RDM weekend news BEHIND PRESIDENT TRUMP’S ACTION
Behind President Trump’s action to protect America’s food supply 30 April 2020
President Trump is using the Defense Production Act to ensure that Americans have a reliable supply of beef, pork, and poultry during the global Coronavirus pandemic. Food supply is critical infrastructure, essential to the health and safety of every American citizen. Recent actions in some states have led to the complete closure of large processing facilities, which can quickly affect meat availability in all parts of the country. The closure of a single plant can eliminate more than 80 percent of the supply of a particular meat—say, ground beef—for an entire grocery store chain. All told, the failure to keep facilities open could force millions of pounds of meat to disappear from the market, potentially causing long-term disruptions to America’s supply chain.
With President Trump’s executive order this week, the Department of Agriculture can ensure U.S. meat and poultry processors continue to operate uninterrupted to the maximum extent possible. To protect worker safety, processors will continue to follow the latest guidance from the CDC and the Occupational Safety & Health Administration. “The United States of America is undergoing the fastest industrial mobilization since World War II,” White House Director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Peter Navarro says. The President’s use of “the Defense Production Act is a key part of that mobilization.” President Trump met with New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) in the Oval Office today, discussing the state’s Coronavirus response and its plans for a great economic comeback
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PRESIDENT TRUMP ON SUPPORTING OUR NATION'S SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGH THE PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM
Administrator of the U.S. Small Business and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin issued the following statement today on the resumption of the Payroll Protection Program (PPP): “We are pleased that President Trump has signed into law the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, which provides critical additional funding for American workers and small businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. We want to thank Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, and Leader McCarthy for working with us on a bipartisan basis to ensure that the Paycheck Protection Program is funded so that small businesses can keep hardworking Americans on the payroll. “The Small Business Administration will resume accepting PPP loan applications on Monday, April 27 at 10:30 AM EDT from approved lenders on behalf of any eligible borrower. This will ensure that SBA has properly coded the system to account for changes made by the legislation. “The PPP has supported more than 1.66 million small businesses and protected over 30 million jobs for hardworking Americans. With the additional funds appropriated by Congress, tens of millions of additional workers will benefit from this critical relief. “We encourage all approved lenders to process loan applications previously submitted by eligible borrowers and disburse funds expeditiously. All eligible borrowers who need these funds should work with an approved lender to apply. Borrowers should carefully review PPP regulations and guidance and the certifications required to obtain a loan.
“The Trump Administration is fully committed to ensuring that America’s workers and small businesses continue to get the resources they need to get through this challenging time.”
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CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
TÍTULO DE IMAGEN. The Writw House news Conference al live.
President Donald Trump announced updated guidelines this week to continue slowing the spread of Coronavirus in America. NOMBRE DEL AUTOR WhiteHouse FECHA APRIL 18, 2020
THE PRESIDENT:
Thank you very much. Good afternoon. We continue to see a number of positive signs that the virus has passed its peak. It’s been very devastating all over the world. A hundred and eighty-four countries. Probably more. That number was as of a week ago. While we mourn the tragic loss of life — and you can’t mourn it any stronger than we’re mourning it — the United States has produced dramatically better health outcomes than any other country, with the possible exception of Germany. And I think we’re as good or better. On a per capita basis — remember that: On a per capita basis, our mortality rate is far lower than other nations of Western Europe, with the lone exception of possibly Germany. This includes the UK, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, France. Spain, for example, has a mortality rate that is nearly four times that of the United States, but you don’t hear that. You hear we have more death. But we’re much bigger countries than any of those countries by far. Texas and Vermont will allow certain businesses to open on Monday while still requiring appropriate social distancing precautions. And I can tell you the Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, he knows what he’s doing. He’s a great governor. He knows exactly what he’s doing
Montana will begin lifting restrictions on Friday. Ohio, North Dakota, and Idaho have advised nonessential businesses to prepare for a phased opening starting May 1st. Throughout this crisis, my administration has taken unprecedented actions to rush economic relief to our citizens. As an example, you don’t hear any more about ventilators. Through the Paycheck Protection Program, we’ve already processed nearly $350 billion to 1.6 million small businesses across the nation to keep American workers on the payroll. As we enter the next stage of our battle, we are continuing our relentless effort to destroy the virus. My administration is taking steps to protect highrisk communities by providing funding for 13,000 community health center sites and mobile medical stations. We’re going to be helping other countries very soon. We’re going to be helping Mexico. I spoke with the President of Mexico. He’s great. A great guy. And I told him we’re going to be helping him. They desperately, in Mexico, need ventilators, and I told him we’re going to be helping him very substantially. We’re in a position to do that. We’re building, now, thousands a week. And they’re coming in rapidly, and they’re very, very high quality. I think we’re doing very well.
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Remarks by President Trump Celebrating America’s Truckers APRIL 16, 2020
THE
PRESIDENT: That’s beautiful stuff. They are beautiful, beautiful trucks. That’s the real deal. You wouldn’t switch jobs with anybody, would you? Huh?
THE PRESIDENT: You wouldn’t I know the truckers. They wouldn’t switch with anybody. It’s what they love, right? That’s why they’re good at it. These are the best too. Well, thank you all for being here as we celebrate some of the heroes of our nation’s great struggle against the coronavirus: our brave, bold, and incredible truckers. And look at that equipment they’re the best made and great companies also, and companies that have really helped us a lot. We appreciate that. At a time of widespread shutdowns, truck drivers form the lifeblood of our economy — and the absolute lifeblood. For days, and sometimes weeks on end, truck drivers leave their homes and deliver supplies that American families need and count on during this national crisis and at all other times. They’re always there. Their routes connect every farm, hospital, manufacturer, business, and community in the country. In the war against the virus, American truckers are the foot soldiers who are really carrying us to victory. And they are. They’ve done an incredible job. We’ve had no problems. It’s been just it’s been just great, and we want to thank you very much. It’s really great. We have a little special a little special award too. To every trucker listening over the radio or behind the wheel, I know I speak for the 330 million-plus Americans that we say: Thank God for truckers. That’ll be our theme: Thank God for truckers. On this special occasion, when we honor the truck drivers of America, I’m grateful to be joined by Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, who’s doing a fantastic job, and the CEO of the American Trucking Association, Chris Spear.
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Investigational chimp adenovirus MERS-CoV vaccine protects monkeys VACCINE NEUTRALIZES MULTIPLE MERS-COV STRAINS. VIERNES 17 DE ABRIL DE 2020 What
An
investigational vaccine called ChAdOx1 MERS protected two groups of rhesus macaques from disease caused by Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). MERS-CoV is a relative of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2), which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). National Institutes of Health scientists and colleagues are pursuing similar studies with ChAdOx1 SARS2, a vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2. They posted their results (link is external) with ChAdOx1 MERS on a preprint server. The findings are not yet peerreviewed but are being shared to assist the public health response to COVID19. ChAdOx1 MERS, which uses a replication-deficient chimpanzee adenovirus to deliver a MERS-CoV protein in recipients, also worked against six different strains of MERSCoV when tested in mice as a single vaccination. Scientists from NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Mont., led the project. Collaborators work at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom; researchers at the University of Oxford Jenner Institute developed the ChAdOx1 vaccine technology.
Human cases of MERS-CoV were first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012; dromedary camels are also infected with the virus and likely transmit it to people. MERS-CoV causes disease deep in the lungs, leading to pneumonia among infected individuals. Through January 2020, the World Health Organization had received reports of 2,519 MERS-CoV cases and 866 deaths in 27 countries. In the macaque study, one group of animals was vaccinated 28 days prior to infection; the other group received two vaccinations—a prime-boost strategy—56 and 28 days prior to infection. A third group of monkeys served as controls. The scientists report that none of the animals in the two treatment groups developed signs of MERS-CoV disease. The prime-boost group clearly had less virus in lung tissue compared to the control group and no evidence of replicating virus, while the prime-only group showed much less virus in tissue than the control group. Both treatment groups showed no lung damage and were protected from disease, unlike the control animals. The scientists’ MERS-CoV macaque study follows earlier studies of the experimental vaccine in mice. They also have successfully tested the vaccine platform against Nipah virus in hamsters and against Lassa virus in guinea pigs; they next plan to expedite testing a vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2. The MERS vaccine is being studied in Phase 1 human clinical trials in the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. The same chimpanzee adenovirus vaccine platform also is being assessed for malaria, HIV, influenza, hepatitis C, tuberculosis and Ebola. Vincent Munster, Ph.D., and Marshall Bloom, M.D., of NIAID’s Laboratory of Virology, are available to comment on this study.
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"Protect our children"
About the author António Guterres. António Guterres is the ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations, who took office on 1st January 2017.
As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads across the globe, we are seeing an alarming pattern. The poorest and most vulnerable members of society are being hardest hit, both by the pandemic and the response. I am especially concerned about the well-being of the world’s children. Thankfully, children have so far been largely spared from the most severe symptoms of the disease. But their lives are being totally upended. I appeal to families everywhere, and leaders at all levels: protect our children. Today we are launching a report that highlights the risks they face. First, education. Almost all students are now out of school. Some schools are offering distance learning, but this is not available to all. Children in countries with slow and expensive Internet services are severely disadvantaged. Second, food. A staggering 310 million schoolchildren – nearly half of the world’s total – rely on school for a regular source of daily nutrition. Even before Covid-19 the world faced unacceptable rates of childhood malnutrition and stunting. We must act now on each of these threats to our children. Leaders must do everything in their power to cushion the impact of the pandemic.
Third, safety. With children out of school, their communities in lockdown and a global recession biting deeper, family stress levels are rising. Children are both victims and witnesses of domestic violence and abuse. With schools closed, an important early warning mechanism is missing. There is also a danger that girls will drop out of school, leading to an increase in teenage pregnancies. And we must not ignore the growing risks children are facing from online violence, abuse and exploitation. Social media companies have a special responsibility to protect the vulnerable. Fourth, health. Reduced household income will force poor families to cut back on essential health and food expenditures, particularly affecting children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers. Polio vaccination campaigns have been suspended. Measles immunization campaigns have stopped in at least 23 countries. And as health services become overwhelmed, sick children are less able to access care. With the global recession gathering pace, there could be hundreds of thousands additional child deaths in 2020. These are just some of the findings of the report we are issuing today. Its conclusion is clear.
Let us protect our children and safeguard their well-being.
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G20 Health Ministers Coordinate Efforts to Combat COVID-19 Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, April 19, 2020 The G20 Health Ministers held a virtual meeting today to further coordinate efforts in combatting COVID-19. G20 Ministers emphasized that people’s health and well-being are at the heart of all decisions taken to protect lives, tackle illness, strengthen global health security, and alleviate the socio-economic impacts resulting from COVID-19. They also shared national experiences and adopted preventative measures to contain the pandemic. Health Ministers recognized that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted systemic weaknesses in health systems. It also has shown vulnerabilities in the global community’s ability to prevent and respond to pandemic threats. Ministers addressed the need to improve the effectiveness of global health systems by sharing knowledge and closing the gap in response capabilities and readiness. Ministers echoed G20 Leaders’ concern regarding the risks posed by the pandemic to developing and least developed countries, where health systems and economies may be less able to cope with the challenge. The meeting also addressed necessary actions to improve pandemic preparedness, the importance of utilizing digital solutions in current and future pandemics, the emphasis on patient safety and the importance of improving value in health systems as well as antimicrobial resistance. G20 Health Ministers will take any further actions that may be required to contain the pandemic and will reconvene again as necessary.
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Statement by OPEC Secretary General Oil price plummets 92% NOMBRE DEL AUTOR HE Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, OPEC Secretary General 16 April 2020
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries would like to update the distinguished delegates to the International Monetary and Finance Committee (IMFC) on current oil market conditions and developments. The global oil market showed relative stability and ended 2019 on a positive note, despite economic headwinds and high uncertainties regarding ongoing trade disputes, Brexit and geopolitical developments throughout the year. At the beginning of 2020, there were signals that the economy would rebound from the slowdown in the second half of the previous year, with global economic activity, including global trade and industrial production, expected to pick up. Furthermore, despite strong growth in nonOPEC production, the global oil market remained well balanced, owing to the strong conformity of OPEC and participating nonOPEC producing countries in the Declaration of Cooperation (DoC) of an exceptionally high 145% in 2019, which played a major role in improving oil market conditions and market stability. However, instead of the expected pick-up in activity in 2020, the global economy and, consequently, the global oil market were drawn into one of the most severe crises in recent history, caused by the COVID19 pandemic. Countries around the world have virtually shut down, imposing travel restrictions and mandating social-distancing measures in an effort to contain the pandemic. These measures have not only severely affected global economic growth, they have also caused a historic demand shock in the oil market, which has led to extreme volatility in oil prices. Concerns about this grave oil market imbalance, which would inevitably lead to massive global oil stock overhangs in coming months, led to oil prices dropping significantly in late March to below $20/b, the lowest level in nearly 18 years. Oil prices lost about two-thirds of their value over 1Q20.
Given current market conditions and the massive oil demand destruction so far, OPEC, together with other producing countries participating in the DoC, held an Extraordinary Ministerial Meeting on 9 April 2020 to address the huge market volatility and fast growing global oil imbalance, taking an immediate decision to avoid further deterioration in the market. The agreement to once again adjust production is expected to be implemented as of 1 May, necessitating a further revision of the non-OPEC supply and supply/demand balance outlook for the rest of the year in the days and weeks to come. Furthermore, the Meeting welcomed the strong support of other producing countries and states participating in the Meeting to make voluntary contributions and called for comprehensive international cooperation to stabilize the global oil market and prevent extensive and lasting damage to the oil industry. Following global economic growth of 2.9% in 2019, the world economy is forecast to face a severe recession in 2020, declining by 1.1%. Despite slight signs of improvement at the beginning of the year, expectations for global economic growth were burdened by the carry-over of weak 4Q19 data in several key economies, which has been significantly worsened by the strong impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Economic developments in these times of COVID-19 are proving to be unique. ontrary to comparable economic shocks, the global economy is witnessing a combination of a supply and a demand shock, together with severe disruption in the financial markets.
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Moreover, the impact of COVID-19 is exacerbated by high global debt levels, the ongoing general slowdown in world trade, as well as challenges in manufacturing caused by slowing capital expenditure in some key economies and by the global deceleration of the automotive industry. The underlying key assumption for the 2020 GDP growth forecast is that the impact of COVID-19 related developments outside China will be felt most in 2Q20, when world GDP is expected to contract by at least 8%. Therefore, most regions are forecast to see a slowdown through 2Q20, recovering only towards the second half of 3Q20. China’s trajectory is forecast to see a sharp deceleration in 1Q20, and to a lesser extent in 2Q20, before recovering in 2H20. By 4Q20, global activity is assumed to have almost normalized. Nevertheless, depending on future developments, further downside risk remains. Positively, the sharp downturn is counter-balanced by unprecedented government-led stimulus measures designed to offset the negative economic consequences. Based on OPEC Secretariat estimates, the global stimulus measures in the form of fiscal and monetary stimulus, including guarantees, amount to around $15 trillion, or about 17% of global GDP, and constitute the largest stimulus efforts ever undertaken. Importantly, the fast growing imbalance in oil markets is also taking a significant toll on global economic growth. Therefore, a recovery in the oil sector may provide further support to global economic development. Within the OECD group of countries, the US is forecast to experience a strong contraction in 2Q20, following a lesser decline in 1Q20. While the considerable fiscal and monetary stimulus measures will provide a good base for recovery in 2H20, growth is forecast to decline by 3.5% in 2020, following growth of 2.3% in 2019. An even larger decline is seen in the Euro-zone, where economic activity is forecast to fall by 6.0% in 2020, compared to growth of 1.2% in 2019. Following a largely declining Euro-zone economy in 1H20, fiscal and monetary measures are expected to support a recovery in 2H20. Japan is forecast to decline by 3.3% in 2020, compared to growth of 0.7% in 2019. After the government’s sales tax increase in 4Q19, the economy experienced negative growth in 4Q19 and now faces additional rising challenges amid the COVID-19 crisis. A stimulus package of up to 20% of Japan’s GDP will counterbalance some of the downside in 1H20 and support growth in 2H20. COVID-19 is also expected to take its toll on emerging markets. While China has been particularly affected since the beginning of the year, the situation now seems to be under control. Following growth of 6.1% in 2019, Chinas’ 2020 GDP is forecast to grow by 1.5%, mainly due to a sharp contraction in 1Q20.
For 2020, COVID-19, the ensuing global economic recession and oil demand destruction are forecast to impact world oil supply substantially. Oil companies have announced reductions in planned capital expenditure amid sharp declines in oil price levels. Global E&P spending for 2020 is forecast to drop by 20% and is now estimated at $450 billion, the lowest level in 13 years. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, upstream investment was expected to remain flat y-o-y. NonOPEC liquids supply (including processing gains) for 2020 was revised lower by around 1.6 mb/d from previous estimations and was expected to grow by 0.16 mb/d. These numbers, however, will require further revisions as the outcome of the recent meeting and decision unfolds and begin to take effect. Given the fluidity of ongoing developments, the non-OPEC supply forecast for 2020 faces a large amount of uncertainty, mainly with regard to oil demand, oil price levels and spending by E&P companies.
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A GLOBAL CRISIS LIKE NO OTHER NEEDS A GLOBAL RESPONSE LIKE NO OTHER BY KRISTALINA GEORGIEVA
IMFD I have been saying for a while that this is a ‘crisis like no other. • More complex, with interlinked shocks to our health and our economies that have brought our way of life to an-almost complete stop; • More uncertain, as we are learning only gradually how to treat the novel virus, make containment most effective, and restart our economies; and • Truly global. Pandemics don’t respect borders, neither do the economic shocks they cause. • The outlook is dire. We expect global economic activity to decline on a scale we have not seen since the Great Depression. This year 170 countries will see income per capita go down – only months ago we were projecting 160 economies to register positive per capita income growth. Actions taken Exceptional times call for exceptional action. In many ways, there has been a ‘response like no other’ from the IMF’s membership. Governments all over the world have taken unprecedented action to fight the pandemic—to save lives, to protect their societies and economies. Fiscal measures so far have amounted to about $8 trillion and central banks have undertaken massive (in some cases, unlimited) liquidity injections. For our part, the IMF has $1 trillion lending capacity – 4 times more than at the outset of the Global Financial Crisis—at the service of its 189 member countries. Recognizing the characteristics of this crisis—global and fastmoving such that early action is far more valuable and impactful—we have sought to maximize our capacity to provide financial resources quickly, especially for low-income members. In this regard, we have strengthened our arsenal and taken exceptional measures in just these two months. These actions include: • Doubling the IMF’s emergency, rapid-disbursing capacity to meet expected demand of about $100 billion. 103 countries have approached us for emergency financing, and our Executive Board will have considered about half of these requests by the end of the month. • Reforming our Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust, to help 29 of our poorest and most vulnerable members—of which 23 are in Africa—through rapid debt service relief, and we are working with donors to increase our debt relief resources by $1.4 billion. Thanks to the generosity of the UK, Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore, and China, we are able to provide immediate relief to our poorest members. • Aiming to triple our concessional funding via our Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust for the most vulnerable countries. We are seeking $17 billion in new loan resources and, in this respect, I am heartened by pledges from Japan, France, UK, Canada, and Australia promising commitments totaling $11.7 billion, taking us to about 70 percent of the resources needed towards this goal. • Supporting a suspension of official bilateral debt repayments for the poorest countries through end 2020—a ground-breaking accord among G20 countries. This is worth about $12 billion to nations most in need. And calling for private sector creditors to participate on comparable terms—which could add a further $8 billion of relief. • Establishing a new short-term liquidity line that can help countries strengthen economic stability and confidence. This is the package of actions that the International Monetary and Financial Committee endorsed last week at our virtual Spring Meetings. It represents a powerful policy response. Above all, it enables the IMF to get immediate, ‘here and now’ support to countries and people in desperate need. Today.
Preparing for recovery
To help lay the foundations for a strong recovery, our policy advice will need to adapt to evolving realities. We need to have a better understanding of the specific challenges, risks and tradeoffs facing every country as they gradually restart their economies. Key questions include how long to maintain the extraordinary stimulus and unconventional policy measures, and how to unwind them; dealing with high unemployment and ‘lower-for-longer’ interest rates; preserving financial stability; and, where needed, facilitating sectoral adjustment and private sector debt workouts. We also must not forget about long-standing challenges that require a collective response, such as reigniting trade as an engine for growth; sharing the benefits of fintech and digital transformation which have demonstrated their usefulness during this crisis; and combating climate change—where stimulus to reinforce the recovery could also be guided to advance a green and climate resilient economy. Finally, in the new post-COVID-19 world, we simply cannot take social cohesion for granted. So we must support countries’ efforts in calibrating their social policies to reduce inequality, protect vulnerable people, and promote access to opportunities for all. This is a moment that tests our humanity. It must be met with solidarity. There is much uncertainty about the shape of our future. But we can also embrace this crisis as an opportunity—to craft a different and better future together. Kristalina Georgieva is the Managing Director of the IMF. PÁGINA 10
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NIH moviliza iniciativa nacional de innovación para el diagnóstico COVID-19 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 2020
Initiative aims to speed delivery of accurate, easy-to-use, scalable tests to all Americans. The National Institutes of Health today announced a new initiative aimed at speeding innovation, development and commercialization of COVID-19 testing technologies, a pivotal component needed to return to normal during this unprecedented global pandemic. With a $1.5 billion investment from federal stimulus funding, the newly launched Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative will infuse funding into early innovative technologies to speed development of rapid and widely accessible COVID-19 testing. At the same time, NIH will seek opportunities to move more advanced diagnostic technologies swiftly through the development pipeline toward commercialization and broad availability. NIH will work closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to advance these goals. The stimulus investment supercharges NIH’s strong research efforts already underway focused on prevention and treatment of COVID-19, including the recently announced planned Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines public-private partnership to coordinate the international research response to the pandemic. “We need all innovators, from the basement to the boardroom, to come together to advance diagnostic technologies, no matter where they are in development,” said NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D. “Now is the time for that unmatched American ingenuity to bring the best and most innovative technologies forward to make testing for COVID-19 widely available.” As part of this initiative, NIH is urging all scientists and inventors with a rapid testing technology to compete in a national COVID-19 testing challenge for a share of up to $500 million over all phases of development. The technologies will be put through a highly competitive, rapid three-phase selection process to identify the best candidates for at-home or point-of-care tests for COVID-19. Finalists will be matched with technical, business and manufacturing experts to increase the odds of success. If certain selected technologies are already relatively far along in development, they can be put on a separate track and be immediately advanced to the appropriate step in the commercialization process. The goal is to make millions of accurate and easy-to-use tests per week available to all Americans by the end of summer 2020, and even more in time for the flu season. “Americans are innovators and makers,” said Bruce J. Tromberg,
Ph.D., director of NIH’s National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB). “We need American tech experts, innovators and entrepreneurs to step up to one of the toughest challenges we’ve faced as a country, to help get us safely back to public spaces.”
While diagnostic testing has long been a mainstay of public health, newer technologies offer patient- and user-friendly designs, mobile-device integration, reduced cost and increased accessibility both at home and at the point of care. RADx will expand the Point-of-Care Technologies Research Network (POCTRN) established several years ago by NIBIB. The network will use a flexible, rapid process to infuse funding and enhance technology designs at key stages of development, with expertise from technology innovators, entrepreneurs and business leaders across the country. POCTRN supports hundreds of investigators from multiple universities and businesses through five technology hubs: • Emory University/Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta • Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore • Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois • University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester • Consortia for Improving Medicine with Innovation & Technology (CIMIT) at Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston Led by the Coordinating Center at CIMIT, the network has assembled expert review boards covering scientific, clinical, regulatory and business domains that will rapidly evaluate technology proposals. In order to roll out new products starting at the end of summer/fall 2020, a rapid, parallel process will allow quick throughput of projects. Projects will be assessed at each milestone and must demonstrate significant progress to receive continued support. About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs,
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COVID-19, THE PANDEMIC OF DOUBTS HOW TO MANAGE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION RELATED TO THIS HEALTH CRISIS.
By: Dr. Waldo Castro, MD, MD-Ayurveda
Since the end of 2019, what we know as Covid-19 appeared in Wuhan City, Hubei province China. Initially ignored beyond what seemed like one more incident of the many we have seen emerging in China and around the world from viral diseases. The subsequent spread and contagion of this virus came as we know to unimaginable magnitudes both by the number of cases in certain populations and by the global dispersion. leading to it being classified as a global pandemic. The biggest problem we have experienced with this pandemic is DISINFORMATION and PANIC. Disinformation or even misinformation stems from two causes. First, there is the lack of scientific experience in relation to this Coronavirus mutation, which appears to have taken everyone by surprise ...this is of course solely based on what we are being told. Second, we live in an era where virtually everyone has at their fingertips mass media broadcasting of all sorts, where one can act both as a consumer and a producer of information; in these environments checks and balances are at best lax. Some people even with good intentions, spread news without verification of sources or veracity of content ...this type of misinformation is particularly harmful, because it is organic and grass roots in its nature, with no apparent special interest or agenda; allowing it to easily gain illfounded credibility that allows it to spread like wildfire. Human beings due to our gregarious nature, always seek to belong. It is a primitive biological principle which consolidates with the first tribal groupings. Belonging to a group gives us an extremely rewarding sense of security. This in turn leads us to accept what the group accepts, even if it is wrong, since we subconsciously want to continue to be accepted. We see this situation seriously aggravated by the fact that people have been distancing themselves from each other, particularly regarding live contact. This is something that goes against our primordial human fiber and that has generated a damaging emotional vacuum in a great many individuals and peoples around the globe. Our interactions have been shifted to social media and a cyberspace consistently and increasingly more alarming. That is why we now feel more helpless and distant from each other, despite being “more connected" than ever in history.
The emotional fragility that results from this, puts us in an alarming situation of emotional vulnerability and distress. The present global health crisis has had repercussions that go far beyond the disease state itself, and even the number of fatalities that Covid-19 can cause. It has in fact already had important repercussions in other areas, on the global, community and family economy. Nor is it difficult to understand that we have not bottomed out on these issues, which will lead to more uncertainty and fear. But there is one area that has been greatly neglected, which will bring important repercussions to the state of health of people all over the world, not only physical but mental health as well. If we could call ANXIETY and DEPRESSION pandemics by the number of cases in a community and the sudden global presentation and prevalence, related just to the Covid-19 crisis; we would already be entering a MENTAL DISEASE PANDEMIC as well. The situation we are currently experiencing as a result of this pandemic by Covid-19, is causing significant repercussions on the mental health status of individuals, without excluding anyone by age, gender, ethnicity or social position. These are related to panic that spreads, often unintentionally, through various channels including social media; or from what I call the MOE or Media Over Exposure phenomenon. It is fast becoming a clinical mental health problem that combines several points. First, it keeps you in an exalted state of alertness, which is far from normal. In this artificially created imbalance and chronic Fight, Flight or Hide response, there is a cascade of neurotransmitters raised due to the media generated stress; some of these are cortisol, causing harmful effects on our physiology. In addition, we are generating a pathological need to remain connected to these sources, for fear of not knowing, of being left out of the loop and perhaps no longer belonging to whatever we perceive as necessary, or vitally important; which is very often unfounded. This in turn degenerates into two highly toxic phenomena affecting our well-being and health. First a chronic state of panic and there is also the development of obsessive behaviors, accompanied by compulsions which do not let us rest nor disconnect our minds so that it repairs and replenishes.
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During this crisis, interpersonal problems are also escalating, with even some emerging, where there were previously none. The economic impact that will most likely hit a good percentage of the world's population and affect everyone in some way, will cause all this problem to be significantly aggravated. This whole picture will likely lead to an increase in the number of suicides, in further deterioration of those already suffering from mental illness and in the emergence of new cases. Evidence suggests we will see an increase in crime, aggression and physical and verbal violence, including spousal and child abuse. Significant changes in established paradigms are highly likely to follow, which will in the long run will likely prove to be a positive thing; but, at first they will create circumstances that will significantly aggravate the incidence and prevalence of mental illness and the sufferings it causes. As a result of these conditions, there can also be an expected further increase in the unemployment rate leading to greater family and social deterioration.
Usually for beginners it is good enough to practice this for 5 to 10 minutes twice a day, morning and night, it will yield great benefits. If you cannot hold the practice at first for more than two or three minutes at a time, it does not matter, don't stop. With a consistent practice, very soon you will be doing up to 20 or 30 minutes and you will perceive and appreciate the positive physical and mental changes giving way to a better, more peaceful and fulfilling life.
Protocols will certainly have to be established to address these problems. But we must act proactively, to reduce its negative impact as soon as possible and to minimize the long-term effects. Some points to consider in the pursuit of these goals to preserve physical and mental health include:
Let us not hold on to the past and what we are familiar with; we should be open to new options, ideas and opportunities. Let us try to be healthy in body and mind, with well-being and equanimity. Ready to act in our lives, consolidate our success and live fully, healthy and in total prosperity. Be in Wellness!
Eating healthy and in moderation, avoiding excess alcohol, avoiding excess carbohydrates, eating abundant fruits and vegetables and taking abundant liquids. Hot liquids appear to be beneficial in preventing Covid-19 infections after exposure. It is important have a good night’s sleep of at least eight hours a day, but not less than seven hours. Avoid excess television time, radio or internet, especially newscasts. Choose reliable and serious sources and receive your daily information once or twice a day at most from these sources. Be cautious to not put in more than thirty minutes per session. Consider exercising lightly daily. It can be, brisk walks of around 15-20 minutes, practice yoga, swim if not in public spaces. Meditation is of great help. If you practice it, do not stop now. If you have not done it before, this is a good time to start with light exercises, such as being in a quiet space breathing slowly and rhythmically, while turning your attention to your breath always. If other ideas or thoughts distract you, do not try to block them or get rid of it, just redirect your attention to breathing; with this the intrusive ideas will soon start becoming less intense and frequent.
You can also practice meditation when walking, focus on your breathing while feeling each foot when touching and stepping off the ground. We will certainly get through this crisis, as humanity has done in so many others it has faced. It is up to us to avoid at a maximum the havoc that it potentially causes, both in the short and long term. This in turn will put us in an advantageous position to adapt with resilience to the new paradigms we will face and in doing so, identify the new opportunities that will undoubtedly arise in all areas of life.
DR. WALDO CASTRO, MD, AyurD, Ayur. LC, RM, FAAIM, NAMA PROFESSIONAL Member Dr. Waldo the voice of The Prosperity Revolution™, director and co-founder of Bliss and Light Ayurveda™ Wellness Center in Mexico is a Physician, Ayurvedic Doctor, Ayurvedic Life Coach and Integrative Wellness Advocate. He has helped others take charge of their life and attain balance and self-realization through the empowerment derived from conscious intelligence, mindfulness and meditation through Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Psychology. He is an author, international speaker, professor in Clinical Medicine and Ayurveda; a member of The National Ayurvedic Medical Association and a Fellow of the American Association of Integrative Medicine, he sits on the board for the Program in the Study of Spirituality at Florida International University- FIU, Green School of International and Public Affairs.
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NEWS SPECIAL COLLABORATION RDM
CIVILITY AND CULTURE OF LEGALITY. By: Mtro. CĂŠsar A. Castro When we want to talk about the urgency of forming and reinforcing a culture of civility and legality among the population, we cannot omit to refer to the main problems that currently affect Mexican society, from the increase in violence to attacks on personnel from Health, all this in the midst of an unprecedented situation in which we are all immersed; Likewise, we must not forget that last month large mobilizations were carried out, both in our country and in many others, to protest against violence against women, a situation that, unfortunately, at this time continue to suffer many families within from their homes (the monster at home), as a consequence of the confinement derived from the pandemic that we are going through. And why we can not stop thinking about these events, because due to these and other events, there is an absolute disdain for any established legal order, as well as the absence of a minimum of urbanity in our relationships, so we must start to urgently spread among more and more people a civic education that not only consists in the hollow veneration of national symbols, but has the mission of preventing acts like these by raising awareness among the population about the enormous benefits of complying with the rules, the laws, being attentive and considerate of each other, which is a basic condition of understanding and respect among all. Barbaric acts such as those mentioned above, because they cannot be described in any other way, and like many more that unfortunately are constantly repeated around the world, are the result of the absence of civic values such as honesty, respect and solidarity. But not only tragedies that have stained our history with blood are examples of illegality, so are the thousands of daily events that are committed consciously every day, violating the rules that we have given ourselves for our healthy social coexistence, and that at the end of the day if we added all these "little" behaviors, the result would be the same, an antisocial tragedy that equally shamefully stains our civilization.
If we really want to take root in the sense of citizen responsibility to observe the laws, which implies fulfilling our obligations and respecting the rights of others, we must start at home with the little ones by teaching them, with our example, that the rules of Home are to be complied with, not to be negotiated or breached depending on the circumstances and our convenience, that agreements between people are also rules that must be respected and that their compliance is not subject to the will of only one of the parties. That is why just as we must be firm in reprimanding our children for disobeying an order or not complying with a rule at home, in the same way we must show firmness when fulfilling a promise made to them or rewarding them for their good behavior, in this way the little ones will understand the value of respect for agreements. The Law, with a capital letter, is the best instrument created by man to prevent and avoid his self-destruction, to counteract his natural selfishness that leads him to trample on the dignity and rights of others if it is to achieve any benefit, it is the powerful shield of reason and arguments against the brutality that destroys the lives of innocent human beings, against the cynical corruption that stops the progress of societies. Violence is the opposite of civility and legality; it is the rule of law of the strongest above justice and reason. A society that respects the dignity of all its members as well as its legal order is one that highly values values such as freedom, equality, justice, democracy, tolerance, solidarity, is an educated society and concerned with preserving their way of life and for building day by day a peaceful and harmonious social coexistence. A society aware of the value of norms is one that understands that civic education cannot consist solely of paying public tributes each week in schools to the national heroes, it is one in which its citizens know very well what respect for women, minorities and the weakest, in which they give way to each other, in which they do not throw garbage or chewing gums on the streets, they do not paint on the fences, they do not spit on public roads, they obey the traffic signs, do not attack with mischief believing that they are smarter than the one in front, their corporations do not seek profit at any price even at the cost of breaking the laws and mistreating their collaborators, in short, it is a society in the one that its authorities are the first to set the example of what urbanity should be, acting with adherence to legality.
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Black and shameful episodes such as those referred to at the beginning of this article, as well as the self-confidence with which thousands or perhaps millions of citizens around the world mock and take pride in it, show us that as societies we have too much work to do. so that the civilization process reaches the majority, a permanent task in which the family and the school play a fundamental role, since both institutions complement each other by infusing the social and common values that should govern us, and must support and in his case, until the flaws that some of them present in the task of building citizenship are corrected. That is why civic education in today's world must have the same rank and importance in schools as mathematics or science, it is nothing more and nothing less than the training of human beings who not only know how to solve technical problems or that they are creators of art, but of individuals who act ethically when applying the knowledge acquired in the classroom. ¿What is the use of having the best chemists if they are going to make weapons of mass destruction or produce laboratory drugs? Just as it is important that each and every citizen is fully aware that there can be no progress without respect for the laws, it is just as important, or even more, than the government itself, represented by the 3 powers and in all its instances, be effective in the enforcement and application of the law, that is, the authority must begin by respecting itself in order to be able to demand it from society. Corruption suffered by practically all governments in the world is a systemic problem that we must combat and reduce since it costs us billions of dollars each year, and all due to the absence of ethical principles that govern the actions of public servants, that given the possibility of doing juicy business under their post and charged to the treasury, they do not think twice when they consider that they are ensuring a comfortable and comfortable life for the future. Public servants have an obligation to set the example of virtuous citizen behavior, by having under their responsibility the administration of resources that do not belong to them and that we all contribute to the functioning of our society. Collusion between public servants or between these and individuals to obtain illicit profits is a clear example of the absolute disregard for the law and, consequently, of the low value that society represents to them, which, ultimately, places them in the same level that those who violently and unscrupulously violate our integrity. Corruption is a cancer that costs us a lot of money, it is one more tax that shamelessly benefits a few, depriving us of enormous resources that would largely solve, such as in this health crisis that we are suffering, many pressing needs that we have and that we prevent access to development.
RDM WEEKEND NEWS
Civility and the culture of legality is a way of life, just as we strive to carry out our work professionally, the same must happen when interacting with society, striving every day since we leave home early until we arrive in the night in being professional citizens careful to respect the rights of others, not to cheat, to keep our word. Illegality begins its twisted path at home since we taught children to lie by our example, continuing in school when those children cheat on an exam, and on the street when they have become men and they vulgarly bribe the police, commit fraud against the company where they work, or become managers of that company, defraud its employees, shareholders and the treasury, turned into public servants divert public resources to private bank accounts or electoral campaigns, granting juicy contracts to family members , partners and friends, or end up earning cartloads of money for their criminal activities, and all this began with the example that we give from home to the little ones. Civility and the culture of legality is a matter of general interest that we cannot ignore, we are all responsible for preserving and strengthening urbanity and the rule of law, it is a matter of principle, of social integrity, of national security and , ultimately, survival. For all of the above, we affirm categorically that the degree of civilization of a society is measured by its level of respect and compliance with the most vulnerable and its own laws.
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Mtro. César Augusto Castro Pérez. Director General. CB SERVICIOS EN DESARROLLO HUMANO, S.A. DE C.V.
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