The first non-trial dose of the coronavirus vaccine was administered earlier this week in the U.K, to a 90-year-old woman. Two of the first health care workers in the U.K have had severe allergic reactions to the vaccine. Pfizer has urged those with serious allergies not to get the vaccine.

The FDA has approved the coronavirus vaccine, and the first doses were administered yesterday (Monday, December 14th).

Pfizer was the first company to be approved by the FDA, Moderna with likely be next. Other companies such as Johnson and Johnson also have vaccine trials in the late stages.

More than nine in 10 people immunized with Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine candidate registered some level of side effects.

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Most people are reporting some side effects. Common complaints include headache, fatigue, chills, muscle soreness, fever, and joint pain as well as general flu-like symptoms.

The most common reactions with Pfizer’s vaccine were pain at injection site (84%), fatigue (63%), headache (55%), muscle pain (38%), chills (32%), joint pain (24%), and fever (14%). 

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“Systemic events (fatigue, headache, chills, muscle pain and joint paint) were reported in small numbers of younger recipients of [the second shot],” Pfizer said in a report published in The New England Journal of Medicine. “But no severe systemic events were reported by older recipients of this vaccine candidate.”

Here Are All the Side Effects of Every Top COVID-19 Vaccine in US

The data gathered has shown that you are even more likely to experience side effects after the second dose of the vaccine. The vaccine requires two doses over the course of a couple of weeks.

The vaccine has not yet been approved for pregnant women or children under the age of 16.

Currently, the U.S is planning to receive 100 million doses of the vaccine, enough for 50 million people. The Trump administration allegedly turned down an additional 100 million doses of the vaccine. Pfizer has said that they may not have extra doses available until mid-summer.

If you are worried about contracting or spreading the coronavirus, we recommend prioritizing gut health above all else and building a strong immune system.

Microplastics have now been discovered at the highest and lowest points of the Earth. In 2018, microplastics were discovered at the deepest point on Earth, the Mariana Trench. Now, after analyzing samples collected by national geographic in 2019, scientists have discovered microplastic particles have been discovered near the top of Mount Everest. Samples were collected from 11 locations on the mountain ranging from 5,300 meters to 8,440 meters high.

The fibers likely came from clothing, tents, and ropes worn by mountaineers. In 2019, around 880 people climbed Everest. The highest concentration of microplastics was found near Base Camp, where people spend most of their time.

“It really surprised me to find microplastics in every single snow sample I analysed,” said Imogen Napper, at the University of Plymouth, who led the new research. “Mount Everest is somewhere I have always considered remote and pristine. To know we are polluting near the top of the tallest mountain is a real eye-opener.”

Microplastic pollution found near summit of Mount Everest

Microplastics are tiny particles of plastic that come off plastic products. They can be carried by wind, they’re in the rain, the ocean, and pretty much every surface of the Earth. At this point, they’re making their way into our food and water supply, as well. We release millions of tonnes of microplastics each year. Plastics are toxic to us and the animals around us.

This study was released by the journal One Earth. Scientists found microplastics in every snow sample they analyzed, with the most contaminated sample containing 119 particles per liter. The average was 30 particles per liter.

Plastic is in everything, thus it’s everywhere. Our clothes are made of plastic, our furniture is made of plastic, and it’s seemingly impossible to get through life without it. The cut down on plastic waste, we recommend shopping for cotton clothing as much as possible. Eat at home and cook your own food as often as you can. Look for glass whenever it’s available, and be conscious of what you consume, and how.

A new study, reported in JAMA Psychiatry, found Psilocybin to be four times more effective at treating depression, compared to antidepressants. Psilocybin is the psychedelic substance in magic mushrooms. This research comes after research suggesting that psilocybin could ease depression and anxiety in cancer patients.

The study involved 27 people. Patients received two doses of psilocybin on two different days, in addition to 11 hours of psychotherapy. Patients were administered the drug in what Alan Davis, lead author on the study, describes as a homey but safe environment. After being administered the drug, patients were blindfolded and given headphones, and told experience whatever was happening within the trip. Half of the patients were put on a waitlist to serve as a comparison group for the other half of the group, who began treatment immediately.

The group who began treatment immediately saw a significant reduction in depression and responded much quicker compared to antidepressants.

“The effect happened within one day after the first session and sustained at that reduced level through the second psilocybin session all the way up to the one-month follow-up,”

Rigorous Study Backs A Psychedelic Treatment For Major Depression

America’s health care system is highly flawed. So much so that many refer to it as a “sick” care system. Covid-19 has only amplified the problems in our American health care system, and the problem with American health. Having chronic health conditions makes one much more susceptible to Covid-19. Reports from the CDC show that 94% of Covid deaths occurred in patients who had an average of 2.6 additional conditions.

There are complex factors behind the U.S.’s high premature death rate. But it is a mistake to believe that the country’s abominable health outcomes are highly dependent on, say, preserving or repealing the Affordable Care Act. That’s because the U.S. health care system is really a “sick” care system that treats people after their health has declined.

Make America healthy again by paying more attention to nutrition

America has the highest per capita death rate of Covid-19 among other wealthy countries. America is, in many ways, the unhealthiest of any wealthy country in the world, while simultaneously spending more money on health care than any other country. More than 42% of adults in America are obese, in addition to nearly 20% of American children. America has the 12th highest obesity rate in the world.

It’s estimated that half of the deaths in the U.S from heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes are associated with diet. In reality, nearly all deaths like these can be prevented with healthy a diet, and I would imagine that at this rate, mainstream science with figure this out soon. Research has shown that excess weight avoidance is the most important factor for preventing cancer, among those who don’t smoke. With information like this becoming mainstream, it feels as though it’s only a matter of time before everyone knows how important gut health is in preventing disease.

Less than 1% of lecture time in medical schools is devoted to nutrition. A survey of 12,000 doctors showed that only 15% of doctors feel “totally prepared” to give nutritional guidance to patients when needed.

Even in the time of a pandemic, we can’t get health officials to prioritize the importance of a healthy diet over social distancing. It’s just another indicator that America’s health care system is highly flawed. The average American doesn’t even consume one serving of fruit per day, but twice as many servings of sugary beverages. American health officials should prioritize proper health education, and making sure that all Americans have access to healthy affordable produce.

On September 16th, scuba divers found more than 3,000 pounds of trash at Rushikonda beach in India. Divers were on their first underwater clean-up since quarantine began when they found 3,300 pounds of N-95 masks, gloves, and other bio-medical waste floating in the seabed. The trash was removed over three rounds of ocean clean up ending on September 27th.

According to the World Health Organization, the world needs 89 million medical masks a month. Disposable masks take hundreds of years to break down and are now being used more than ever.

 Before COVID-19, a government hospital bed would generate around half a kg of biomedical waste per day which has now gone up to 3-5 kg (per day).

Discarded single-use plastic masks and gloves are choking ocean beds

The pandemic has done extensive damage to the environment in recent months. Disposable masks frequently get wrapped up in wildlife. The amount of PPE that we dispose of is adding to an ever-growing pile of plastic in our oceans and landfills. The world has made a quick shift away from reusable products back to disposable products, for the sake of human health. That being said, the health of the planet and its animals cannot be forgotten, as it is likely what got us into this pandemic in the first place.

If you have to wear a mask, please use a reusable one. If you ever find yourself with a disposable one, when it comes time to throw it away, cut the strings off the mask to prevent it from getting wrapped up in the legs and fins of wildlife. More people are ordering things online than ever before. Keep in mind how much waste your package from amazon is generating. In an attempt to return to normal, many people have begun eating out again or ordering take-out from restaurants. Remember that you, the environment, and your wallet, are better off with a meal cooked at home. Be conscious of what you consume, and how, in a time where staying safe from COVID-19 has become more of a priority than taking care of the environment.

PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals” are chemicals that have been linked to cancer and numerous other health problems including thyroid issues, reproductive and developmental issues, and high cholesterol. Forever chemicals are called such because they never break down in the environment.

So why are DuPont and other similar companies still discharging these chemicals from their facilities?

In 2001, it came became well known that a type of PFAS called PFOA, which is used to make Teflon, contaminated the drinking water of 70,000 people near a DuPont factory in West Virginia. Several lawsuits and lots of pressure from the EPA later, DuPont and other companies pledged to phase out PFOA and stop usage after 2015.

Related: How to Detox From Plastics and Other Endocrine Disruptors

Earlier this month, California representative Harley Rouda, sent a letter to DuPont and Chemours questioning why PFAS were still being discharged at their factories. Despite the known toxicity, there are no federal enforcements on PFAS in drinking water, groundwater, or soils, and only five states have regulations on PFAS. There are also no requirements to clean up PFAS under the Federal Superfund Law.

The continued releases could be an indication that the two companies are still using PFOA, despite their assurances otherwise. If so, that would be a serious breach of public trust. But there are other possible explanations for these discharges. There could be PFOA in products or mixtures used at the facilities. Or “legacy” PFOA remaining in water used at the facilities could be showing up – an alarming reminder of the chemical’s persistence in the environment.

Both companies have publicly said they no longer use PFOA, yet, the EPA’s history shows ongoing discharge from two different facilities. One site in Parkersburg reported 323.5 pounds of PFOA released in 2019.

Forever chemicals produced by companies like DuPont and 3M have been contaminating our earth for decades. Information released has shown that these companies knew the dangers of these chemicals as early as the 1950s. If you have any interest in learning more about forever chemicals, I highly recommend the Mark Ruffalo film “Dark Waters”. Dark Waters follows the true story of a corporate defense attorney who took on an environmental lawsuit against DuPont, exposing the decades of pollution.

Health experts have warned about the possibility of what they refer to as a “Twindemic” with the flu season quickly approaching. In an effort to avoid a strenuous flu season, the Trump administration issued a declaration to authorize pharmacists nationwide to administer the flu shot to children three and older. The CDC recommends that everyone get their flu shot by the end of October. For reference, nearly 36% of the nation’s children (or roughly 25,000,000 children) did not get the flu shot in last year’s flu season. An estimated 434 children died from the flu last season.

“Today’s action means easier access to lifesaving vaccines for our children, as we seek to ensure immunization rates remain high during the COVID-19 pandemic,” US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in a press release.

Despite the Trump administration’s new policy, many pharmacies still won’t vaccinate children against flu

According to CNN, it looks like the new policy by the Trump administration did not land well amongst pharmacies across the country. The majority of pharmacies around the country are still refusing to vaccinate children that young. Additionally, many pharmacies were unaware of the push by the Trump administration to get more children vaccinated against the flu.

Previously, 20 states allowed pharmacists to vaccinate children three and up without a prescription. In the remaining 30 states that did not vaccinate children in pharmacies, CNN called 176 pharmacies across the country to ask if they would now begin vaccinating children. Only 31 out of 176 pharmacies said they would vaccinate a three-year-old without a prescription. The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has pushed for pharmacists to be able to vaccinate children for years and are in support of the new push by the Trump administration. The American Academy of Pediatrics does not object to pharmacists administering the flu vaccine to children but does not support the Health and Human Services declaration to allow pharmacists to give all childhood vaccines.

While many pharmacies are saying they will not vaccinate children, many officials are upset with the way the Trump administration rolled out the new declaration, saying that it was not promoted well enough, or talked about enough.

“You can have the best policy in place, but there are many steps you have to take to implement that policy. There has to be a large, concerted effort,” said Dr. Leana Wen, a CNN medical analyst and former Baltimore city health commissioner.

Despite the Trump administration’s new policy, many pharmacies still won’t vaccinate children against flu

Mainstream news sources will fail to acknowledge why pharmacists around the country will not be vaccinating young children, but the reality is that the risk is too great and the reward is too low. Why else would pharmacies refuse to vaccinate children? If vaccines are truly completely safe with no risk of negative side effects, and pharmacists are already able to vaccine adults against the flu- then why not just let them vaccinate children? Most people would argue that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks when it comes to vaccines, that being said, it looks like many pharmacies around the country are unwilling to take that risk.

While pharmacies around the country are trying to decide rather or not they will vaccinate young children for the flu, Singapore has halted the use of two of its flu vaccines after 48 people died in South Korea after receiving the flu vaccine. Health officials later reported no connection between the deaths and the flu vaccine, and are still urging people to get vaccinated. You can read more about that in this article.

Last year the flu vaccine was only 29% effective. This year, albeit better than last year, the flu vaccine is only 45% effective. Kind of… this year’s flu vaccine is 45% effective at preventing “influenza-associated medically attended acute respiratory illness”. This essentially means that this year’s flu vaccines 45% effective at preventing flu-like illness severe enough to warrant a trip to the doctor or hospital. It’s still too early to tell what the impact of this year’s flu season will have on the population, with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.