China’s Richest Man Donates a Million Masks and 500,000 Testing Kits to the U.S.

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the media and the Trump administration have taken to blaming the coronavirus pandemic solely on China. The claims made by people in power go beyond pointing out that the virus originated in China, and in many cases are statements of fear-based racism. Trump has referred to COVID-19 as the “Chinese Virus’ on several occasions. When China is mentioned in the media, it is largely negative. 

The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!

Trump via Twitter

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With the negative media coverage of China, there has been little to no reporting on the Chinese billionaire who recently shipped half a million testing kits and a million face masks to the U.S. On March 16th, Jack Ma announced that he would donate 1 million masks and 500,000 coronavirus testing kits to the U.S. through his charitable foundation. Additionally, Ma has donated $14.5 million for the development of a vaccine for the virus. 

At this moment, we can’t beat this virus unless we eliminate boundaries to resources and share our know-how and hard-earned lessons. United we stand, divided fall!”

Jack Ma

Additionally, Ma’s foundation is donating materials to Japan, Italy, Korea, Spain, and Iran. The destination of the tests and masks has not been specified. 

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COVID-19 Lockdown Potentially Contributing to a Decrease in Seismic Noise

In light of the current pandemic, human activity and a large portion of transportation have been shut down. New research, from experts who study Earth’s movements, has indicated that shutdowns have resulted in a significant drop in seismic activity.

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Campo Dei Fiori Square is seen empty on March 10, 2020 in Rome, Italy Campo Marco Di Lauro/Getty Images

Data from a seismometer at the observatory show that measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Brussels caused human-induced seismic noise to fall by about one-third”

 Thomas Lecocq, seismologist, the Royal Observatory of Belgium

Seismic noise is the hum of vibrations within Earth’s crust. Earthquakes cause the Earth’s crust to vibrate, but on a day to day basis vehicles and industrial machines also add to vibrations. These day to day vibrations create background noise which can impair seismologists’ ability to detect other signals that occur at the same frequency. A decrease in seismic noise could allow detectors to recognize smaller earthquakes and increase efforts to monitor other seismic events such as volcanic activity.

If lockdowns continue in the coming months, city-based detectors around the world might be better than usual at detecting the locations of earthquake aftershocks”

Andy Frassetto, a seismologist at the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology in Washington DC

This research comes from Brussels and similar changes have been found in a station in Los Angeles. It’s estimated that not every monitoring station will see a significant difference in activity. Certain stations are located in remote areas to avoid human vibrations.

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Boris Johnson Made Light of Coronavirus Then Ended Up In the Hospital

Boris Johnson is reportedly responding to coronavirus treatment and remains clinically stable after four nights in St. Thomas Hospital in London. Johnson was admitted to the hospital with a cough and high fever on Sunday, 10 days after testing positive for the virus. Johnson was given oxygen and later sent to intensive care. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has spoken out saying he is confident Johnson will make a full recovery. Additionally he said: 

But we’ve got very clear directions, very clear instructions from the prime minister, and we’re focused with total unity and total resolve on implementing them so that when he’s back, I hope in very short order, we will have made the progress that he would expect and that the country would expect.”

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab

The UK has yet to flatten the curve with a record 938 deaths in one day, based on the latest numbers from the department of health. These numbers put the UK death toll at more than 7,000. 

Johnson banned public gatherings of more than 2 people as well as closed all non-essential retail on March 23rd in an effort to flatten the curve. Lockdown review occurs every 21 days, however health minister Edward Argar commented saying that cases have to peak before changes are made. The London mayor spoke out saying he expects the peak in cases is still a week away. London has plans to build temporary hospitals if necessary. 

Boris Johnson isn’t Laughing Anymore

In the beginning of the outbreak, like Trump, Boris Johnson did not seem to take the threat seriously. He quipped that while everyone should wash their hands he would not stop him shaking hands with people he met.

I can tell you I am shaking hands continuously. I was at a hospital the other night where I think there were actually a few coronavirus patients and I shook hands with everybody.

Johnson’s War With Coronavirus Is No Joke Anymore

Johnson also said, on a call with ventilator manufacturers, that their task should be code-named “Operation Last Gasp.”

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Exercising Before Breakfast May Provide Substantial Health Benefits – Study

A recent study done by the University of Bath shows that exercising before eating breakfast can have a significant positive impact on overall health. The study was conducted over a period of 6 weeks with 30 men classified as overweight or obese. During the study, researchers examined a group who ate breakfast before exercising, a group that ate breakfast after exercising, and the control group who made no changes. 

The results of the study showed that while eating breakfast before or after working out did not make significant differences in terms of weight loss, those who ate breakfast after working out increased their body’s ability to respond to insulin. Additionally, those who ate breakfast after workout burned more fat and saw general improvements in their overall health.  

We found that the men in the study who exercised before breakfast burned double the amount of fat than the group who exercised after. Importantly, whilst this didn’t have any effect on weight loss, it did dramatically improve their overall health.”

-Dr Javier T. Gonzalez, Department for Health, University of Bath

Subjects not in the control group ate a breakfast of cornflake cereal in skimmed milk with wholemeal toast, sunflower spread, and strawberry jam. The group who ate breakfast first, ate breakfast and then allowed for a 90-minute “rest and digestion” period and then exercised by cycling on stationary bikes for 60 minutes, the group who ate breakfast after working out participated in the same exercise and then immediately ate breakfast. 

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Breath samples and blood samples were collected at the 25-30 minute mark, and again at the 55-60 minute mark, to determine which fuels were being used to power the cyclist. The results of the data collected show that moderate-intensity exercising before eating breakfast can help regulate insulin, regulate blood sugar, as well as burn more fat. Both those who ate breakfast before and after working out lost weight at the same rate, however, the group who ate breakfast before working out saw no changes in their body’s response to insulin.

The group who exercised before breakfast increased their ability to respond to insulin, which is all the more remarkable given that both exercise groups lost a similar amount of weight, and both gained a similar amount of fitness. The only difference was the timing of the food intake.”

Can Excercising Before Breakfast Dramatically Improve Your Health?

The co-author of the study has noted that it is not recommended that you participate in high-intensity workouts on an empty stomach. The long term effects as well as rather or not this benefits women, in the same way, have yet to be studied. 

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New Study shows Antibiotics Tied to Miscarriages May Lead to Birth Defects

A recent study done by the UK has linked certain antibiotics, taken during pregnancy, to a higher risk of birth defects. The study shows that women given antibiotics in the macrolide class, compared to those given penicillin, were 55% more likely to give birth to babies with major birth defects. Antibiotics in the macrolide class include erythromycin, clarithromycin, and azithromycin. These antibiotics are most often given to women who are allergic to penicillin, to treat bacterial infections. 

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Macrolides are frequently prescribed in pregnancy, and our findings suggest it would be better to avoid macrolides during pregnancy if alternative antibiotics can be used”

-Study leader Heng Fan of University College London.

The study was conducted on 104,605 children born as early as 1990, up to 2016 whose mothers took penicillin or macrolides while pregnant. Additionally, the study consisted of two negative control groups of mothers who were prescribed macrolides or penicillin before pregnancy and 53,000 children who were siblings of children in the study.

Along with birth defects, researchers also looked for connections between antibiotics and cerebral palsy, epilepsy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism but found no links.”

Common antibiotics tied to miscarriages may also lead to birth defects

A total of 186 children born throughout the study, whose mothers took macrolides, had major birth defects, (28 out of every 1000 babies) The birth defects documented included defects to the brain and nervous system, heart, lungs, digestive tract, urinary tract, or genitals. The majority of the women in the study were given penicillin and among these women 1,666 babies were born with major birth defects, 18 per 1,000 babies. 

It should be noted that this study does not examine the overall health of each mother before or during pregnancy. Additionally, the study does not draw attention to the changes in prenatal care from 1990 to 2016 and it is unclear rather more birth defects occurred earlier in the study or later.

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ABC Says Homemade Sanitizers Don’t Work For Coronavirus – We Disagree, So Here’s a Recipe

There are more than 14,000 reported cases of CoVID-19 in the United States, and numbers are only expected to rise as testing becomes more readily available. The EPA recently released its list of approved disinfectants for the virus. Clorox and Lysol wipes and sprays were among the list of various other products, 287 in all. You can view the EPA’s approved list of disinfectants here. To see if your product can kill CoVID-19, the EPA suggests looking for the EPA registration number to see if it shows up on the list of approved disinfectants. 

Shortly after the EPA released its approved list of disinfectants ABC News released an article titled “EPA releases list of approved disinfectants to kill coronavirus, and why homemade sanitizer won’t work”. This, however, is misleading because the article fails to mention homemade hand sanitizers at all. It does, however, point out that the EPA does not test “household products” such as vinegar when testing approved disinfectants. 

EPA does not review other household products, such as vinegar, or whether they’re effective against viruses and bacteria, the spokesperson said” 

EPA releases list of approved disinfectants to kill coronavirus, and why homemade sanitizer won’t work

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The article then goes on to say the following about hand sanitizer: 

Hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can also reduce the number of germs on your hands to a lesser extent, but CDC said products that are alcohol-free or have a lower percentage of alcohol are not as effective.”

EPA releases list of approved disinfectants to kill coronavirus, and why homemade sanitizer won’t work

According to the CDC, compared to washing with soap, hand sanitizer is not as effective at eliminating germs for a couple of different reasons. Hand sanitizer is not effective at removing toxic chemicals such as pesticides or heavy metals and when hands are visibly dirty or greasy hand sanitizer is shown to be less effective. Overall, hand sanitizer eliminates fewer germs than soap. So while the article says that hand sanitizers with less than 60% alcohol are not as effective the article neglects to mention that the CDC recommends hand washing above hand sanitizer whenever possible, And the article fails to explain that one can easily make him or herself homemade sanitizer that is just as effective as the commercial products, without the useless ingredients like perfumes.. 

CDC recommends washing hands with soap and water whenever possible because handwashing reduces the amounts of all types of germs and chemicals on hands. But if soap and water are not available, using a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can help you avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. The guidance for effective handwashing and use of hand sanitizer in community settings was developed based on data from a number of studies.”

Show Me the Science – When & How to Use Hand Sanitizer in Community Settings

While this article attempts to steer one away from homemade household cleaners, there are several homemade products you can use that do have antimicrobial properties. They are often more affordable and gentler on the body than store-bought EPA approved products. 

Simply create your own hand sanitizer with the right percentage of alcohol:

  • isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol – 99 percent alcohol volume
  • aloe vera gel (or water or both)
  • an essential oil (optional)

Use a 2-1 ratio, or 60-70% alcohol with this solution. Water works as a spray, aloe works as a gel.

If Rubbing alcohol irritates your skin check out this alternative.  Vinegar (consider an eco-friendly industrial strength for recipes) is another option to consider. The active ingredients are antimicrobial, but they have not been tested by the EPA and are not guaranteed to kill CoVID-19. If you are wondering what the best way to stay healthy right now, check out our complete guide to COVID 19. 

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Wisconsin Primaries takes place amidst Coronavirus Pandemic – Putting Thousands At Risk

Wisconsin held primary elections on Tuesday in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, even though the Centers for Disease Control recommends practicing social distancing and staying indoors whenever possible. Despite those recommendations, the president has yet to enact an executive stay at home order, and stay at home orders are currently up to the ruling of each individual state.

Related: Coronavirus – Your Guide to the CoVID-19 Pandemic

In Wisconsin, an executive order was put into place by Tony Evers on April 6th, postponing their primary election. However, the executive order was overturned Monday night by the Wisconsin supreme court. Additionally, the WI supreme court overturned a ruling that would extend the deadline for absentee ballot voting despite concerns that a surplus of absentee ballot requests would keep voters from receiving their absentee ballot in time for the election. 

Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

People are being forced to risk their lives to place their vote or fulfill their right as an American to vote. It’s just unbelievable that we are even having this conversation right now,”

-Milwaukee Health commissioner Jennette Kowalik  

Wisconsin took certain precautions to protect voters, having a volunteer spray sanitize each voters’ hands as they walked through the door, as well as wiping down poll booths after each person votes. Voters were instructed to dispose of, or take home the pen they used for voting. Poll workers were provided with gloves, masks, and sneeze guards. Tape was placed every 6 feet to practice social distancing, although this proved difficult with lines at polling locations extending far beyond the pre-taped area. One volunteer running a polling location speaks about precautions she is taking to prevent her 77-year-old husband from getting sick, she plans to “Strip in the garage put my clothes in the washer and go downstairs for two weeks” 

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden put out a statement claiming that in-person voting could be done safely saying the following: 

“A convention having tens of thousands of people in one arena is very different than having people walk into a polling booth with accurate spacing with 6 to 10 feet apart, one at a time going in, and having the machines scrubbed down,”

-Joe Biden via virtual press briefing

While Joe Biden put out a statement saying voting could be done safely, democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders spoke out against the decision to hold in-person voting at this time saying the following: 

“It’s outrageous that the Republican legislative leaders and the conservative majority on the Supreme Court in Wisconsin are willing to risk the health and safety of many thousands of Wisconsin voters tomorrow for their own political gain,”

-Bernie Sanders via twitter

Senator Sanders has since suspended his campaign. 

Holding an election in the middle of a pandemic puts millions of citizens at risk for illness. Hundreds of polling locations were closed due to CoVID-19, making it even harder to practice social distancing. In Milwaukee, five polling locations were open, where under normal circumstances there would be 180 locations open. Videos and pictures show crowded polling locations with long wait times. Continuing to hold primaries in the middle of a global pandemic is a form of voter suppression where citizens of Wisconsin have had to choose between their safety and exercising their right to vote. 

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