The AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine Withdrawn From Use

 

The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine has been withdrawn from use. The reason is that its vaccine can cause the side effect of blood clots. Some reports reveal that it can also cause low blood platelet counts. Blood platelets are also known as thrombocytes. These cell fragments do repairs to the body when injured to stop bleeding. After three years of saying side effects were minimal the evidence shows otherwise. Defective vaccines were put out into the market. Vaccinations should not cause other health issues. The lack of business regulation is to blame for the negligence of  pharmaceutical corporations. Class action lawsuits have been filed in the UK against AstraZeneca. The fact that people can get vaccine injured brings into question the policy of vaccine mandates. If employees get sick from a vaccine they are required to take, then that company is liable. The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine was distributed to 150 countries. The exact number of people who were vaccine injured is not known. There is no indication that it cause long term permanent health damage. Although getting thrombosis or thrombocytopenia should not be deemed insignificant. The World Health Organization also confirmed in 2021 that there could be adverse side effects from the AstraZeneca vaccine. This was not a condemnation, rather they claimed it was rare and not a serious concern. It becomes apparent that excuses were being made for egregious errors. Mainly it could be to protect Oxford University, which was a collaborator in developing the vaccine. Along with the Serum Institute, they made it possible for to exist. The side effects cannot be dismissed if the company is now ending production of the vaccine. The AstraZeneca highlights the need for more regulation of pharmaceutical corporations.   

The Global Rise In Excess Deaths

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a spike in excess deaths. Even when the vaccines were made available the morality rate did not go back to pre-pandemic levels. Excess morality is a public health concern, but is not discussed. Excess morality was high in 2023. This was a time when COVID-19 vaccines were available and the World Health Organization declared the emergency over. The people who are dying from the virus are those with comorbidities and the elderly. The excess death  pattern has been seen in Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, UK, Israel,  the US, the UK, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland,   and Iceland. The  excess death are not a product of the COVID-19 virus in 2023. Some speculate that the portion of those deaths occurred due to unanticipated side effects of particular vaccines. Blood clots and myocarditis occurred in some people who were vaccinated. There is not enough data to support certain brands of the COVID-19 vaccines were responsible.  Another  probable explanation is that global healthcare systems are not equipped for a large world population. Fewer hospitals and a large population increases the likelihood of more excess deaths. Countries with aging populations should make sure that healthcare and hospitals are able to handle demographic changes. Governments refuse to do any investigation into the 2023 spike of excess deaths. The main reason is that it would show that most governments failed to produce effective public health policy. If excess deaths  do not decrease in 2024, then it is a concern governments cannot ignore. 

The Development of Proteins From The mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines

 

The mRNA vaccines have unintended side effects. What has been discovered by virologists is that the mRNA vaccines are creating proteins in cells. The report makes some concerned about the safety of using mRNA vaccines. So far, there is no indication that mRNA vaccines can produce abnormal proteins. The goal of certain pharmaceutical corporations is to apply mRNA technology beyond vaccines. Corporations should bot dictate public health policy. The reason the pandemic became such a crisis is that officials were making decisions in relation to business interests. The effects of the mRNA technology might not fully be known. The hope is that the vaccinated will not have future health conditions. The ribosomes of the body act as the builder of proteins. RNA provides instructions to ribosomes for protein production. The ribosome examine the mRNA. The codons have to provide information on the amino acid in the protein. What mRNA technology does is use an artificial version of RNA. The artificial RNA carries new directions for a specific protein in the cell. An immune response is created by means of the spike protein. The obstacle is that the artificial mRNA can be attacked by the cell. The concern about frameshifted proteins emerges. The consensus is that the frameshifted proteins are no threat. One problem is that virologists did not consider that it could be if too many vaccinations are given. Getting a booster shot for every single COVID-19  variant is not practical. If a person was previously vaccinated and had COVID-19 they would have hybrid immunity. Using mRNA technology for other treatments or therapies would not be advised until a clear understanding of  the long term effects are known. 

Dr. Anthony Fauci Discusses Masks (2020)

 

When the Covid-19 pandemic began Dr. Fauci asserted masks were not necessary. At the time there was not a vaccine available and masks were one option for protection. However , studies conducted in 2023 concluded masks offered a low level of protection. That does not mean they did not work. Social distancing and vaccination offered much more effective protection. When the interview was conducted in March of 2020  vaccines were not available. Dr. Anthony Fauci telling people not to wear a mask was negligent. The shortage of personal protective equipment was the government's biggest failure. The reason Fauci spread this misinformation is because healthcare workers were effected by the mask shortage. Instead ineffective public health policies were enacted. Lockdowns and zero Covid-19 policies did not stop the spread. Mask mandates did little to defeat the pandemic. If masks were not as effective as social distancing, quarantines, or basic hand washing mask mandates were not necessary. Anthony Fauci's misinformation  caused more confusion and harm during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Ebola Detected In Uganda

 

Uganda has detected the Ebola virus in its borders. The information brings fears of the outbreak  in Liberia around 2014. The outbreak then spread throughout West Africa.  The Democratic Republic of  the Congo also experienced an outbreak in 2018. The recent outbreak is believed to be a new strain. That makes it difficult to develop a vaccine to prevent further infections. The COVID-19 pandemic has not ended. Even though there are enough vaccines to fight the disease, the healthcare systems might not be ready to handle another major crisis. The World Health Organization is tracking developments. Some virologists are debating whether or not this is another type of virus. The strains detected in the DRC and Sudan are classified as Ebola virus. It has not been confirmed that this is a new type of virus different from Ebola. Outbreaks of Ebola have ended without vaccines. Quarantines, surveillance, strict hygiene practices, and well equipped healthcare teams have contained outbreaks. Uganda did have a 2012 outbreak  of Ebola virus, but this did not become a pandemic. Isolating and providing quality medical treatment to the infected is the best way to prevent further spread. These techniques will have to be used if vaccines cannot be produced fast enough. The new virus might still be classified as part of the arterivirus group. 

The Shangahi Lockdown

 

China continues to enforce its zero Covid-19  policy. Shanghai is back in lockdown with new infection rates. This does not seem like a rational public health policy. Considering that vaccines are now available and there is more knowledge about the virus the measure would be ineffective. Lockdowns are not effective at stopping the spread of Covid-19. Vaccines, social distancing, wearing masks, and quarantines are better options. Lockdowns only caused learning loss for children, decline in mental health, increases in domestic violence, and economic difficulties. The lockdown of Shanghai is precarious, because it is a threat to food security and income of its residents. Migrant workers are caught in a difficult situation and people could face evictions. Citizens are not allowed to freely go out in public. China is not the only country to have extreme lockdown policies. EU countries have done the same. At some point, this is not about public health or safety. The lockdowns are being used to either enforce some form of control of the population. Promoting public health should not come at the price of human rights or basic freedoms. Lockdowns should not even be an option now that there are various methods of fighting Covid-19. The virus will at a certain stage become more infectious and less lethal . Mass vaccination will not cause it to disappear, but make it manageable. The economic and social damage of lockdowns will last long than the actual pandemic. A zero Covid-19 policy is not possible or useful  biomedical science policy. The only result of lockdowns are protests and general discord from the population. Future public health policy should focus on prevent as much mental and physical harm to people. Shanghai is an example of a poor method of dealing with a pandemic related outbreak of disease.  

Austria Imposes Lockdown On The Unvaccinated

 

Anti-lockdown protests in Austria that took place in early 2021 

Austria is imposing lockdown on the unvaccinated. This policy will  cause much civil unrest. Europe is seeing a surge in COVID-19 cases. Anti-lockdown protests spread throughout Germany and Austria as the measure was causing more stress on the population. Forcing vaccination will not make people compliant. That results in more resistance. COVID-19 is not going to be defeated by mass vaccination. People who are vaccinated can also spread the virus. Countries with high vaccination rates are showing an increase in cases. COVID-19 has an ability to mutate into multiple variants. Austria wants to get infections down, but isolating the unvaccinated will do little to protect public health. The vaccines do protect against severe illness and death. The vaccines do not have the ability to wipe out the disease like smallpox. If more variants emerge, at some point booster shots could become ineffective. Greece also seeks to put the unvaccinated in lockdown. Segregating the unvaccinated is not going to end the pandemic. The pandemic could end when more of the world population attains herd immunity or the disease becomes endemic. Austria's public health policy should not be replicated. Lockdowns were not effective at dealing with pandemic. Domestic abuse, mental health decline, and economic deterioration were the results of a failed strategy . Austria intends to do this once more, but it will not produced the objective of controlling the disease.   

Vaccine Mandates Are Going Into Effect

 

The Biden administration has announced vaccine mandates are going into effect. Business with more than 100 employees will either require them to take a COVID-19 vaccine or get regularly tested. Federal workers are subject to the same rules. This policy may not produce the desired results. Another issue is related to an individual's choice related to their health. Part of the reason the population may be hesitant to get COVID-19 vaccines is that medical professionals had not done enough to educate the public. Doctors must talk with their patients about these new vaccines and which one would work best for them. The US government wants to see an end to the pandemic, but mass vaccination may not cause that. The multiple variants that have emerged prove that is not an ordinary virus. The mistake was to ignore the World Health Organization's recommendations on masks. Those who are vaccinated should still wear one, because there is a chance of still getting the virus. Public health measures should be taken seriously. The US has become more lax over social distancing over the past few months. Growing fears of the Mu and Delta explain why this policy has gone into effect. If a variant emerges that is vaccine resistant, then the only method would be either lockdown or quarantine. The global economy and population could not survive that. Vaccine mandates could cause more political and public health policy disagreements. 

COVID-19 Infections Increase During The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games

 

As celebrations and the Olympics are underway, there has been a spike in COVID-19 infections. Japanese citizens did protest having the games  go ahead. There were growing concerns that the 2020 Olympics would be cancelled. Japan made too much of a financial investment for the Olympics to be cancelled. Despite volunteers quitting due to safety concerns, that did not deter officials. The spike in cases has to do with athletes coming from all over the world to compete. Even with athletes vaccinated, there is a possibility of getting COVID-19. Although it is a low chance, variants are a cause for concern. The pandemic is not over, yet many are willing to ignore public health measures. Japan is in a state of emergency due to the rise of COVID-19 infections. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga claims that it was vacations and a four day holiday that resulted in the increased infections. Although no spectators are part of the games, this not entirely accurate. The more people coming to the country, the more precarious the condition of the country becomes. Japan may have to go under lockdown and other restrictions to deal with the spike in COVID-19. 

The New CDC Guidelines

 

The Center for Disease Control has issued new guidelines related to masks and social distancing. Those who are vaccinated will not have to wear them in certain areas and restrictions are being reduced. Stores, restaurants , and other public accommodations are easing COVID-19 restrictions rules. This announcement comes with some skepticism. The entire population has not been vaccinated and the mask requirement would apply to those who have not done so. The only way to keep track is to have people show their CDC vaccination card to get access to certain places. Telling the vaccinated to stop wearing masks is premature, considering the pandemic is not over. India is experiencing a fourth wave. Unless travel restrictions and movement is controlled another wave could occur. The disease is highly infectious and has variants that have appeared in South Africa, Brazil, and India and UK . Keeping masks on when in crowds and being vaccinated is the best form of protection against the virus. There may actually be an ulterior motive to easing restrictions, when the pandemic is  still present. The desire to open up the economy and mobilize the workforce takes precedence over public health. Such a reckless and irresponsible action demonstrates the avarice of the business elite. There remains the concern about break through transmission of the virus. A person can be vaccinated and  still get COVID-19. This appears to be the case in Seychelles. One of the most vaccinated nations saw a rise in cases. Measures must remain in place until the pandemic is over.   

Tanzania's President John Magufuli Has Died

 

Tanzania's president has died. There were rumors it was related to COVID-19, however the official government statement was that it was related to his heart condition. Prior to this President John Magufuli was getting medical treatment.  Vice President Samia Hassan announced this in a television broadcast. John Magufuli became president Tanzania in 2015. At the time he was making ambitious promises in regards to infrastructure  development and reduction in government corruption. Many of these promises were left unfulfilled. That did not stop his reelection to the presidency. His failure to acknowledge the serious emergency of COVID-19 put public health at risk.The number of infected have not been fully tabulated in the country.  Tanzania will now have a president that was not elected. According to the Tanzanian constitution, the vice president takes over if death or resignation occurs. Samia Hassan will become Tanzania's president. She is required to finish Magufuli's term. There is no answer on whethter  Samia Hassan will run in the next election. The sudden change in administration and the current political challenges make the presidential election less predictable.  

COVID-19 Has Taken 1.4 Million Lives

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has killed up to 1.4 million people globally. The United States, Italy, India, and China have been hit the hardest from the pandemic. African nations have seen lower infection and death rates compared to Europe.   Infections continue to rise around the world and it appears that the public health crisis is far from over. Countries such as Russia and the US are rushing to develop a vaccine. It is not definitely know  if it will be effective. Fears of a second wave also are on the minds of the public and world governments. Public health protection has been shown to be very weak in the face of a pandemic. Private insurance has failed to provide for American citizens. Governments with state funded healthcare have managed the pandemic better in comparison. Countries like Vietnam and Uganda have avoided the worst of the pandemic, even though they are not developed nations. Quarantines, lockdowns, social distancing , and wearing masks have been done to stop the spread of the virus. However, it has to brought an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have resisted these measures, which only makes the public health crisis last longer. Health science has not figured out the best method of defeating the virus. Misinformation and conspiracy theory has created an anti-mask and anti-lockdown movement. More deaths could occur, unless there is drastic action from the UN and WHO. World powers such as US, China, Russia, UK, Germany, and France must cooperate to confront the global health crisis. If this does not happen, the COVID-19 pandemic could last for years.  

New Zealand Will Delay Elections Due to COVID -19

 

Prime Minister Jacinda Arden announced that elections will be delayed at least until October. This is in response to the increase in COVID-19 infections. Observers thought that New Zealand had beat the disease and pandemic. Celebrating too early was a major miscalculation. Opening too soon as other countries have learned resulted in a wider spread of infection. While a new sense of urgency has come into the public consciousness, few have questioned the delay in  parliamentary elections . Delaying the elections would seem to give incumbents an advantage otherwise not present under normal circumstances. If New Zealand has a fully operational postal service, casting votes should not be an issue. The only problem would be ensuring that every vote cast is counted. The pandemic has finally resulted in one of the public's worst fears. World leaders will exploit the crisis to increase their power and gain unfair advantage. The political opposition the National Party also favors delays in elections. Judith Collins has went as far as to suggest making the elections be held in November. Being the leader of the opposition, there should be at least some alternative. The country enacted some of the strictest lockdowns and still are struggling with the pandemic. This should not be tolerated by citizens who want to vote and value the democratic process. Other countries such as Uganda and Vietnam have used COVID-19 as an excuse to limit freedom of their populations. Both Democratic and Authoritarian regimes use the pandemic to gain more political power.  

The World Health Organization Declares Ebola outbreak in the DRC an International Emergency

The World Health Organization has declared that ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has reached crisis levels. There were cases  of ebola in 2018, yet these matters were ignored. The DRC has struggled with armed rebellion and civil wars through its history, but now it faces a public health challenge. The ebola outbreaks in 2014 caused global concern and this new outbreak should not be considered any less of a threat. There comes a horrible realization with global pandemics. The developing nations are more at risk compared to developed countries. Healthcare  and proper medical facilities are a requirement to combat pandemics in the present and future. The WHO must develop a consistent plan of action to prevent major crisis. One goal for the UN should be to see the establishment of functional healthcare systems and contribute to the construction of more hospitals. The ebola virus could become as dangerous as AIDS when it was first identified. Unchecked public health will rapidly deteriorate. Many people may no seek healthcare simply because they do not have the financial means to do so. Other times there is a urban and rural divide between in terms of quality of care. Rural areas globally have limited options in terms of hospitals or medical clinics. The DRC alone does not have the resources to deal with an ebola outbreak combined with other social and political issues. It is important that the African Union become involved in the promotion of stable healthcare systems and the prevention of pandemics. As the DRC deals with this crisis it is also important that the public not panic. Doing so only creates more disorder or possible long term unrest.