line.

Congo killings (Foreign Policy) At least 55 people were killed in overnight attacks near two villages in eastern Congo, close to the border with Uganda. Congolese officials blamed the attack on the Allied Democratic Forces, an Islamist insurgent group that in March was deemed a foreign terrorist organization by the United States. The group killed more than 850 people in 2020, according to the United Nations. At the beginning of May, President Félix Tshisekedi declared a state of siege across the affected regions, surging troops in a bid to quell violence.

[reading-writing-revolution]

(via Is America Ready for a Global Pandemic? - The Atlantic)

Preparing for a pandemic ultimately boils down to real people and tangible things: A busy doctor who raises an eyebrow when a patient presents with an unfamiliar fever. A nurse who takes a travel history. A hospital wing in which patients can be isolated. A warehouse where protective masks are stockpiled. A factory that churns out vaccines. A line on a budget. A vote in Congress. “It’s like a chain—one weak link and the whole thing falls apart,” says Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. “You need no weak links.”

We have weak links everywhere - President Trump, Republican governors (the ones who've bent the knee to Trump instead of maintaining their integrity), and those weak links that control the US Senate and have focused their last couple of months on a SCOTUS seat instead of working on fixing the economy, helping all the Americans losing everything and forcing the White House to solve the problem.

Weak links from coast to coast (but mostly not on the coasts, except for the Gulf Coast, where they rule.)

From 2018: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRKSGMZ93IY&feature=emb_logo

Reagan and the elder Bush had to face the emergence and proliferation of HIV. Clinton had to deal with the arrival of West Nile virus. Bush the younger had to contend with anthrax and sars. Barack Obama saw a flu pandemic in his third month in office, mers and Ebola at the start of his second term, and Zika at the dusk of his presidency. The responses of the presidents varied, Fauci told me: Clinton went on autopilot; the younger Bush made public health part of his legacy, funding an astonishingly successful anti-HIV program; Obama had the keenest intellectual interest in the subject.

And Donald Trump? “I haven’t had any interaction with him yet,” Fauci says. “But in fairness, there hasn’t been a situation.”

Read: All the president’s lies about the coronavirus

There surely will be, though. At some point, a new virus will emerge to test Trump’s mettle. What happens then? He has no background in science or health, and has surrounded himself with little such expertise. The President’s Council of Advisers on Science and Technology, a group of leading scientists who consult on policy matters, is dormant. The Office of Science and Technology Policy, which has advised presidents on everything from epidemics to nuclear disasters since 1976, is diminished. The head of that office typically acts as the president’s chief scientific consigliere, but to date no one has been appointed.

Other parts of Trump’s administration that will prove crucial during an epidemic have operated like an Etch A Sketch. During the nine months I spent working on this story, Tom Price resigned as secretary of health and human services after using taxpayer money to fund charter flights (although his replacement, Alex Azar, is arguably better prepared, having dealt with anthrax, flu, and sars during the Bush years). Brenda Fitzgerald stepped down as CDC director after it became known that she had bought stock in tobacco companies; her replacement, Robert Redfield, has a long track record studying HIV, but relatively little public-health experience.

Rear Admiral Tim Ziemer, a veteran malaria fighter, was appointed to the National Security Council, in part to oversee the development of the White House’s forthcoming biosecurity strategy. When I met Ziemer at the White House in February, he hadn’t spoken with the president, but said pandemic preparedness was a priority for the administration. He left in May.

Perhaps the two most important things a leader can personally provide in the midst of an epidemic are reliable information and a unifying spirit. In the absence of strong countermeasures, severe outbreaks tear communities apart, forcing people to fear their neighbors; the longest-lasting damage can be psychosocial. Trump’s tendency to tweet rashly, delegitimize legitimate sources of information, and readily buy into conspiracy theories could be disastrous.

[why-animals-do-the-thing]

This is so important, even though it means having to criticize a social media famous duo that many people felt affectionately towards. The whole situation was so concerning from the get-go, with Blake’s explanations seeming increasingly suspicious as time went on. I wanted to dig into it but didn’t have the time, so I cannot thank @honkifurhoary enough for taking the time to do such a comprehensive job on this writeup.

HPAI is no joke. It is deadly, it is contagious, and it can jump into humans. There’s really serious strictures around dealing with it for a reason. For an example that I can speak to personally, zoos and other facilities with exotic/important bird collections now have incredibly comprehensive protocols to prevent any HPAI entering their facility, because there’s a very high probability that a bird that has possibly been exposed to HPAI will euthanized: even if rare, even if part of a species breeding program. (It’s determined on a case by case basis according to ZAHP, but that’s only because zoo situations have extremely stringent biosecurity). Zoos have moved entire groups of birds behind the scenes to protect them, spent a huge amount of money updating enclosure fencing to exclude wild birds for those they can’t move, and even drained ponds and other water features to discourage wild birds from visiting and potentially carrying the pathogen onto the property. The fact that this emu was not culled, as much as it may be what the public was rooting for, is appalling and incredibly distressing from the standpoint of infectious disease concerns.

To make it worse? Blake’s farm is right on a major flyway for a lot of migratory birds. HPAI is known to be stable in the environment for a long time. The pond she’s been doing “physical therapy” with Emmanuel in is what attracted the sick waterfowl to her farm in the first place - so it not only risks re-exposing him (and her) to HPAI, but it also continues to endangerer a lot of wild birds… and whatever animals, farms, zoological facilities, and waterways they come into contact with next before they succumb.

This whole saga is a really good example of how “influencer culture” can result in overlooking really serious problems in animal husbandry. The fact that Blake’s casual disregard for a massively infectious flu virus was so widely supported by her followers despite occurring multiple years into a different viral pandemic just goes to show how much parasocial relationships can really influence how critically we assess someone’s expertise and credibility. Her choices regarding her flock and Emmanuel weren’t appropriate or acceptable, and I’m very glad OP is holding the agencies who decided to allow it to account.

I want to end by quoting from her Twitter thread about this as well, as it provides more context for why this is such a big damn deal, and what you can do to help.

“The precedent that has been set by the FDACS & USDA's handling of this outbreak, specifically the severe lack of confidence it has inspired in local farmers & avian owners, is dangerous. (…) With millions of people following Emmanuel's story, there is concern that the disregard for PPE, lack of transparency, & absence of supporting data for protocol sets a dangerous model for the public, who may view a clear case of HPAI mismanagement as the industry standard. The FDACS and USDA owe the public an explanation. Reach out to @NikkiFried , @USDA_APHIS , and @FDACS. Ask them to support their decisions and policies with credible research, disclose other examples where HPAI has been handled appropriately, & how they're educating the public.”

Emmanuel the Emu: A Story of HPAI Mismanagement

Emmanuel, the TikTok-famous emu owned by Taylor Blake of Knuckle Bump Farms, made national news last month when Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) hit the farm. According to Blake’s initial Twitter thread, Knuckle Bump Farms lost 99% of their avian flock- over 50 individuals- in only three days. These deaths were attributed both to the disease itself and to a cull carried out by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, who did so with Blake’s permission. Emmanuel and a black swan named Rico were the only two survivors, with Emmanuel left unable to stand, unwilling to eat or drink, and quickly fading. Hundreds of thousands rallied behind Emmanuel on social media as Blake documented Emmanuel’s progress, reaching out to public figures like Dr. Pol of The Incredible Dr. Pol and Bindi Erwin of Crikey! It’s the Irwins for help when she failed to find any other sources for emu rehabilitation. But soon, controversy emerged.

Early on, avian influenza experts expressed concern that Blake was not wearing any PPE when interacting with a presumably HPAI-positive bird. Avian influenza is transmissible from bird to human which, combined with the virus’ ability to mix genes and rapidly change, means that PPE is universally recommended when dealing with a suspected or confirmed HPAI outbreak.

In response to concerns, Blake explained that “Emmanuel freaks out whenever we approach him wearing a mask” and that the farm is on a state-mandated quarantine for 150 days, which is the amount of time HPAI is estimated to survive in the environment under ideal conditions. This quarantine reportedly only allowed Blake, Blake’s girlfriend Kristian Haggerty, Blake’s family, and veterinary professionals to enter the property. “I have taken every precaution recommended by the FDA” Blake stated, referencing the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) rather than the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Many people, including HPAI experts, found this explanation unsatisfactory and instead decided to contact the FDACS and USDA directly. Both the FDACS and USDA work collaboratively to manage avian influenza outbreaks in Florida. Dr. Danielle Stanek of the Florida Department of Health clarified that the DOH can recommend that private individuals comply with CDC guidelines, which includes wearing full PPE when interacting with HPAI-infected birds, but they cannot mandate that they do so. Therefore, Blake’s decision to forgo PPE was hers to make, even if it wasn’t in accordance with the recommendations of the FDACS, CDC, USDA, and Florida DOH.

Just as discourse between experts and Emmanuel fans reached its peak, Blake announced that Emmanuel tested negative for HPAI. Instead, Emmanuel’s sudden decline was attributed to stress. “Emus are incredibly susceptible to stress. He was incredibly overwhelmed by the state coming in and euthanizing our flock . . . He stopped eating the day they depopulated.” His lingering issues- the inability to stand or walk independently, twisted neck (torticollis), continued inappetence and dehydration, and lethargy- were caused by a nighttime collapse that left Emmanuel “thrashing on the ground for hours, trying to get himself up”. “He never once had a single symptom of AI, other than not eating”, Blake stated.

HPAI symptoms in birds varies depending on the species and the individual. In chickens, HPAI often presents as respiratory and digestive distress, followed quickly by death. In other poultry species, symptoms may also include the nervous system, causing “tremors, twisted necks, paralyzed wings, laying down and pedaling”. Ratites- referring to the diverse group of keel-less birds that include emus, ostriches, rheas, kiwis, and cassowaries- also tend to develop neurological symptoms. Notably, emus can present with twisted necks (torticollis), ataxia (discoordination), leg and wing paralysis, inability to stand, decreased food and water consumption, purple discoloration or swelling of the legs and head, and lethargy. This corresponds with many of the symptoms Blake has documented in Emmanuel. And it should, considering that Emmanuel did test positive for HPAI.

Test results completed on October 27th, 2022 at the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories showed that Emmanuel’s serum sample, collected six days after the start of the outbreak, contained antibody levels that were consistent with recent infection.

When Blake announced Emmanuel’s stress diagnosis, she was likely relying on information provided by a rapid test, which can provide results within 48 hours. These tests detect viral proteins that indicate active infection and virus shedding. Serology tests, on the other hand, look for the presence of antibodies produced in response to infection, not necessarily active infection. For an indeterminate number of days prior to the sample collection (October 17, 2022) Emmanuel had an active HPAI infection that, rather than stress, likely led to his rapid decline.

Why, then, was Emmanuel not included in the state’s cull on Knuckle Bump Farms? An email between Dr. Michael Short, the FDACS’ Animal Industry Director, and Kassandra Curiel of the FDACS’ Office of the Commissioner, answers this question. Dr. Short states that “USDA guidance is that ratites (emus and ostriches), black swans and exotic pet birds do not have to be euthanized due to lower risk”. Blake echoes this on her Twitter, when she says that “the state only focused on the “super spreaders” which are poultry species and ducks. Ratites aren’t included because they typically aren’t as susceptible.”.

This allowed Knuckle Bump Farms’ four emus (Emily, Eliza, Elliot, and Emmanuel) and three black swans (two unnamed females and Rico), to be exempted from the cull. I cannot find any reference, either in USDA literature or anywhere else, that supports Dr. Short’s statement. In fact, all the literature that I reviewed and all the experts I talked to during my research only confirmed the devastating effects that HPAI can have on both ratites and black swans. This, coupled with the fact that three of Knuckle Bump Farms’ four emus and two of their three black swans died when “the virus hit them extremely hard and very quickly”, calls Dr. Short’s statement into question.

The USDA was also unable to substantiate Dr. Short’s statement. When asked how exemptions to culls were determined they explained that, rather than look at individual species, the USDA classifies HPAI-infected domestic birds as either commercial, backyard poultry, or backyard non-poultry. These definitions ascribe risk of potential HPAI spread by determining the level of contact a poultry premise has with other poultry premises. If a private farm or private household, where the poultry does not have any contact with poultry beyond the property, has an outbreak then they are classified as a non-poultry premises, even if they have chickens, turkeys, or other poultry birds. These non-poultry premises can thus be exempted from culling all their birds by being placed on quarantines by state officials, provided that they adhere to the quarantine and continue to not have contact with any poultry facilities. Knuckle Bump Farms does not sell poultry products; therefore, they were classified as backyard non-poultry and eligible for quarantine. The FDACS seems to have added their own interpretation onto this guidance when they specify ratites, black swans, and exotic pet birds as “lower risk”. I reached out to Dr. Short for comment but received no response.

This isn’t the only time Dr. Short and, by extension, the FDACS demonstrated faulty logic. In that same email between him and Curiel, Dr. Short used this comparison to explain why a citizen’s concern about Emmanuel’s exemption from the cull was unfounded.

“I have heard of only one report of a clinically ill human, over the past 1.5 years of a national response to the current avian flu outbreak. The risk of HPAI to the owner is much less than occurred with household pets that tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (Covid).  I am assuming no one would advocate to euthanize all pets testing positive for Covid (At least I have not heard of anyone asking us to euthanize pets).

The risk of avian influenza is constantly occurring with all the wild birds in South Florida.  My understanding (not being a human health expert) is the risk to people, especially children and those immuno-compromised at public or private lakes, ponds and waterways from the AI being shed by water fowl is much greater than the sick emu at knuckle bump farm.”

Dr. Ben Golas, a VMD and postdoc with the USGS who is currently working on avian influenza research, weighed in. “It’s a bit like comparing apples and oranges to talk about risk of transmission of COVID vs. HPAI. With COVID, our primary concern is human-to-human contact. [. . .] With HPAI, farm animals are euthanized not only because the disease spreads within the farm flock like wildfire, but also to prevent spreading infection locally to other farms, because HPAI virus can be stable in the environment.”

The CDC agrees. “There is no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to people. […] It’s important to remember that people are much more likely to get COVID-19 from other people than from animals. There is no need to euthanize or otherwise harm animals infected with SARS-CoV-2.” When it comes to HPAI, however, they emphasize that human-to-human spread is rare and often limited to only a few individuals. Bird-to-human transmission is the primary method of human infection, with each new infection increasing the risk that a new, more virulent strain will emerge. This, along with the potential for massive bird-to-bird outbreaks that could devastate both wildlife and industry, is why complete depopulation (euthanasia) is standard for HPAI and not COVID-19.

The FDACS seems to be operating on contradicting and unsubstantiated information when it comes to managing HPAI outbreaks. Unsurprisingly, the employees seem equally conflicted in their internal emails regarding Knuckle Bump Farms. One Florida USDA representative noted, while forwarding a citizen concern about Blake’s lack of PPE, that “her face is real close to a bird that has HPAI”. Another USDA employee responded “actually, in one of the pictures she appears to be kissing it on the head.”. Dr. Kendra Stauffer of the USDA wrote, “. . . part of the allowing the pet bird to live was that there were rules the owner was to follow from DOH, which clearly she is not”.

Other employees, however, were eager to show their support. Commissioner Nikki Fried of the FDACS posted a photo of her, Blake, and Haggerty, and later posted a photo of herself drinking Knuckle Bump Farms’ branded beer while wearing an Emmanuel t-shirt.

Fried’s support generated a lot of concern, particularly amongst local farmers. One Florida emu farmer stated, “my disappointment and concern is 100% with the actions of Nikki Fried as Agricultural Commissioner to allow some birds to be exempt from depopulation, including emus, for no quantifiable reason. Emus are susceptible to HPAI. Emus in other states have contracted HPAI in this current outbreak and they either died on their own or were put down. Research shows they are susceptible to HPAI, and can spread it to other birds and humans. The decision by Fried and FDACS makes no sense and it sets a dangerous precedent.”

Considering that Blake has over 847.4K followers on Twitter, 938K on Instagram, and 2.4 million on TikTok, the precedent the FDACS and USDA have set here is, indeed, dangerous. Many of Blake’s followers learned about avian influenza for the first time through her documentation of Emmanuel’s illness and the state’s response to the outbreak. “I watch for Emmanuel updates every day! This has also been a great lesson for many people in farming education.”, one follower said. Another echoed this sentiment, saying “Thank you for taking the time to let us know what’s going on, and answering questions. You truly are an educator”.

Herein lies the problem. Knuckle Bump Farms is a small, backyard operation. Through social media, however, they reach millions. This specific outbreak of HPAI and its subsequent (mis-)management by the FDACS and USDA has now set the standard for many, rather than the exception. Blake’s public failure to comply with PPE recommendations, the lack of transparency regarding Emmanuel’s true diagnosis, a similar lack of transparency within the FDACS and USDA regarding this outbreak, exemptions to cull protocols made with seemingly no supporting data, and a publicly-elected official openly (and financially) supporting Blake through this process, all pose a serious threat to public confidence in HPAI management and future public health. The concerns of farmers, virologists, public health workers and organizations, wildlife rehabilitators, and animal sanctuaries have been ignored, particularly when they asked whether Emmanuel’s fame and the risk of public backlash led to the FDACS’ decision to leave him and several other symptomatic birds alive. It seems, through this research, that there is more support for this theory than the narrative we’ve been provided until now. It is my hope that, with the publishing of this information, the very real concerns raised by people directly effected by HPAI will be given the weight they deserve.

Please take this opportunity to learn about avian influenza from reputable sources:

Protecting Birds from Avian Influenza

Avian influenza and PPE

CDC Avian Influenza

USDA HPAI Response Plan

Florida Avian Influenza Update (Oct 2022)

A huge thank you to the following experts who generously answered my questions: Dr. Ben Golas, Dr. Jim Wellehan, and Dr. Jennifer Riley.

[americanmysticom]

The Groundwork

On the heels of the chaos of late 2001, Kadlec’s vision for U.S. biodefense policy was rapidly coming to fruition before his very eyes. The first enabling statute for the SNS was the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness Act of 2002, largely motivated by the anthrax attacks, which directed the Secretary of HHS to maintain a “Strategic National Stockpile (SNS).” The legislation had been the direct result of a process begun years earlier when Congress earmarked funding for the CDC to stockpile pharmaceuticals in 1998. The program was originally called the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile (NPS) program.

Kadlec’s role in directing subsequent developments in the SNS and other related legislative developments was considerable given that, in 2002, he became director for biodefense on the recently created Homeland Security Council. His work on the council, which he left in 2005, resulted in the Bush administration’s “National Biodefense Policy for the 21st Century,” which unsurprisingly echoed the recommendations of the paper Kadlec had sponsored at the National War College.

On March 1, 2003, the NPS became the Strategic National Stockpile program and was managed jointly by DHS and HHS after George W. Bush issued Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-5). Two days before, Secretary of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge and then Secretary of HHS Tommy Thompson had presented the Project BioShield Act to Congress. It was a sweeping piece of legislation that established what would become a government money teller-window for Big Pharma, called the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), among other entities and powers, not least of which was moving control of the SNS away from DHS and closer to HHS.

Soon after BioShield was signed into law, BioPort/Emergent BioSolutions co-founded a lobby group called the Alliance for Biosecurity as part of its strategy to easily secure lucrative BioShield contracts. That lobby group saw Emergent BioSolutions join forces with the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Biosecurity, which was then-led by Tara O’Toole and advised by Randall Larsen.

With this framework in place, the Kadlec-drafted National Biodefense Policy for the 21st Century was used as the framework for Bush’s Homeland Security Presidential Directive 10 (HSPD-10), which further expanded BioShield, the SNS and other controversial programs. Project BioShield was made law in 2004 and, one year later, Kadlec joined Senator Richard Burr’s subcommittee on bioterrorism and public health. There, Kadlec served as staff director on the committee that drafted the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA), containing the specific policy directives for the roll out of Project BioShield and creating Kadlec’s future position at HHS.

PAHPA was passed the following year in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and established the statutory relationship between the various agencies enacted or included in the BioShield legislation. This includes delegating to the newly creation position of HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) to “exercise the responsibilities and authorities of the Secretary [of HHS] with respect to the coordination of ”the stockpile and to oversee the advanced research and development of medical counter-measures funded by BARDA, but conducted by Big Pharma. ASPR was also given the leadership role in directing HHS’ response to a national health emergency.

Serving alongside Kadlec in the White House throughout this entire process was Tevi Troy, a Special Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy; a role which made him the White House’s lead adviser on health care, labor, education and other issues with a special focus on crisis management. Troy, who had come up through the department of labor as deputy assistant for policy was already a Senior fellow at both the Hudson Institute and its satellite think tank, the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies (PIPS), where the real policy development work was undertaken.

Both Troy and Kadlec would exit the administration at the end of Bush’s first term and not return until the latter half of his second term. In the meantime, the wheels had been set in motion with the passing of Project BioShield and PAHPA and, soon after their passage, panic over a “Bird flu” outbreak began, which had spread first in 33 cities in Vietnam and then led to an outbreak of the poultry-killing disease that affected all of Eurasia, Africa and the Middle East. The outbreak sparked panic in the U.S. in late 2005, thanks in large part to over-the-top warnings made by Tommy Thompson’s successor as head of HHS, Michael Leavitt.

Despite the fact that Leavitt’s claims were wildly inaccurate, some administration officials benefited financially from the fear-mongering, such as Donald Rumsfeld, whose stock holdings in the pharmaceutical company Gilead netted him $5 million once the scare had ended. Part of the reason for Gilead’s jump in profitability resulted from the decision of the Pentagon and other U.S. government agencies to stockpile 80 million doses of Tamiflu, a drug promoted to treat the Bird Flu that was originally developed by Gilead. Rumsfeld had been the top executive at Gilead before joining the George W. Bush administration. Aside from those who benefited monetarily, the Bird Flu scare also gave a considerable boost to the biodefense “stockpile” agenda that Kadlec and other insiders supported.

Kadlec would return to the White House as Special Assistant for Homeland Security and Senior Director for Biological Defense Policy in 2007 to further solidify his eventual grip on the Strategic National Stockpile and the office of ASPR, along with his Hudson Institute/PIPS sidekick, Tevi Troy, concurrently appointed Deputy Director of HHS. This put Troy in charge of implementing the very policies enshrined in PAHPA and the departmental changes enacted as part of Project BioShield.

The Bush administration came to its inevitable conclusion as Barack Obama was elected and sworn in, early 2009. Kadlec and Troy, once again, left their government posts and disappeared into their private sector lairs. But, that same year, the first practice run for Kadlec’s freshly retrofitted SNS took place when the “Swine Flu” (H1N1) pandemic triggered its “largest deployment” ever, distributing nearly 13 million antiviral regimens, as well as medical equipment and other drugs nationally and internationally in conjunction with BARDA. Gilead (and Rumsfeld) again profited handsomely, as did other large pharmaceutical companies, which were eager to restock the SNS after its large-scale deployment.

The virus’ origins have been a matter of controversy for several years, alternatively identified as having sprung from pigs in Mexico or Asia. One of the last studies conducted in 2016 claims to have definitively traced the source to hogs in Mexico. Regardless of its true origins, interested observers were able to glean vital data from the exercise to prepare for the “next one.”

READ MORE

https://www.thelastamericanvagabond.com/head-hydra-rise-robert-kadlec/

[blog-cosmosuniverse1]

The Great Reset Is Accelerating Into Global Tyranny

The World Economic Forum’s 2030 agenda includes the dictum that you will “own nothing and be happy.” The unstated implication is that the world’s resources will be owned and controlled by the technocratic elite, and you’ll have to pay for the temporary use of everything The WEF’s 2030 agenda is part of what is now advertised as The Great Reset Also part of The Great Reset is the transition from shareholder capitalism to “stakeholder capitalism,” which world leaders claim will provide “equity” for all In reality, stakeholder capitalism destroys freedom and shifts power over nations from elected governments to private corporations and other unelected “stakeholders” such as the WEF Since the first quarter of 2020, we’ve already gotten a taste of what The Great Reset will mean for public health. The basic premise is that of a biosecurity state, where unelected “stakeholders” decide what is best for everyone

The World Economic Forum’s 2030 agenda includes the strangely ominous dictum that you will “own nothing and be happy.” The unstated implication is that the world’s resources will be owned and controlled by the technocratic elite, and you’ll have to pay for the temporary use of absolutely everything.Nothing will actually belong to you. All items and resources are to be used by the collective, while actual ownership is restricted to an upper stratum of social class. Just how will this imposed serfdom make you happy?Again, the unstated implication is that lack of ownership is a convenience — they’re just making your life easier. Rent a pot and then return it. You don’t need storage space! Imagine the freedom! They even promise the convenience of automatic drone delivery straight to your door.Artificial intelligence — which is siphoning your data about every aspect of your existence through nearly every piece of technology and appliance you own — will run your life, predicting your every mood and desire, catering to your every whim. Ah, the luxury of not having to make any decisions!Planned Theft Under the Cover of a Pandemic This is the mindset they’re trying to program into you. As just one example, in a mid-November 2020 video announcement, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said:1“This pandemic has provided an opportunity for a reset. This is our chance to accelerate our pre-pandemic efforts to re-imagine economic systems that actually address global challenges like extreme poverty, inequality and climate change.” Some, however, are starting to realize that these narratives of “building back better” and “resetting” the economy to ensure “equity” are proverbial mouse traps. Once you bite the cheese, you’ll be stuck, robbed of your freedom forevermore.In the video above, author Douglas Kruger explains why freedom is impossible without the right to private ownership. The technocratic elite of course do not want you to understand the real-world ramifications of what they have planned, which is why they try to sell this diabolical idea as something that will benefit society and finally make life fair for everyone. It’s an attractive narrative, but a dangerous fantasy to buy into. As noted November 16, 2020, by National File:2“… Trudeau suggested the COVID-19 virus provided an ‘opportunity for a reset … to re-imagine economic systems.’ This was taken as an endorsement of a World Economic Forum plan to concentrate most private property in the hands of Big Tech mega-corporations.The ‘Great Reset’ plan involves a collaboration between national governments and international bodies to ‘reset capitalism’ with an integrated transnational technocratic welfare/surveillance state by the year 2030 …WEF member corporations and government partners would accomplish the ‘reset’ by using economic policy to virtually abolish individual property and concentrate nearly all wealth in the hands of international mega-corporations.The idea would be to leverage the welfare state and gig economy to replace the economic status quo of individual ownership with one where the majority of individual needs are rented instead.” Learn to Recognize the Great Reset Catchphrases The WEF’s 2030 agenda is part and parcel of what is now advertised as The Great Reset,3 a plan that originated in something called the Global Redesign Initiative, drafted by the WEF in the wake of the 2008 economic crisis. The Transnational Institute’s website describes the initiative as “multi-stakeholderism” as a “new form of global governance.”4On a side note, as I was entering the Transnational Institute reference, I noticed the URL included the words “taxonomy term backup delete later.” I don’t know if that means anything, but I archived5 the page just in case. Other terms and slogans that describe various facets of this global takeover agenda include:The Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is part of the transhumanist movement.6 In the video above, WEF founder Klaus Schwab describes these plans Building Back Better The Green New

Deal “Equity” Stakeholder capitalism In recent days, we’ve seen a slew of world leaders come out in lockstep to denounce capitalism, saying we need “stakeholder capitalism.” Among them is House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who September 17, 2021, spoke out against capitalism at a meeting in London.7,8"In America, capitalism is our system, it is our economic system, but it has not served our economy as well as it should,” she said. "So what we want to do is not depart from that, but to improve it.You cannot have a system where the success of some springs from the exploitation of the workers and springs from the exploitation of the environment and the rest, and we have to correct that."President Biden is the first U.S. president to embrace stakeholder capitalism by name,9 and leading Democrats, including Vice-President Kamala Harris and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, have presented policy proposals that would write stakeholder capitalism into law.10What Is Stakeholder Capitalism? But just what is stakeholder capitalism? If it’s fairer and makes everyone more prosperous than the shareholder capitalist system we currently have, shouldn’t we all support it? The problem is that the way it’s described is not how it actually works in the real world. It sounds great in theory, but the end result is not going to benefit the average person.As reported by Ivan Wecke on Open Democracy, in an article titled “Conspiracy Theories Aside, There Is Something Fishy About the Great Reset”:11“The set of conspiracy theories around the Great Reset are nebulous and hard to pin down, but piecing them together gives us something like this: the Great Reset is the global elite’s plan to instate a communist world order by abolishing private property while using COVID-19 to solve overpopulation and enslaving what remains of humanity with vaccines.Intrigued … I decided to find out what the WEF’s Great Reset plan was really about. At the heart of conspiracy theories are supposed secret agendas and malicious intent.While these may be absent from the WEF’s Great Reset initiative, what I found was something almost as sinister hiding in plain sight. In fact, more sinister because it’s real and it’s happening now. And it involves things as fundamental as our food, our data and our vaccines.The magic words are ‘stakeholder capitalism’, a concept that WEF chairman Klaus Schwab has been hammering for decades and which occupies pride of place in the WEF’s Great Reset plan from June 2020.The idea is that global capitalism should be transformed so that corporations no longer focus solely on serving shareholders but become custodians of society by creating value for customers, suppliers, employees, communities and other ‘stakeholders.’The way the WEF sees stakeholder capitalism being carried out is through a range of ‘multi-stakeholder partnerships’ bringing together the private sector, governments and civil society across all areas of global governance.The idea of stakeholder capitalism and multi-stakeholder partnerships might sound warm and fuzzy, until we dig deeper and realize that this actually means giving corporations more power over society, and democratic institutions less.”Stakeholder Capitalism Increases the Power of Corporations The Global Redesign Initiative, which served as the basis for the Great Reset, has been described as “the most comprehensive proposal for redesigning global governance since the formulation of the United Nations during World War II.”12 So, this is no minor tweak. It’s a complete overhaul of how we do business and govern nations, not only in the U.S. but globally.In this multi-stakeholder model, government is just one stakeholder among many. Other stakeholders that would have to be taken into account include nongovernmental organizations such as the WEF itself and multinational corporations. In other words, these other stakeholders will have a say in how nations are governed.Notice that world leaders will stress that the stakeholders include the environment and workers. The truth, however, is

that the needs and desires of workers and the natural world are hardly at the center of this model. As explained by Wecke:13“Instead of corporations serving many stakeholders, in the multi-stakeholder model of global governance, corporations are promoted to being official stakeholders in global decision-making, while governments are relegated to being one of many stakeholders.In practice, corporations become the main stakeholders, while governments take a backseat role, and civil society is mainly window dressing.”Stakeholder Capitalism Is Taking Over by Stealth Wecke points out that this multi-stakeholder ecosystem has already been implemented and is expanding with each passing day. It’s not something that they’re proposing to implement in the future. Instead, they’re basically just telling us now what they’ve been doing for years already.“Multi-stakeholder groups have spread across all sectors of the global governance system,” Wecke says, noting there are already “more than 45 global multi-stakeholder groups that set standards and establish guidelines and rules in a range of areas.”These groups, which have no democratic accountability, consist of large multinational corporations, which recruit insiders within government, civil society and educational institutions. Together, they claim to solve all sorts of problems that plague society.Essentially, they believe they know what’s best for everyone, and without having been elected to speak and act on our behalf, they are making unilateral decisions that will dictate how we live, grow and prosper.Since the first quarter of 2020, we’ve already gotten a taste of what the Great Reset will mean for public health. It’s basically founded on the premise that we live in a biosecurity state, where these unelected ‘stakeholders’ decide what is best for us, regardless of how we feel about it.As just one example of a multi-stakeholder “ecosystem” that is already up and running is the COVAX initiative, the aim of which is to accelerate the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. This initiative was created by two multi-stakeholder groups, GAVI and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), in partnership with the World Health Organization and funded by governments.GAVI and CEPI are both tied to the WEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and a long list of drug companies. As noted by Wecki, while governments are funding the COVAX initiative, corporate-centered coalitions (GAVI and CEPI) are overseeing and reaping the profits from the work.We’ve already been given a glimpse of the core problem with this system, which is that it’s entirely profit-driven. In 2020, South Africa and India sought to lift intellectual property rules on COVID-19 vaccine technologies to boost manufacturing in developing countries. GAVI, Gates himself and the drug industry strongly opposed, as you’d expect they would.Why? Because public health is not their prime incentive or motivation. Profit is. Profit is their main interest, and as a primary “stakeholder,” their interests must be weighed against other stakeholder interests, such as people’s want and desire to not get sick and die. And, well, they’re at the center of the power structure, so guess whose interest wins, and will always win?Stakeholder Capitalism Will Destroy Freedom Wecke describes multi-stakeholderism as “the WEF’s update of multilateralism,” which is the system by which nations of the world are currently working together. At the core is the United Nations.So far, this system is still democratic, at least in theory, as elected leaders are the ones brought together to make global decisions. The problem we’re facing is that the stakeholder capitalism now proposed is not going to deepen democracy but rather eliminate it altogether.Its design sidelines governments and places unelected stakeholders, primarily transnational corporations, in the driver’s seat, giving them ultimate authority to make decisions for the world as a whole, which is precisely what we’ve increasingly started to

experience during this pandemic. As explained by Wecke:14“Put bluntly, multi-stakeholder partnerships are public-private partnerships on the global stage. And they have real-world implications for the way our food systems are organized, how big tech is governed and how our vaccines and medicines are distributed.”We’re in for a Medical Reset as Well Since the first quarter of 2020, we’ve already gotten a taste of what The Great Reset will mean for public health. It’s basically founded on the premise that we live in a biosecurity state, where these unelected “stakeholders” decide what is best for us, regardless of how we feel about it.For example, hospitals around the U.S. are all instructed to use the deadliest COVID treatments imaginable, and doctors who defy the guidance and actually do what is best for their patients are having their medical licenses threatened. Merely speaking out about effective COVID treatments will put a bullseye on a physician’s back.In countries everywhere, people are told COVID shots are the only way forward, and vaccine passports — once derided as a paranoid conspiracy theory — are being implemented. Who made these decisions? No one is admitting the real source of these lockstep decisions, but we can be sure they’re coming from a central hub, run by people no one ever voted into power.Around the world, a twisted mind game is being played out, where world leaders are now telling us that vaccine passports are our “ticket to freedom,” completely ignoring the fact that our freedom is not, and cannot be, predicated on our medical choices.Trudeau, for example, recently stated that vaccine passports are “all about” letting you know that “if you’ve done the right things, you get to be safe” wherever you go.15 And those who refuse to do “the right thing,” well, they simply aren’t entitled to those same “freedoms.” Justin Trudeau says that vaccine passports are "all about" rewarding certain freedoms to people who have "done the right thing"— and that those who "still resist" simply won't get to enjoy those same freedoms.

[scowcroft-institute]

The Pandemic and Biosecurity Policy Program is an educational, research, and policy program targeting current challenges in pandemic and bioterrorism preparedness and response. Since the Initiative’s inception the program has grown to include an annual conference in College Station, TX, as well as one at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. 

[sihspune20]

What is the scope of an MPH degree in India

Public Health is a field that is gaining increasing importance all over the world. The advancement of technology and healthcare services in India has resulted in a large boost in the number of jobs available in the healthcare sector. A Master’s degree program in Public Health in India is now seen as a respected qualification that will open up a lot of opportunities in the booming healthcare sector. 

Let us take a brief look at the features of this program and the job prospects that will open up after graduation.

Course Overview and Syllabus

The MPH degree course is a two-year program and will prepare you for a career in Public Health. It includes an internship and various methods of teaching like lectures, seminars, lab work, practical work, field visits, etc. 

Here are some of the topics commonly included in an MPH program in India.

Medical and Health Statistics

Epidemiology

Demography and Population Sciences

Communicable Diseases

Non-communicable Diseases

Project Planning and Management

Health Psychology

International Health

Public Health Nutrition

Health of Vulnerable Population

Health Policy, Planning, and Economics

Environmental Health and Sustainable Development

Occupational, Industrial, and Urban Health

One of the best Master’s degree programs in Public Health in Pune is offered by SIHS, a prestigious university and constituent of Symbiosis International Deemed University.

Salary and Job Prospects

The average starting salary of MPH graduates ranges between 5 to 15 LPA. There are many lucrative positions that offer large salary packages that may exceed 25-30 LPA. Positions like Public Health Administrator, Healthcare Management Advisor, NGO Director, etc are respected roles and offer large salaries. 

Organizations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, WHO, PHFI, McKinsey and Company, UN Children’s Fund, etc hire MPH graduates. 

There are many different fields and specializations within Public Health such as-

Public Health Education

Environmental Science

Hazardous Waste Inspection and Control

Disease Analysis

Food Service and Coordination

Healthcare Administration and Legislation

Epidemiology

Biosecurity

Other factors to consider

The number of Public Health jobs around the world is increasing at a fast rate. With the coronavirus pandemic ravaging the world and the increase in the number of people suffering from chronic diseases, these numbers are only expected to go up. The healthcare industry in India has seen a noticeable improvement with the advent of new technology and practices. Healthcare policies have seen a transformation and healthcare awareness is reaching even the most remote villages and areas. Hence, the need for capable Public Health professionals will always be present. 

Working in Public Health can also be a rewarding career. Working in the healthcare industry in any role can be a rewarding career as your work contributes to the well-being of thousands, maybe millions of people. Especially, if you are working with an NGO or an organization like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 

Conclusion

All in all, an MPH is a great decision for those interested. Public Health is a rewarding career and could even result in you travelling all over the country or the world for work. 

If you are considering a Master’s in Public Health in Pune, the best university in the city is undoubtedly Symbiosis Institute of Health Sciences. 

[opedguy]

New Evidence on Wuhan Lab Leak

LOS ANGELES (OnlineColumnist.com), May 25, 2021.--U.S. intelligence uncovered evidence that three lab workers were hospitalized in Nov. 2019 at the Wuhan Institute of Virology experimenting with deadly coronaviruses, injecting the Petrie dishes with Angiotensin II converting ezyme [ACE2] making the virus more infectious for human hosts.  When the World Health Organization [WHO] released its study into the origin of the deadly novel coronaviurs March 4, WHO concluded that the least likely source of the virus was a lab leak.  Before the March 4 report, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom rejected the idea of a lab leak as preposterous, following the Chinese Communist Party line that insisted the virus occurred naturally in a Wuhan seafood or wet market.  WHO’s March 4 report indicated that, though unlikely, they could not rule out a lab leak, something completely rejected by Chinese officials.     

        WHO and Tedros were slow to admit a dangerous viral outbreak has swept Wuhan, China in Dec. 2019.  Tedros said at a Geneva press conference  Jan. 14 that there was no “human-to-human” transmission in Wuhan, when corpses were piling up on Wuhan streets.  Things got so bad with Wuhan citizens dropping like flies that authorities banned in-ground funerals, offering residents free cremations. But Wuhan’s 14 creamatoriums were running 24/7, unable to keep pace with deaths from the novel coronavirus.  Two weeks later, former President Donald Trump banned all flights to-and-from China, prompting a nasty response from Tedros.  Tedros held a Feb. 5, 2020 press conference slamming the U.S. for banning Chinese flights, saying there was no need to interfere with China’s economy.  Tedros didn’t let the world know about the deadly virus outbreak in Wuhan until March 11.      

       Tedros showed deference to his friend Xi Jinping who was responsible for lobbying to get Tedros the job as WHO’s Director-General.  Tedros held Xi’s dirty secrete about the SARS CoV-2 outbreak for over three months, until finally declaring in Geneva March 11 a global pandemic.  Tedros to this day acts as if there was no evidence about the origin of the virus or, more to the point, China’s attempt to cover it up.  Once China’s coronavirus outbreak became public, Xi took to the airwaves in a national speech Feb. 14, three weeks before Tedros declared a global pandemic March 11.  Xi told Chinese citizens that the was ordering the Ministry of Science and Technology to tighten up biosecurity at China’s microbiology labs.  Does than sound like Xi though the deadly virus came from a seafood or wet market?  Xi clearly knew Feb. 14, 2020 that the virus did not occur naturally in Wuhan.     

        U.S. intel’s recent report about three lab workers falling ill and hospitalized should surprise no one.  Chinese Communist officials sealed off the Wuhan lab, like the Soviet Union did with Oct. 26, 1986 Chernobyl disaster.  Wuhan Institute officials blocked any international inspectors for nearly a year from entering the premises.  Yet Tedros and WHO officials continue to dismiss the virus lab leak theory.  Two days after Tedros declared a global pandemic March 11, Chinese Foreign Minister spokesman Zhao Lijian publicly stated with a straight face that the U.S. military deliberately infected Wuhan with the deadly coronaviurs in Oct. or Nov. 2019.  Lijian’s statements were met with such suspicion, he disappeared as a spokesman for months.  Lijian’s attempt to blame the virus on the U.S. stemmed from Trump referring to the deadly virus as the “China virus” or “Kung flu.”       

      In covering up the origin of the novel coronaviurs, China sought to hide the obvious about their bioweapons research program.  China violated the 1975 Bioweapons Convention, cooking up in the Wuhan lab a deadly coronaviurs capable of wiping out a human population in short order.  When you consider how fast the SARS CoV-2 spread to world, now with 168,342,504 cases and 3,494,923 deaths, the consequences of China’s experimentation with coronaviruses has been catastrophic.  WHO’s team of scientists that returned to the Wuhan Institute of Virology dismissed the lab leak theory as unlikely.  When you consider all the lies coming out of WHO, how can anyone trust them?  Lijian’s statement blaming the U.S. military exposed for all to see that China was fully invested in covering up the China’s bioweapons research.  Xi would not have mentioned tightening security at microbiology labs for no reason.  

                Biden’s National Security Council said it’s still an open question when it comes to the origin of the novel coronaviurs. “We’re not going to make pronouncements that prejudge an ongoing WHO study into the sour of the SARS CoV-2,” said an unnamed NSC spokeswoman.  “As a matter of policy we never comment on intelligence issues,” sounding hypocritical since they just said “were not going to make pronouncements that prejudge an ongoing WHO study,” talking about intel. How the Biden NSC has confidence in anything performed by WHO is anyone’s guess.  Tedros and WHO have exposed they’ve been in cahoots with China since the outbreak of the deadly coronaviurs.  “Those claims are groundless,” said Youan Zhiming told Chinese state media.  “The lab has not been aware of this situation [sick researchers in autumn 2019] and I don’t even know where such information came from.”

 About the Author 

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

[ericvick]

Stocks Pare Losses, Bonds Hold Post-Powell Decline: Markets Wrap

Bloomberg

German Cases Hit Highest in a Month; Tokyo Extends: Virus Update

(Bloomberg) — Germany reported the largest rise in new Covid-19 cases in a month as the country grapples with the spread of mutations. Japan recommended extending its virus state of emergency by two weeks for the Tokyo region set to expire Sunday to prevent a fresh wave of infections as the nation prepares to host the Olympic games in July.China set a conservative economic growth target of above 6% for the year, outlining fiscal support with prudent monetary policy as a recovery takes hold. The U.S. Congressional Budget Office gave the green light for the Senate’s version of the pandemic-relief plan as debate is set to start with leaders eyeing a March 14 deadline.More than a dozen U.S. states reported increases in hospitalizations for the coronavirus, threatening to reverse a national trend that has pushed in-patient numbers to the lowest level since the fall. At the same time, governors across U.S. states, led by Texas, are loosening or abandoning social restrictions all together, counting on vaccines to usher in a return to pre-pandemic life.Key Developments:Global Tracker: Cases pass 115.6 million; deaths exceed 2.5 millionVaccine Tracker: More than 279 million shots given worldwideU.S. Spotlight: Hospitalizations in New York remain highest in nationInside Pfizer’s fast, fraught and lucrative vaccine distributionVaccinated workers get more office benefits than holdoutsWhere we are in hunting for the origin of Covid-19Subscribe to a daily update on the virus from Bloomberg’s Prognosis team here. Click CVID on the terminal for global data on cases and deaths.S. Korea Approves Pfizer Vaccine (2:31 p.m. HK)South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approved the use of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine under the condition that it submits results of final clinical trials, according to a statement.Takeda Files for Japan Approval of Moderna Vaccine (2:28 p.m. HK)Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. submitted an application to Japan’s Health Ministry to seek an approval for the use of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine.Some 50 million doses of Moderna’s vaccine are expected to be distributed beginning in the first half of this year. Results of a phase 1/2 trial it’s conducting in Japan are expected to be available in May and will be submitted to the Japan Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency. German Cases Rise to Highest in a Month (2:24 p.m. HK)The number of new cases in Germany rose by 11,393 in the 24 hours through Friday morning, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. That’s the biggest increase since Feb. 5.Germany’s health authority warned in a daily situation report that “due to the occurrence of different virus variants, there is an increased risk of a renewed stronger increase in the number of cases.”Vietnam to Start Vaccinations on March 8 (1:38 p.m. HK)Vietnam will begin Covid-19 vaccinations on Monday, the news website VnExpress reported, citing Health Ministry Nguyen Thanh Long during a morning meeting of the anti-virus task force.The first shots of more than 117,600 AstraZeneca Plc doses are expected to be given to medical staff at 18 hospitals treating virus patients in 13 provinces and cities, VnExpress reported.China Seeks to Beef Up Biosecurity Labs (1:37 p.m. HK)China plans to ramp up the construction and management of biosecurity labs to prepare for future emerging diseases, while it also grapples with allegations from the U.S. that the coronavirus outbreak could have resulted from a lab leak.The country seeks to “comprehensively enhance biosecurity governance capabilities” by improving its monitoring and emergence preparedness, according to a document outlining major policy priorities through 2025Tokyo Targets 140 Daily Cases to Lift Emergency (12:26 p.m. HK)The Tokyo Metropolitan Government aims to bring daily coronavirus infections down to a 7-day average of about 140 before lifting the state of emergency in the capital, Nikkei reports, citing an unidentified person.Infections by that measure are about 269 now and the government is also aiming to lower hospitalized patients to about 1,000 from the current 1,519.Hong Kong Vaccination Rate Dips a Second Day (12:08 p.m. HK)Hong Kong has seen vaccination rates in the city decline for two straight days, in a sign the government may face difficulties keeping up the momentum of the inoculation program.The city administered vaccines to 10,300 people on Thursday, 12% lower than Wednesday’s rate, which itself was a 10% drop from the previous day. Tuesday’s total of 13,000 was the largest number of vaccinations since Hong Kong began giving shots to the public at the end of February.Auckland to Exit Lockdown on Sunday (12:07 p.m. HK)Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, will exit a seven-day lockdown this weekend after a small community outbreak of Covid-19 was contained, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said.Auckland’s alert level will drop to 2 from 3 at 6 a.m. local time Sunday, allowing schools and businesses to reopen, Ardern said after a cabinet meeting Friday in Wellington. The remainder of New Zealand will move to level 1, meaning people no longer have to observe social distancing or limit the size of gatherings.Australia Downplays Italy’s Vaccine Block (12:06 p.m. HK)Australia’s health minister, Greg Hunt, downplayed the impact of Italy blocking supplies of AstraZeneca vaccines even as the nation starts its rollout.The company had a “deep, broad, global supply chain,” Hunt said. Still, Italy’s move was a reflection of “arguably the most intensely competitive international environment since, perhaps, the Second World War” as nations jostle to secure vaccines, masks and ventilators, Hunt told reporters.Australia began its rollout of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine about two weeks ago. It’s set to start domestic production of the AstraZeneca product, targeting 1 million doses a week from late March.California Extends Anti-Eviction Order (10:44 a.m. HK)Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order extending authorization for local governments to halt evictions for commercial renters impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through June 30, 2021, according to a statement.The order extends protections against price gouging for emergency and medical supplies amid the ongoing response to the pandemic.Taiwan to Make 120 Million Doses by Yearend (10:42 a.m. HK)National Health Research Institutes will apply to build a second plant to expand vaccine production capacity, Taipei-based Apple Daily reported, citing Health Minister Chen Shih-chung.The government expects mass production of Taiwan’s Covid vaccines to start in July, the newspaper said.U.S. Hospitalizations Threaten to Rebound (9:08 a.m. HK)More than a dozen U.S. states reported increases in hospitalizations for the coronavirus, threatening to reverse a national trend that’s pushed in-patient numbers to the lowest level since the fall.U.S. hospitals were treating 49,519 patients as of Thursday, data from the Department of Health and Human Services show. The tally fell 3.8% since March 1 after California reported 544 fewer cases and Texas recorded a decline of 391. Hospitalizations are down 62% from a peak of 131,637 in mid-January, though the pace of the reduction appears to be slowing.Michigan had 945 hospitalizations Thursday, an increase of 13% over the past three days. Cases jumped 4.9% to 2,075 in Pennsylvania. New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Virginia, Tennessee, Utah, South Dakota, Montana, New Mexico, Nebraska, Idaho and Wyoming also recorded an increase in in-patients.Covid cases make up 12% of hospital patients in New York and Georgia, the highest proportion among U.S. states.Group Calls for Independent Virus Probe (9:05 a.m. HK)A group of scientists called for an independent probe to consider all hypotheses and nail down whether the virus came from an animal amid controversy over the investigation organized by the World Health Organization and China.More than 20 signatories said in an open letter published by the Wall Street Journal that the mission isn’t independent enough as the WHO considered delaying an interim report.Indonesia Holds Phase-3 Trial for China Vaccine (8:32 a.m. HK)A trial on the Covid-19 vaccine produced by China’s Anhui Zhifei Longkema Biological Pharmaceutical will enroll as many as 4,000 participants in Bandung and Jakarta, CNN Indonesia reports.Approval for an emergency use of the vaccine is expected in September, CNN reports.Wells Fargo Offers Vaccine Time Off (7:02 a.m. HK)Wells Fargo & Co., which has the largest workforce among U.S. banks, is encouraging employees to get vaccinated against Covid-19 and is offering paid time off for the inoculations.The firm will offer up to eight hours paid time off for employees across the world to get vaccinated, according to an internal memo reviewed by Bloomberg. The San Francisco-based bank is expanding a testing program, offering the service free to workers at its 25 largest locations, and those who work at other facilities can request an at-home test.Tokyo Plans to Extend Emergency (6:20 a.m. HK)The Japanese government recommended to extend by two weeks its virus state of emergency for the Tokyo region set to expire Sunday, trying to maintain a declining trend in infections as it looks to host the Olympics in about four months.The move was announced early Friday by the government’s point man for virus management, Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura. It came after Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga strongly indicated Wednesday that he was looking to extend the nearly two-month measure, saying it was “an extremely important time for preventing infections.”Pfizer Plant Cited for Quality Issues (4:59 p.m. NY)The factory that Pfizer Inc. plans to use to boost production of its Covid-19 vaccine for the massive U.S. inoculation effort was cited by federal inspectors last year for repeated quality-control violations.Food and Drug Administration inspectors visited the McPherson, Kansas, plant at the end of 2019 into January 2020, according to an inspection report obtained by Bloomberg via a Freedom of Information request. They found the drug giant released medications for sale after failing to thoroughly review quality issues that arose in routine testing, the report shows.France Tightens Restrictions (1:20 p.m. NY)France plans to tighten restrictions and accelerate vaccinations in parts of the country as the government continues to shy away from a third nationwide lockdown on hopes that improvement is just weeks away.The Pas-de-Calais department on the northern coast of France will be put under a weekend lockdown as of Saturday, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said at a weekly news conference. “A lockdown, even limited to the weekend, is a heavy measure,” he said.Kuwait Imposes Curfew (12:53 p.m. NY)Kuwait has imposed a partial curfew as daily cases jumped to the highest on record. The curfew comes into force from March 7 between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. for a month, the Council of Ministers said in a statement. The Gulf nation reported 1,716 new cases on Thursday, taking the total to 196,497 with 1,105 deaths.NYC Gets First J&J Vaccine Shots (11:05 a.m. NY)New York City has received 16,300 Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses, its first delivery of the one-shot vaccine, Mayor Bill de Blasio said. The city will use the J&J shots to begin vaccinating home-bound seniors, the mayor said in a Thursday briefing.De Blasio said when he becomes eligible to get the vaccine, he hopes to get the J&J shot. The city surpassed 2 million vaccinations this week and the city’s health commissioner has said vaccines may be available to all residents by late April.Zimbabwe Approves Indian Vaccine (11:02 a.m. NY)Zimbabwe has become the first African country to authorize the use of India’s only homegrown coronavirus vaccine, which the developers this week said showed strong efficacy.The first batch of Covaxin, which was co-developed by Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Ltd. and the Indian Council of Medical Research, is due to arrive shortly, the Indian Embassy in the southern African nation said on its Twitter account.Germany, Sweden Clear Astra Shot for Elderly (7:44 a.m. NY)Germany has joined countries widening guidelines for AstraZeneca’s vaccine, based on incoming data that support giving the shot to the elderly.Germany’s immunization commission is recommending the vaccine for people age 65 and older, Health Minister Jens Spahn said in an emailed statement. That expands on a ruling that initially limited it to adults between the ages of 18 and 64.Sweden has lifted its recommendation against using AstraZeneca’s vaccine for people older than 65, Public Health Agency Official Sara Byfors told reporters.Milan Tightens Curbs (6:42 a.m. NY)Almost one year after Milan became the first European region to enter into a hard lockdown, the Italian financial capital is again facing major restrictions.All schools will be closed until March 14 and no person will be able to leave town if not for business and health reasons. Milan citizens won’t be allowed to reach their holiday houses, with bars and restaurants remaining closed while shops can stay open.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2021 Bloomberg L.P.

[blog-cosmosuniverse1]

The Great Reset Is Accelerating Into Global Tyranny

The World Economic Forum’s 2030 agenda includes the dictum that you will “own nothing and be happy.” The unstated implication is that the world’s resources will be owned and controlled by the technocratic elite, and you’ll have to pay for the temporary use of everything The WEF’s 2030 agenda is part of what is now advertised as The Great Reset Also part of The Great Reset is the transition from shareholder capitalism to “stakeholder capitalism,” which world leaders claim will provide “equity” for all In reality, stakeholder capitalism destroys freedom and shifts power over nations from elected governments to private corporations and other unelected “stakeholders” such as the WEF Since the first quarter of 2020, we’ve already gotten a taste of what The Great Reset will mean for public health. The basic premise is that of a biosecurity state, where unelected “stakeholders” decide what is best for everyone

The World Economic Forum’s 2030 agenda includes the strangely ominous dictum that you will “own nothing and be happy.” The unstated implication is that the world’s resources will be owned and controlled by the technocratic elite, and you’ll have to pay for the temporary use of absolutely everything.Nothing will actually belong to you. All items and resources are to be used by the collective, while actual ownership is restricted to an upper stratum of social class. Just how will this imposed serfdom make you happy?Again, the unstated implication is that lack of ownership is a convenience — they’re just making your life easier. Rent a pot and then return it. You don’t need storage space! Imagine the freedom! They even promise the convenience of automatic drone delivery straight to your door.Artificial intelligence — which is siphoning your data about every aspect of your existence through nearly every piece of technology and appliance you own — will run your life, predicting your every mood and desire, catering to your every whim. Ah, the luxury of not having to make any decisions!Planned Theft Under the Cover of a Pandemic

This is the mindset they’re trying to program into you. As just one example, in a mid-November 2020 video announcement, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said:1

“This pandemic has provided an opportunity for a reset. This is our chance to accelerate our pre-pandemic efforts to re-imagine economic systems that actually address global challenges like extreme poverty, inequality and climate change.”

Some, however, are starting to realize that these narratives of “building back better” and “resetting” the economy to ensure “equity” are proverbial mouse traps. Once you bite the cheese, you’ll be stuck, robbed of your freedom forevermore.

In the video above, author Douglas Kruger explains why freedom is impossible without the right to private ownership. The technocratic elite of course do not want you to understand the real-world ramifications of what they have planned, which is why they try to sell this diabolical idea as something that will benefit society and finally make life fair for everyone. It’s an attractive narrative, but a dangerous fantasy to buy into. As noted November 16, 2020, by National File:2

“… Trudeau suggested the COVID-19 virus provided an ‘opportunity for a reset … to re-imagine economic systems.’ This was taken as an endorsement of a World Economic Forum plan to concentrate most private property in the hands of Big Tech mega-corporations.

The ‘Great Reset’ plan involves a collaboration between national governments and international bodies to ‘reset capitalism’ with an integrated transnational technocratic welfare/surveillance state by the year 2030 …

WEF member corporations and government partners would accomplish the ‘reset’ by using economic policy to virtually abolish individual property and concentrate nearly all wealth in the hands of international mega-corporations.

The idea would be to leverage the welfare state and gig economy to replace the economic status quo of individual ownership with one where the majority of individual needs are rented instead.”

Learn to Recognize the Great Reset Catchphrases

The WEF’s 2030 agenda is part and parcel of what is now advertised as The Great Reset,3 a plan that originated in something called the Global Redesign Initiative, drafted by the WEF in the wake of the 2008 economic crisis. The Transnational Institute’s website describes the initiative as “multi-stakeholderism” as a “new form of global governance.”4

On a side note, as I was entering the Transnational Institute reference, I noticed the URL included the words “taxonomy term backup delete later.” I don’t know if that means anything, but I archived5 the page just in case. Other terms and slogans that describe various facets of this global takeover agenda include:

The Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is part of the transhumanist movement.6 In the video above, WEF founder Klaus Schwab describes these plans

Building Back Better

The Green New Deal

“Equity”

Stakeholder capitalism

In recent days, we’ve seen a slew of world leaders come out in lockstep to denounce capitalism, saying we need “stakeholder capitalism.” Among them is House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who September 17, 2021, spoke out against capitalism at a meeting in London.7,8

"In America, capitalism is our system, it is our economic system, but it has not served our economy as well as it should,” she said. "So what we want to do is not depart from that, but to improve it.

You cannot have a system where the success of some springs from the exploitation of the workers and springs from the exploitation of the environment and the rest, and we have to correct that."

President Biden is the first U.S. president to embrace stakeholder capitalism by name,9 and leading Democrats, including Vice-President Kamala Harris and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, have presented policy proposals that would write stakeholder capitalism into law.10

What Is Stakeholder Capitalism?

But just what is stakeholder capitalism? If it’s fairer and makes everyone more prosperous than the shareholder capitalist system we currently have, shouldn’t we all support it? The problem is that the way it’s described is not how it actually works in the real world. It sounds great in theory, but the end result is not going to benefit the average person.

As reported by Ivan Wecke on Open Democracy, in an article titled “Conspiracy Theories Aside, There Is Something Fishy About the Great Reset”:11

“The set of conspiracy theories around the Great Reset are nebulous and hard to pin down, but piecing them together gives us something like this: the Great Reset is the global elite’s plan to instate a communist world order by abolishing private property while using COVID-19 to solve overpopulation and enslaving what remains of humanity with vaccines.

Intrigued … I decided to find out what the WEF’s Great Reset plan was really about. At the heart of conspiracy theories are supposed secret agendas and malicious intent.

While these may be absent from the WEF’s Great Reset initiative, what I found was something almost as sinister hiding in plain sight. In fact, more sinister because it’s real and it’s happening now. And it involves things as fundamental as our food, our data and our vaccines.

The magic words are ‘stakeholder capitalism’, a concept that WEF chairman Klaus Schwab has been hammering for decades and which occupies pride of place in the WEF’s Great Reset plan from June 2020.

The idea is that global capitalism should be transformed so that corporations no longer focus solely on serving shareholders but become custodians of society by creating value for customers, suppliers, employees, communities and other ‘stakeholders.’

The way the WEF sees stakeholder capitalism being carried out is through a range of ‘multi-stakeholder partnerships’ bringing together the private sector, governments and civil society across all areas of global governance.

The idea of stakeholder capitalism and multi-stakeholder partnerships might sound warm and fuzzy, until we dig deeper and realize that this actually means giving corporations more power over society, and democratic institutions less.”

Stakeholder Capitalism Increases the Power of Corporations

The Global Redesign Initiative, which served as the basis for the Great Reset, has been described as “the most comprehensive proposal for redesigning global governance since the formulation of the United Nations during World War II.”12 So, this is no minor tweak. It’s a complete overhaul of how we do business and govern nations, not only in the U.S. but globally.

In this multi-stakeholder model, government is just one stakeholder among many. Other stakeholders that would have to be taken into account include nongovernmental organizations such as the WEF itself and multinational corporations. In other words, these other stakeholders will have a say in how nations are governed.

Notice that world leaders will stress that the stakeholders include the environment and workers. The truth, however, is that the needs and desires of workers and the natural world are hardly at the center of this model. As explained by Wecke:13

“Instead of corporations serving many stakeholders, in the multi-stakeholder model of global governance, corporations are promoted to being official stakeholders in global decision-making, while governments are relegated to being one of many stakeholders.

In practice, corporations become the main stakeholders, while governments take a backseat role, and civil society is mainly window dressing.”

Stakeholder Capitalism Is Taking Over by Stealth

Wecke points out that this multi-stakeholder ecosystem has already been implemented and is expanding with each passing day. It’s not something that they’re proposing to implement in the future. Instead, they’re basically just telling us now what they’ve been doing for years already.

“Multi-stakeholder groups have spread across all sectors of the global governance system,” Wecke says, noting there are already “more than 45 global multi-stakeholder groups that set standards and establish guidelines and rules in a range of areas.”

These groups, which have no democratic accountability, consist of large multinational corporations, which recruit insiders within government, civil society and educational institutions. Together, they claim to solve all sorts of problems that plague society.

Essentially, they believe they know what’s best for everyone, and without having been elected to speak and act on our behalf, they are making unilateral decisions that will dictate how we live, grow and prosper.

Since the first quarter of 2020, we’ve already gotten a taste of what the Great Reset will mean for public health. It’s basically founded on the premise that we live in a biosecurity state, where these unelected ‘stakeholders’ decide what is best for us, regardless of how we feel about it.

As just one example of a multi-stakeholder “ecosystem” that is already up and running is the COVAX initiative, the aim of which is to accelerate the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. This initiative was created by two multi-stakeholder groups, GAVI and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), in partnership with the World Health Organization and funded by governments.

GAVI and CEPI are both tied to the WEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and a long list of drug companies. As noted by Wecki, while governments are funding the COVAX initiative, corporate-centered coalitions (GAVI and CEPI) are overseeing and reaping the profits from the work.

We’ve already been given a glimpse of the core problem with this system, which is that it’s entirely profit-driven. In 2020, South Africa and India sought to lift intellectual property rules on COVID-19 vaccine technologies to boost manufacturing in developing countries. GAVI, Gates himself and the drug industry strongly opposed, as you’d expect they would.

Why? Because public health is not their prime incentive or motivation. Profit is. Profit is their main interest, and as a primary “stakeholder,” their interests must be weighed against other stakeholder interests, such as people’s want and desire to not get sick and die. And, well, they’re at the center of the power structure, so guess whose interest wins, and will always win?

Stakeholder Capitalism Will Destroy Freedom

Wecke describes multi-stakeholderism as “the WEF’s update of multilateralism,” which is the system by which nations of the world are currently working together. At the core is the United Nations.

So far, this system is still democratic, at least in theory, as elected leaders are the ones brought together to make global decisions. The problem we’re facing is that the stakeholder capitalism now proposed is not going to deepen democracy but rather eliminate it altogether.

Its design sidelines governments and places unelected stakeholders, primarily transnational corporations, in the driver’s seat, giving them ultimate authority to make decisions for the world as a whole, which is precisely what we’ve increasingly started to experience during this pandemic. As explained by Wecke:14

“Put bluntly, multi-stakeholder partnerships are public-private partnerships on the global stage. And they have real-world implications for the way our food systems are organized, how big tech is governed and how our vaccines and medicines are distributed.”

We’re in for a Medical Reset as Well

Since the first quarter of 2020, we’ve already gotten a taste of what The Great Reset will mean for public health. It’s basically founded on the premise that we live in a biosecurity state, where these unelected “stakeholders” decide what is best for us, regardless of how we feel about it.

For example, hospitals around the U.S. are all instructed to use the deadliest COVID treatments imaginable, and doctors who defy the guidance and actually do what is best for their patients are having their medical licenses threatened. Merely speaking out about effective COVID treatments will put a bullseye on a physician’s back.

In countries everywhere, people are told COVID shots are the only way forward, and vaccine passports — once derided as a paranoid conspiracy theory — are being implemented. Who made these decisions? No one is admitting the real source of these lockstep decisions, but we can be sure they’re coming from a central hub, run by people no one ever voted into power.

Around the world, a twisted mind game is being played out, where world leaders are now telling us that vaccine passports are our “ticket to freedom,” completely ignoring the fact that our freedom is not, and cannot be, predicated on our medical choices.

Trudeau, for example, recently stated that vaccine passports are “all about” letting you know that “if you’ve done the right things, you get to be safe” wherever you go.15 And those who refuse to do “the right thing,” well, they simply aren’t entitled to those same “freedoms.”

Justin Trudeau says that vaccine passports are "all about" rewarding certain freedoms to people who have "done the right thing"— and that those who "still resist" simply won't get to enjoy those same freedoms.

[phgq]

Vibrant agriculture key to faster recovery, poverty reduction

#PHnews: Vibrant agriculture key to faster recovery, poverty reduction

MANILA – Transforming Philippine agriculture into a dynamic, high-growth sector is essential for the country to speed up recovery, poverty reduction and inclusive growth, according to the latest report released by the World Bank.

 Titled “Transforming Philippine Agriculture During Covid-19 and Beyond,” the report said transforming the country’s farming and food systems is even more important during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic to ensure strong food value chains, affordable and nutritious food, and a vibrant rural economy.

 “Modernizing the country’s agricultural sector is a very important agenda for the Philippines,” said Ndiame Diop, World Bank Country Director for Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines, said in a statement. 

 Diop said with the exception of a few small natural resource-rich countries, no country has successfully transitioned from middle- to high-income status without having achieved an effective transformation of their agri-food systems. 

 “Transforming agriculture and food systems is always challenging. But the country’s new vision for agriculture, it’s current thrust for diversification and use of modern technologies, and its effective management of food supply during this pandemic clearly indicate that the country is well-equipped to overcome the challenge,” Diop added.

 Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the country’s vision is a food-secure and resilient Philippines with prosperous farmers and fisherfolk.

 “Realizing this vision will require dedicated efforts among major agri-fishery industry stakeholders, led by the Department of Agriculture, to continuously empower farmers, fisherfolk, agricultural entrepreneurs, and the private sector to increase agricultural productivity and profitability, taking into account sustainability and resilience,” Dar said.

 The report, which was prepared as part of World Bank support to the Department of Agriculture’s “new thinking” in agricultural development, suggests shifting away from a heavy focus on specific crops towards improving the overall resilience, competitiveness, and sustainability of the rural sector.

 In the past, spending has gone mostly toward price supports for selected crops and goods, as well as subsidies on inputs such as fertilizer, planting materials, and machines. 

 Global experience shows that while ensuring the availability of key inputs remain important, reorienting significant public spending toward investments in public goods —including research and development (R&D), infrastructure, innovation systems, market information systems, and biosecurity systems— results in faster poverty reduction and greater productivity gains through an overall modernization of agriculture.

 The report said small farmers have difficulty accessing inputs and markets for their produce, while buyers such as agribusiness enterprises and wholesalers find it difficult to get the quantity and quality of produce that they need for processing on a timely basis. 

 Government support can help overcome this market failure by bringing together buyers and producer organizations and providing support for the preparation and implementation of profitable business plans that benefit both parties, it added.

 In situations where farmers need support to help them access markets and improve their livelihood, or when compensation measures are needed for farmers affected by trade policies such as the rice liberalization in the Philippines, direct cash payments or cash transfers can be a better option, as practiced in many countries like Turkey, European Union, and the US, the report said.

 These direct payments have many advantages, such as giving farmers more choices and encouraging private sector development in upstream (inputs and agricultural services) and downstream (processing, marketing) markets, thereby helping farmers connect to these markets and opportunities.

 The report said interventions like farm consolidation (including cooperative farming schemes for instance), better extension services, e-commerce, and investments in agribusiness start-ups can further advance modernization of Philippine agriculture.

 “These paradigm shifts will be crucial to meet the emerging domestic and global market opportunities, while creating jobs, raising farmer incomes and ensuring the food security needs of the country and meeting the new challenges of climate change,” Dina Umali-Deininger, World Bank Practice Manager for Agriculture and Food for East Asia and the Pacific, said.

 World Bank's support to the Philippines includes long-running programs aiming to raise agricultural productivity and reduce poverty in rural communities. 

 A current example of this is the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) which aims to help increase rural incomes and enhance farm and fishery productivity.

 Several projects are in the pipeline to help raise agricultural productivity, resiliency and access to markets of farmers and fisherfolk in selected ancestral domains in Mindanao and improve management of coastal fishery resources in selected coastal communities. (PR)

    ***

References:

* Philippine News Agency. "Vibrant agriculture key to faster recovery, poverty reduction." Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1114957 (accessed September 10, 2020 at 05:43AM UTC+14).

* Philippine News Agency. "Vibrant agriculture key to faster recovery, poverty reduction." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1114957 (archived).

[michaelgmoore35]

The silent threat of the coronavirus

The silent threat of the coronavirus: America’s dependence on Chinese pharmaceuticals

A police officer in Beijing adjusts his face mask, which millions in China are using in hopes of preventing coronavirus infection, on Feb. 9, 2020. The virus is causing major disruptions. AP Photo/Andy Wong

Christine Crudo Blackburn, Texas A&M University ; Andrew Natsios, Texas A&M University ; Gerald W Parker, Texas A&M University , and Leslie Ruyle, Texas A&M University

As the new coronavirus, called 2019-nCoV, spreads rapidly around the globe, the international community is scrambling to keep up. Scientists rush to develop a vaccine, policymakers debate the most effective containment methods, and health care systems strain to accommodate the growing number of sick and dying. Though it may sound like a scene from the 2011 movie “Contagion,” it is actually an unfolding reality.

In the midst of all of this, a potential crisis simmers in the shadows: The global dependence on China for the production of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment.

Employees work at the center for early phase pharmaceutical development of Asymchem Laboratories Inc, a medical company, on Dec. 4, 2019 in Tianjin, China. Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images

Chinese dominance in the pharmaceutical market

We represent an interdisciplinary group of scientists and policymakers at the Scowcroft Institute’s Pandemic and Biosecurity Policy Program based at the Bush School of Government at Texas A&M University who have been holding annual summits addressing pandemic-related issues for the past five years. One of our goals is to promote dialogue on potential risks related to pandemics and U.S. security, in this case the disruption of supply chains and availability of medical supplies and drugs.

Today, about 80% of pharmaceuticals sold in the U.S. are produced in China. This number, while concerning, hides an even greater problem: China is the largest and sometimes only global supplier for the active ingredient of some vital medications. The active ingredients for medicines that treat breast cancer and lung cancer and the antibiotic Vancomycin, which is a last resort antibiotic for some types of antimicrobial resistant infections, are made almost exclusively in China. Additionally, China controls such a large market portion of heparin, a blood thinner used in open-heart surgery, kidney dialysis and blood transfusions that the U.S. government was left with no choice but to continue buying from China even after a contamination scandal in 2007.

China is not only the dominant global supplier of pharmaceuticals, but it is also the largest supplier of medical devices in the U.S. These include things like MRI equipment, surgical gowns, and equipment that measures oxygen levels in the blood. Supplies of these essential products have not yet been severely disrupted by the coronavirus, but if China is no longer will or able to supply them to the U.S., thousands of Americans could die.

More concerning still are the limited options available to the U.S. and the rest of the globe to make up the shortfall. It could take years to develop the necessary infrastructure to reestablish U.S. manufacturing capacities and obtain Food and Drug Administration licensure to overcome the loss of the Chinese supply.

When a disease reaches epidemic levels, the first obligation for leaders in any country is to protect their own people. As this current crisis progresses, there may come a point when political leaders in China will face decisions on whether to prohibit the export of pharmaceuticals, medical devices and other vital medical components in order to treat or protect their own people. Such acts would be the logical outcome of an escalating situation. For the 2009 H1N1 pandemic response, for example, the U.S. was pushed to the back of the queue for vaccine deliveries even though we had existing contracts with a major vaccine manufacturer located in another country. Those vaccine deliveries were delayed.

A man wearing a protective face mask sits at a cafe in Beijing on Feb. 9, 2020. A shortage of proactive masks in China is causing many Chinese to stay home. AP Photo/Andy Wong

Disruption of global pharmaceuticals?

While a total loss of active ingredient imports from China might seem far-fetched, we believe the increasing scale of the outbreak moves it closer to the realm of possibility.

About six weeks into international recognition of the epidemic in China, there are already shortages of vital personal protective equipment in both China and the U.S. UPS has transported more than 2 million masks and 11,000 gowns to Wuhan to help alleviate the shortage. But what happens when everyone runs out of protective equipment?

Wuhan is a significant player in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, with multiple pharmaceutical companies located in the city. How many of these factories have closed as a result of the pandemic, and when will those that have closed open back up? Global supply chains could reach a crisis point if they are compromised because Hubei province, where Wuhan is located, is in quarantine and factories are shut down.

Additionally, Wuhan is the location of China’s first Biosafety Level (BSL) 4 laboratory, which was opened in 2017 to research SARS and other emerging diseases. It is the only lab in China that can safely handle the world’s most dangerous pathogens that pose a significant risk of transmission. Infection, death and quarantine in Wuhan and the surrounding Hubei province is restricting the ability of all types of commerce in the region. Meanwhile, the virus is already creating a significant supply chain imbalance within China. That means those medical supply companies will be under pressure to keep any products produced within the country for protection of their own health care workers, laboratory personnel and the general public.

The regulatory apparatus to insure that the Chinese manufactured pharmaceuticals being exported meet the highest standards of safety and quality control are weak or nonexistent, according to a congressional report last year. The pressure placed on supply chains by the outbreak could further exacerbate existing quality control challenges. In doing so, the virus has highlighted our reliance on China as a U.S. national security issue due to outsourcing our manufacturing capabilities and inability to ensure quality control.

As with all pandemics, the complexity of this outbreak demands international collaboration and transparency. At the same time, U.S. public health officials must acknowledge the country’s vulnerability due to our dependence on Chinese production of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment. The U.S. must develop a response plan for the inevitable shortages in the near-term and take necessary actions to reclaim control of our medical supply chain. Continuing to overlook this long-known vulnerability will only lead to catastrophe.

Christine Crudo Blackburn, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs, Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University ; Andrew Natsios, Director, Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs and Executive Professor, Texas A&M University ; Gerald W Parker, Associate Dean For Global One Health, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences; and Director, Pandemic and Biosecurity Policy Program, Scowcroft Institute for International Affairs, Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University , and Leslie Ruyle, Assistant Director Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs, Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

[healthpolicymaven]

Microbes Not Missiles-How the U.S. Government Should Budget and Focus on Real Threats to Our Security

As President Trump taunts and brags about his military might to Korean dictator, Kim Jong Un, getting obliterated by accurately fired and sustained nuclear warheads is still unlikely. Even less likely is the “star wars” technology where U.S. defense missiles can intercept and consistently disable nuclear missile attacks. The Trump budget proposed a 54 million increase for the military and Congress approved 700 billion for military spending in September.[1] Here are the primary allocations: 

U.S. 2017 Proposed Defense Budget

Program Pentagon-$640,000,000,000

Financing Wars-$60,000,000,000

Baltic States-$500,000,000

Israel-$705,000,000

 To achieve this target, Congress will approve a deficit budget and make gargantuan cuts in many other programs. Here is a shortlist of programs targeted for cuts which directly impact your health and well-being:

 Programs targeted for cuts include:

v  Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (your health care)

v  Environmental Protection Agency (clean air and water, protection from chemical hazards)

v  Health and Human Services (medical research, public health disease surveillance)

v  Department of Education (access to school-based nurses in public education)

v  U.S. State Department (where we can travel, restrictions)

v  Homeland Defense Department (biological and chemical weapons defense)

 Most alarming are the cuts to the Homeland Defense Department for biological and chemical weapon defense, which absorbed a 28% budget cut in May 2017 and further cuts are slated for 2018. [2]  Programs to detect and respond to biological threats are being stripped, just when we need them the most.

The National Urban Security Technology Lab in New York, considered the national leader for developing systems to detect biological threats is slated for a complete shutdown of the department.[3] The October 2015 Blue Ribbon Committee on National Biodefense found the United States is underprepared for biological threats. The nation does not give biological threats the same attention it affords other threats. (Deadliest Enemy-Our War Against Killer Germs, 2017, pp. 139-140)

Also, for more information, do read The Fink Committee Report, which made seven recommendations for biosecurity, especially for experiments involving recombinant DNA.[4] A committee of experts made the following recommendations:

1.       Establishing criteria for biological (dual-use) research

2.       Create a code of conduct for scientific research

3.       Develop strategies and guidelines for communication of bio research

4.       Advise on the use and regulation of synthetic genomes

5.       Foster international cooperation for dual-use research

6.       Improve response rates for deliberate attacks

7.       Publication of scientific research continues to be debated, out of fear the methods could be adopted by terrorists

Top security threats to any country are in order of precedence: (Deadliest Enemy-Our War Against Killer Germs, 2017, p. 300)

1.       Pathogens capable of creating epidemics, of which influenza is currently the greatest risk, because it can be spread through the air and the strains change all of the time.

2.       Antibiotic resistant coronaviruses like SARS or MERS, of which there are very few treatments still effective.

3.       Mosquito acquired diseases like Zika and yellow fever have moved northward and in 2016 there were 7,373 cases of Zika within the United States and its territories. (Deadliest Enemy-Our War Against Killer Germs, 2017, p. 373)

4.       Bioterrorism, which includes transmitting small pox or some other epidemic through the mail or by some other means to a targeted community[5]

5.       Diseases which continue to have a major impact on the world’s health include: tuberculosis (including treatment resistant TB), AIDS, viral hepatitis, bacterial pneumonia, and malaria.

 Why We Need to Work Together Across the World

Trump Administration isolationist policies will harm the health of Americans, because we rely on other countries to supply our medicines, medical supplies, and many other products of strategic importance. First, it would take years for production facilities in the U.S. to scale-up and offset the loss of global suppliers. Secondly, because all companies now manufacture in a just-in-time basis, there are no longer large supplies of products in warehouses and this include pharmaceuticals. In the past, I have written about critical shortages of drugs in our hospitals, and this would be exacerbated in an epidemic.[6] For example, much of our pharmaceutical and medical supply chain comes from India and China, so if a bird influenza epidemic dramatically impacts their populations, it would disrupt supplies for the United States and other countries. The 2009 bird flu epidemic which emanated from China was identified as a strain of the deadly 1918 Spanish flue which is estimated to have killed 100 million people. (Deadliest Enemy-Our War Against Killer Germs, 2017, p. 259) Finally, we really are all in this together and a plague in a distant land eventually finds its way to our shores, so we need to fight disease together. The Trump Administration’s philosophy of denying immigration won’t prevent epidemics, which microscopically flit through the air, on the wings of birds, and inconspicuously in airplane or shipping cargo bays.

 To quote from public health expert, Michael Osterholm, in a 2015 TED Talk, Bill Gates asserted, “If anything kills over 10 million people in the next few decades its most likely  to be a highly infectious virus rather than a war.” (Deadliest Enemy-Our War Against Killer Germs, 2017, p. 50)  Both Gates and Osterholm observe that the world tends to minimize the threat of infectious disease. There have been thirty influenza pandemics since the sixteenth century. This is a poor way to prepare for public health epidemics and the ability of our infection fighting drugs has become exhausted, due to antibiotic resistant bacteria. Cipro is now one of the few drugs left which is effective against the flesh-eating bacteria. In India, where there are less restrictions on antibiotic use for animal production, there is currently bacteria which is resistant to all known treatments. And if this isn’t enough to make you forsake meat, Trump has approved the importation of Chinese chicken, which is not subject to inspections like the USDA.[7]

Microbes not Missiles

Of the deadliest foes to human kind plague is the most feared, because it can strike silently and there may be no available treatment as the disease wipes out your community. While all the President’s men rush to meet enemies in bunkers throughout the globe, the real threat will come to our soil as virulent bacteria, without warning. 

What You Can Do

1.       Urge your elected officials to provide the necessary funds for public health preparedness as our lives hang in the balance. Now is NOT the time to cut funding for Health and Human Services research. We need to allocate one billion dollars annually on development of new more effective vaccines, especially for influenza.

2.       Support a new collaboration between government and private drug companies to create an efficient reliable pipeline for immunizations. Immunizations are not economically viable for drug companies to produce, but we must create incentives for them to do so.

3.       Support and expand the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovations (CEPI) This will give us a fighting chance of being ready for the next pandemic.

4.       Encourage your congressmen (women) to fully implement the recommendations of the Blue-Ribbon Panel on Biodefense.[8]

5.       Establish an international organization to minimize the risk of intentionally created mutations used as pathogens for scientific purposes from falling into the wrong hands.

6.       Educate others on the importance of public health departments and their initiatives to prevent disease, from immunizations to disease surveillance and planning. Cuts to the Health and Human Services Agency hurts local health departments.

 Please do read the riveting Deadliest Enemy-Our War Against Killer Germs, though it may make you curl up in a fetal position, with a blanket over your head. And this is the healthpolicymaven signing off encouraging you not to sign blanket hospital authorizations. Stipulate that for which you consent and that which is not permitted (out of network anesthesiologists for example).

 Further Resources

Here is a list of other organizations which are working to understand and prevent infectious diseases:

 One Health examines the domestication of animals for food and work and how infectious diseases or zoonotic illnesses sprang from that.

 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is working to eradicate malaria and other tropical diseases and is devoted to public health initiatives in developing countries, especially Africa.

 President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) was created by George W. Bush and combats AIDS worldwide.

 National Institutes of Health (funded through Health and Human Services Agency) underwrites global research on health issues, including the H5N1 influenza virus.

 National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) researches and reviews microbiology, infectious diseases, laboratory biosafety, biosecurity, public health, and bioethics.

National Academy of Medicine (formerly Institute of Medicine) is an influential physician-led organization which has brought changes to hospitals for patient safety, especially for infection prevention, and a reduction in preventable patient deaths.

 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a national organization for research and communication on public health threats, funded through the Health and Human Services Agency.

 Works Cited

Olshaker, M, Osterholm, M. (2017). Deadliest Enemy-Our War Against Killer Germs. New York, New York: Little, Brown, and Company, March 2017

  [1] https: //www.nytimes.com/2017/09/18/us/politics/senate-pentagon-spending-bill.html?_r=0

[2] http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2017/9/22/homeland-security-struggling-to-fund-chem-bio-defense

[3] https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/22/us/politics/national-urban-security-technology-laboratory.html

[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11496/

[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11496/

[6] http://healthpolicymaven.blogspot.com/2016/02/drug-shortages-in-us-and-what-we-can-do.html

[7] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/07/07/the-dark-side-of-trumps-much-hyped-china-trade-deal-it-could-li

[8] http://www.biodefensestudy.org/mission-our-team