Trump’s Ban On the Use of Fetal Tissue Delays Coronavirus Vaccine Research

A recent report by Washington Post’s Amy Goldstein, states that immunologist Kim Hasenkrug wants to test potential treatments for Covid-19 in mice using “humanized lungs.” Officials at the Department of Health and Human Services are not allowing the research because using donated fetal tissue from abortions was banned last year by the Trump administration.

Government scientists will be barred from conducting research using donated fetal tissue the Trump administration announced on Wednesday, dealing a major blow to scientists who say it is an irreplaceable part of ongoing scientific research.

Trump Administration Bans Government Scientists From Using Fetal Tissue –
Jun 6, 2019

Fetal tissue from abortions is used to create mice with human tissue suitable for medical testing. The research Kim Hasenkrug proposed reportedly aims to use mice with implanted fetal lung tissue, then infecting the mice with coronavirus strains similar to CoVID-19, and then testing for successful treatments for CoVID-19.

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Humanized mice have been key to developing several important medical treatments for diseases like the Zika virus or HIV/AIDS, which was Hasenkrug’s previous research focus. The calculation is simple. You can’t test certain treatments without humanized mice, and you can’t get humanized mice without fetal tissue.

… The calculation is simple. You can’t test certain treatments without humanized mice, and you can’t get humanized mice without fetal tissue.

Coronavirus treatment research is being held up by Trump’s ban on the use of fetal tissue

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The Washington Post reported that Kim Hasenkrug at the NIH Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Montana has been appealing for “nearly a month” to get approval for the experiments using fetal tissue.

Regarding the proposal, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services told CNA “no decision has been made.”

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A Study Shows Masks are Extremely Effective at Preventing Virus Spread

New research shows that masks are extremely effective at preventing the spread of CoVID-19. Previous research focused primarily on masks preventing the spread of the flu rather than CoVID-19. The new study tested the effectiveness of surgical masks at preventing the spread through droplets aerosolized particles.

“…surgical face masks could prevent transmission of human coronaviruses and influenza viruses from symptomatic individuals.”

Respiratory virus shedding in exhaled breath and efficacy of face masks– Nature Medicine

The study found that CoVID-19 was detected in 30- 40% of particles in aerosols and droplets expelled by those not wearing a mask. However, no virus was detected in aerosols or droplets from those who wore a face mask.

Despite research indicating that wearing masks could prevent the spread of the virus, the CDC has not recommended that everyone wear N95 masks. Alternatively, they recommend that N95 masks are saved for healthcare personnel only. Currently, the CDC is recommending homemade/alternative masks that are not N95 masks, and recommending social distancing and handwashing instead of N95 masks.

A surgical N95 (also referred as a medical respirator) is recommended only for use by healthcare personnel (HCP) who need protection from both airborne and fluid hazards (e.g., splashes, sprays). These respirators are not used or needed outside of healthcare settings.”

Coronavirus Disease 2019 -CDC

The Trump administration has ordered 3M to stop supplying N95 masks to Canada however they have not yet recommended that everyone wear masks, although the CDC is expected to advise all citizens to wear masks, very soon.

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Tiger Tests Positive for Coronavirus

A Malay tiger named Nadia at the Bronx Zoo has tested positive for SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes CoVID-19. Six other big cats at the zoo, three tigers and three lions, are also displaying similar symptoms. These symptoms include coughs and a loss of appetite. The test used by the zoo’s veterinary team is not the same one as used by healthcare providers, and the zoo was able to confirm Nadia’s diagnosis after sending samples to the New York State Diagnostic Laboratory at Cornell University and the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. The zoo has been closed since March 16th, so it likely the tiger contracted the virus from an asymptomatic zookeeper.

It’s the first time, to our knowledge, that a [wild] animal has gotten sick from COVID-19 from a person…It’s the only thing that makes sense…”

Paul Calle, chief veterinarian for the Bronx Zoo

Nadia is not the first animal that has tested positive for SARS-CoV2. Two dogs in Hong Kong and a domestic cat in Belgium have also been confirmed to have the virus. Cat’s are particularly susceptible to the coronavirus, and a recent study has found that cats are able to transmit the virus to other cats through respiratory droplets.

According to the World Organisation for Animal Health and the World Health Organization, there is no evidence that SARS-Cov can be transmitted from domestic pets like cats and dogs to humans.

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U.S. Registers Highest Number of Coronavirus Deaths in a Single Day

The number of Coronavirus cases in the United States passed 300,000 on Saturday, and the country recorded the highest number of fatalities so far in the pandemic. The death toll in the U.S. reached more 8,400, with 1,344 of those deaths reported over the weekend. That trend is likely to continue. According to Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, estimates that the next 6-7 days will see hundreds of deaths a day in CoVID-19 hotspots like New York, Detroit, and Louisiana.

Image credit: NY Times

They are predicting in those three hotspots, all of them hitting together in the next six to seven days…This is the moment to not be going to the grocery store, not going to the pharmacy, but doing everything you can to keep your family and your friends safe…”

USA TODAY

Efforts to contain the spread of CoVID-19 in the U.S. have been severely hampered by the lack of available testing at the beginning of the pandemic. The lack of testing made it difficult to determine those that needed to be quarantined, and many people who were infected with the coronavirus continued their usual activities. This has led to the current shortage of medical supplies and personal protective equipment.

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US coronavirus fight enters crucial weeks after reaching a grim milestone – CNN

Dr. Birx predicts up to 200,000 U.S. coronavirus deaths ‘if we do things almost perfectly – ABC News

The COVID Tracking Project

Coronavirus Can Survive on Surfaces and Air for Hours, Says New Study

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that coronavirus can survive on surfaces and in the air. A joint effort from scientists at the Centers for Disease Control, National Institutes of Health, University of California Los Angeles, and Princeton University, these findings have added another level of tension to an already fraught situation. According to the study, COVID-19 was detected on plastic and stainless steel surfaces for two to three days and cardboard for up to 24 hours. The study compared COVID-19 (the technical name for the virus is SARS-CoV-2) with the SARS virus from 2002-2003 and suggested that the coronavirus pandemic has been greater due to asymptomatic people transmitting the virus.

Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to persons from surfaces contaminated with the virus has not been documented. Transmission of coronavirus occurs much more commonly through respiratory droplets than through fomites. Current evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials. Cleaning of visibly dirty surfaces followed by disinfection is a best practice measure for prevention of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory illnesses in households and community settings. It is unknown how long the air inside a room occupied by someone with confirmed COVID-19 remains potentially infectious.”

CDC.gov

The study found that SARS-CoV-2 remains infectious in airborne droplets for at least three hours. The majority of safety efforts have concentrated on preventing the spread of the virus through airborne methods like coughing and sneezing. As more information on the pandemic emerges, it seems that people should err on the side of being safe, rather than sorry.

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EPA Suspends Environmental Law Enforcement For Coronavirus

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) might want to think about changing their name after telling companies on Thursday that the organization would not be enforcing penalties for noncompliance with routine monitoring and reporting. The EPA has suspended these obligations in lieu of the COVID-19 pandemic.

EPA is committed to protecting human health and the environment, but recognizes challenges resulting from efforts to protect workers and the public from COVID-19 may directly impact the ability of regulated facilities to meet all federal regulatory requirements. This temporary policy is designed to provide enforcement discretion under the current, extraordinary conditions, while ensuring facility operations continue to protect human health and the environment.”

Andrew Wheeler, EPA Adminsitrator

While the EPA’s announcement made it clear that this policy is temporary, this announcement will likely do more harm than good.

Air Pollution Affects Lung Health

The reduction in traffic and industrial activity due to coronavirus has been greatly reduced air pollution. In addition to the obvious benefits of that, the improved air quality can only benefit coronavirus outcomes. Air pollution is a significant respiratory irritant.

When something like fine particulate matter injures or irritates the nerves in the respiratory tree, air passages that move air from outside into the lungs, they become inflamed and the fluid the body sends into the lungs. This fluid prevents the body from getting enough oxygen into the bloodstream, leading to severe pneumonia. This is one of the ways COVID-19 cases go from benign to serious illness.

The decision by the EPA to stop enforcing federal regulatory requirements due to this pandemic is ironic. The agency states that this is a temporary measure during the pandemic, but this move will increase air pollution during a pandemic that affects the lungs. The EPA has agreed to indirectly extend the pandemic.

Cynthia Giles, the former head of EPA office of enforcement during the Obama administration, condemned the news in a statement to The Hill.

This EPA statement is essentially a nationwide waiver of environmental rules for the indefinite future. It tells companies across the country that they will not face enforcement even if they emit unlawful air and water pollution in violation of environmental laws, so long as they claim that those failures are in some way ’caused’ by the virus pandemic. And it allows them an out on monitoring too, so we may never know how bad the violating pollution was…”

The Hill

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The Real Reason Stores Are Out Of Toilet Paper – A Theory of Increased Defecation

I did not stock up on toilet paper. I figured it would be back in stock after the panic subsided. But it’s not yet, and we’re down to our last two rolls. All of my eco-friendly sources are sold out. All of the terrible places, like Walmart and Amazon, are still sold out too.

Toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and other hygiene essentials started selling out weeks ago amid mounting concerns over coronavirus. Retailers and suppliers said we had nothing to worry about, that they’re churning out more product and cranking up inventory to meet the new demand. I read in more than one article that soon stores will have pallets of TP in the middle of the isles marked down 50% because there will be a gluttony of stock soon. While this may happen at some point, it’s not happening yet.

The thing suppliers did not account for is the increased demand for toilet paper for homes. Offices are empty, people are working and staying at home, and so, consequently, people are pooping at home.

If you’re desperate for toilet paper I recommend ordering some of that single-ply, super-cheap commercial toilet paper they have at offices that nobody likes. There’s plenty of that! Just search for “commercial bath tissue“. I plan on ordering some for rush delivery after I finish writing this article.

People Are Pooping More!

I have a theory that I don’t think others are considering.

I am the partial owner of Midtown Composting. We pickup 5-gallon buckets of food waste from people’s homes every week. And I’ve noticed a massive change in what we pick up.

You may have noticed the reports of stores being sold out of produce as well as the aforementioned products. And this coincides with what we see in our buckets that we pickup. The buckets are much more fill, and what fills these buckets has shifted from flowers, compostable to-go containers, and pizza crusts to bell pepper stems, orange peels, and lots of failed kitchen experiments.

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In other words, people are cooking more, eating more produce, and I contend, consequently, that people are having more bowel movements!

I wish we would study the health and the bowel movement ease and frequency of the population before and after quarantine.

This article is a little facetious; I’m sure the increased elimination has less to do with low stock than the aforementioned reasons. But I also want to bring up a serious point: In a lot of ways, this is how we should be living! If we are to save our environment as we know it, this kind of economic shift should be step one. For our health and our environment, we should be working at home, eating at home, and driving at little as possible.

I also see a lot of people in the nicer areas walking their dogs, jogging, and outside playing with their kids. I saw more dads sitting outside on their lawns with their kids than I ever have seen before.

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I hope you are doing everything you can to capitalize on this situation and help anyone else in need. This article does not mean to belittle or marginalize the hardships that many are experiencing through this pandemic. People are lonely, broke, and scared. Lots of people need help. Maybe just a phone call, maybe more. We may need to remain physically distant from people but we don’t have to be socially distant. I think this is a great time to check a few tasks off your bucket list (time to write a book?), see how you can help someone in need, and consider how we can live with less of an environmental impact and better health from now on.