CDC vs Casa Branca vs ciência

'We've been muzzled': CDC sources say White House putting politics ahead of science: In the early weeks of the US coronavirus outbreak, staff members in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had tracked a growing number of transmissions in Europe and elsewhere, and proposed a global advisory that would alert flyers to the dangers of air travel.

But about a week passed before the alert was issued publicly -- crucial time lost when about 66,000 European travelers were streaming into American airports every day.

The delay, detailed in documents obtained by CNN, is the latest example to emerge of a growing sense of disconnect between the CDC and the White House.

Impacto do COVID-19 nas crianças

Combatting COVID-19’s effect on children: The COVID-19 pandemic is harming health, social and material well-being of children worldwide, with the poorest children, including homeless children and children in detention, hit hardest. School closures, social distancing and confinement increase the risk of poor nutrition among children, their exposure to domestic violence, increase their anxiety and stress, and reduce access to vital family and care services. Widespread digitalisation mitigates the education loss caused by school-closures, but the poorest children are least likely to live in good home-learning environments with internet connection. Furthermore, increased unsupervised on-line internet use has magnified issues around sexual exploitation and cyber-bullying.
Immediate government measures need to ensure that children have access to good food, receive protection against child abuse and neglect, have continued access to child physical and mental health services, and can navigate safely on the internet. Policies also need to support parental employment since it is key to fighting child poverty.

Máscaras a "treinar" reconhecimento facial

Your face mask selfies could be training the next facial recognition tool:Researchers are crawling the internet for photos of people wearing face masks to improve facial recognition algorithms.

App obrigatória no Qatar

Qatar forces residents to install its coronavirus tracker — or face the consequences: “All citizens and residents are obligated to install the Ehteraz app on smartphones when leaving the house for any reason,” state-run news agency QNA revealed in a tweet. “This decision is effective from Friday, 22 May, 2020 until further notice.”

Apps sem interesse nos EUA

Contact tracing apps are off to a slow start in the U.S.: The state with the highest known rate of participation so far is South Dakota, where last week about 2 percent of residents had the Care19 app on their phones.

Vacinas para todos

Reinhilde Veugelers, Belgian economist: “Governments must fully finance the development of the vaccine”

Nove questões para o médico de Trump

Nine Questions for the White House Physician on the President’s Use of Hydroxychloroquine:

1. Sean Conley, the chief White House physician, states that he has discussed hydroxychloroquine with Trump without explicitly saying that he has prescribed the medication. Is Trump’s statement that he is taking the drug true?

2. If it is not true that Trump’s is taking the drug, why has Dr. Conley lied in violation of FDA guidelines, medical standards, ethics and professionalism? Who instructed or encouraged him to lie?

3. The 25th Amendment was passed in part because the White House physician for President Franklin D. Roosevelt covered up his debilitating heart disease. Is Dr. Conley violating the spirit of that constitutional amendment?

4. What is the complete medical record of Donald Trump that might put him at risk of dangerous side effects in taking the drug? More specifically, does Trump have any history of heart trouble or disease, or any other medical condition that would make it dangerous for him to take this drug?

5. Conley’s memo states: “After numerous discussions…we concluded the potential benefit from the treatment outweighed the relative risks.” The use of “we” in this sentence is notable. Is Dr. Conley saying that he would not have recommended use of the drug? In other words, is Dr. Conley hiding that Trump’s views outweighed the physician’s sound medical advice of the risks? Why did it take numerous discussions?

6. If it is true that Trump is taking this drug, why has Dr. Conley knowingly prescribed a drug that the FDA and other authorities have determined is potentially fatal, and, moreover, whose beneficial effects on treating COVID-19 are unproven? Why has Dr. Conley prescribed a drug possibly risking the life of the president and in violation of FDA guidelines, medical standards, ethics, and professionalism?

7. The drug, in any case, even though unproven, according to its unscientific advocates is supposed to be given only to those suffering from COVID-19, not as a prophylactic. Does Trump have COVID-19?

8. Whether Dr. Conley has told the truth or lied–either way–will his actions be reviewed and held to account by the Department of Defense given that he is a military officer? Will he be brought before appropriate state medical boards that licensed him?

9. Medical researchers have concluded that hydroxychloroquine may cause neuropsychiatric symptoms, “including agitation, insomnia, confusion, mania, hallucinations, paranoia, depression, catatonia, psychosis, and suicidal ideation.” Has Dr. Conley properly assessed his patient, President Trump, for his susceptibility to these symptoms? Since Trump has been taking the drug has Dr. Conley observed that it has produced or exacerbated any of these symptoms in President Trump?