3 reasons why everyone should wear a face mask

3 reasons why everyone should wear a face mask: Masks are not perfect barriers to transmission, and should be combined with other preventative measures such as social distancing and contact tracing.

An interactive visualization of the exponential spread of COVID-19

91-DIVOC: An interactive visualization of the exponential spread of COVID-19

Ought we compel people to be vaccinated?

Ought we compel people to be vaccinated? there is a moral obligation for those who are able to safely be vaccinated against serious diseases such as measles and COVID-19 to do so. The gist of the argument is that, when certain factual conditions are met, people have a duty to accept vaccination. There are two conditions. First, there is a significant benefit to the person who is vaccinated and little risk. Second, there is a significant benefit to those to whom the person might otherwise transmit the disease.

Why Most Doctors Don't Wash Their Hands

Why Most Doctors Don't Wash Their Hands: A World Health Organization (WHO) report has also listed other barriers to adherence with hand-washing guidelines, including:

Working in the ICU, surgical unit, or emergency rooms

being a nursing assistant (rather than a nurse), or physical therapist

Sinks are inconveniently located/shortage of sinks

Lack of soap and paper towels

Male sex

Handwashing agents cause irritation and dryness

Understaffing and overcrowding

Wearing gloves and the belief that using gloves avoids the need for hand hygiene

Not thinking about it/forgetfulness

No role model from colleagues or superiors

Skepticism regarding the value of hand hygiene

Disagreement with the recommendations

Invasion of the New Normals

Invasion of the New Normals: I’ve been calling them “corona-totalitarians,” but I’m going to call them the “New Normals” from now on, as that more accurately evokes the pathologized-totalitarian ideology they are systematically spreading. At this point, I think it is important to do that, because, clearly, their ideological program has nothing to do with any actual virus, or any other actual public health threat.

[True?]

Renowned European scientist: COVID-19 was engineered in China lab

Renowned European scientist: COVID-19 was engineered in China lab, effective vaccine ‘unlikely’: It will not be possible for the Dr. Fauci’s of the world to dismiss Professor Giuseppe Tritto as a crank. Not only is he an internationally known expert in biotechnology and nanotechnology who has had a stellar academic career, but he is also the president of the World Academy of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies (WABT), an institution founded under the aegis of UNESCO in 1997.

In other words, he is a man of considerable stature in the global scientific community. Equally important, one of the goals of WABT is to analyze the effect of biotechnologies—like genetic engineering—on humanity.

In his new book, this world-class scientist does exactly that. And what he says is that the China Virus definitely wasn’t a freak of nature that happened to cross the species barrier from bat to man.

It was genetically engineered in the Wuhan Institute of Virology’s P4 (high-containment) lab in a program supervised by the Chinese military.

Is a successful contact tracing app possible?

Is a successful contact tracing app possible? These countries think so: If contact tracing apps are following Gartner’s famous hype cycle, it’s hard to avoid the conclusion they are now firmly in the “trough of disillusionment.” Initial excitement that they could be a crucial part of the arsenal against covid-19 has given way to fears it could all come to nothing, despite large investments of money and time. Country after country has seen low take-up, and in the case of Norway and the UK, apps were even abandoned.

So what advice do these countries have for others?
1. Remember every case matters
2. Manage expectations
3. Work in the open (or you won’t gain public trust)
4. Set the right parameters
5. Give it time