Yearly Archives: 2020

As is known to all, novel coronavirus is mainly spread by respiratory droplets and contact. Whether it can enter the breast milk and spread to the infant through lactation has been receiving much attention. Previous academic papers have not provided the evidence of novel coronavirus found in breast milk.However, a new study has found a novel coronavirus positive in breast milk.

Novel coronavirusRNA can be detected in breast milk, according to a new study published in the lancet by the university of ulm in Germany, but further research is needed on milk samples from nursing women and whether they might be transmitted through breastfeeding to develop recommendations on whether mothers of covid-19 should breastfeed, according to media reports.

In the study, the team tested the milk of two nursing mothers infected with novel coronavirus. After the mother fed and the nipple was sterilized, the milk was collected with a pump and stored in a sterile container at 4℃ or -20℃ until further analysis.They used rt-qpcr to detect the viral load of the novel coronavirusN gene and the orf1b-nsp14 gene in both whole and skim breast milk.

The researchers defined inpatient delivery as day 0, and all four milk samples collected from the first mother from admission to discharge were negative.By contrast, novel coronavirus RNA was detected in the milk of mother no. 2 on days 10 (left and right), 12 and 13.After that, all the breast milk samples collected by mother no. 2 were negative.

Since the composition of breast milk may affect the isolation and quantification of novel coronavirusRNA, the researchers determined the recovery rate of viral RNA from novel coronavirus breast milk that was continuously diluted.They observed an 89.2 percent reduction in the recovery of virus in full-fat breast milk and a 51.5 percent decrease in the recovery of skim milk, suggesting that the actual viral load in the full-fat breast milk of mother no.2 May have been higher than detected.

The researchers detected novel coronavirusRNA in a sample of no.2 mother’s milk for four days.While viral RNA was detected in the breast milk of mother no. 2, the newborn also developed mild covid-19 symptoms and was confirmed positive for novel coronavirus.

Mother no. 2 has been wearing a surgical mask since the onset of symptoms and has followed safety precautions when handling or feeding her newborn (including proper hand and breast disinfection, strict cleaning and disinfection of the milk pump and tube).But it remains unclear whether newborn no. 2 was infected through breastfeeding or other transmission.

In addition, it should be noted that novel coronavirus nucleic acid test positive does not necessarily mean that there is a complete novel coronavirus in the milk, but it may also be avirus fragment, so its infectivity also needs further study.

As the epidemic continues to spread, many facts show that the deep-rooted injustice in American society has not been “balanced” and that vulnerable groups, such as minorities and the poor, are in a more dangerous and difficult situation than ever before.

Therefore, the novel coronavirus is not so much an equalizer as an amplifier of social injustice in the United States.

Some media even exclaimed that the covid-19 has killed twice as many African americans as white people. Three deep reasons reveal the harsh reality.

African americans are disproportionately ill

According to a CDC sample of 99 counties in 14 states, 45 percent of covid-19 hospitalizations were white, well below the 55 percent of whites in the community.In contrast, 33 per cent of hospital admissions for covid-19 were African americans, who made up only 18 per cent of the community.

A worker in protective clothing controls the number of customers at a supermarket in queens, New York, on May 18, 2008.Xinhua news agency/AFP

In New York, the epicenter of the outbreak, “novel coronavirus is twice as lethal to african-americans and latinos as it is to whites,” according to data released by the city government.

In New York, african-americans and latinos make up 22 percent and 29 percent of the city’s population, respectively, but account for 28 percent and 34 percent of covid-19 deaths.

A report in the New York times said the “imbalance” in New York was typical of the country as a whole, and that it was even worse elsewhere.

According to the city of Chicago, for example, more than half of confirmed cases and 72 percent of covid-19 related deaths occur in the city, even though blacks account for less than a third of the city’s population.

The Chicago sun-times commented in an editorial that health and medical conditions in the United States have never been equal, including in Chicago, and that rates of dangerous illness in the black community have remained high.In Chicago, where the difference in life expectancy between blacks and whites is already as high as nine years, covid-19 has once again made that inequality more pronounced.

The plight of America’s poor is no less dire.

Emergency rooms in low – and middle-income neighborhoods in New York City have seen a surge in flu-like symptoms.Of the 20 neighborhoods with the lowest positive test rates in the city, 19 were in affluent neighborhoods.

The large homeless population in the United States is also one of the most at risk.An earlier report in the journal nature said the epidemic had spread “silently” among this group for several months because of a lack of attention.

Because of the lack of testing and the high concentration of the population, the outbreak was “out of control” among the homeless when health workers began testing them, the report said.

African americans suffer from multiple injustices

Why are minorities, such as african-americans, more likely to develop covid-19 and more likely to develop into severe illness or death?According to the public opinion, this is closely related to their long-term weak position.

First, many ethnic minorities have basic jobs that require them to be on the job during the outbreak, and are therefore more likely to be exposed to dangerous conditions.

According to the city government, 75 percent of the city’s “front-line” workers are ethnic minorities, such as supermarket clerks, bus and subway drivers and cleaners.Many employers also do not offer paid sick leave, and low-income workers continue to work despite the outbreak.

Second, entrenched prejudice has long denied African americans equal access to health care.As New York mayor bill DE blasio said, the tragedy of covid-19 is a testament to decades of inequality in health.The New York times also reported that when patients of different RACES showed similar symptoms, doctors paid more attention to white patients.

Third, chronic diseases afflict many ethnic minorities because of chronic lack of access to good medical care.African-americans have higher rates of hypertension, heart disease and diabetes than whites, and these patients are especially at risk from novel coronavirus infections.One of the reasons for the high prevalence of chronic diseases among African americans is the psychological burden of living in polluted environment and being discriminated against.

New York governor cuomo also pointed out that novel coronavirus took advantage of inadequate medical treatment for low-income people with chronic diseases.

In addition, factors such as the high density of people living in communities far from supermarkets and medical facilities also make African americans extremely vulnerable when the epidemic strikes.

It’s worth noting that the U.S. meat processing industry, which employs a large number of African and Hispanic immigrants, had thousands of workers diagnosed in April, but because meatpacking is considered a “necessary industry” by the U.S. government, it still requires workers to work in high-risk environments.

Critics say U.S. law enforcement agencies have repeatedly “raided” food processing plants and deported “illegal immigrants” since trump took office, only to ask them to return to work during the outbreak regardless of their safety.The U.S. government has shown “unprecedented brutality and contempt” for immigrants and minorities.

Extended reading:

African americans die at twice the rate of whites!America is far more unequal than you might think

According to CNN, African americans account for 72% of covid-19 deaths in Chicago, though they make up only 30% of the city’s population.A similar pattern emerged in Louisiana, Illinois, New Jersey and Michigan.This means that the death rate among infected African americans is several times higher than among whites.

For a more graphic example, more than 80 percent of the 17 covid-19 deaths reported in st. Louis, Missouri, were among African americans.Of those infected, 55% were black;But when it comes to demographics, African americans make up just 24.9 percent of the population.

Why are African americans disproportionately attacked when everyone should be equal before the virus?There are many factors.In general, African americans are poorer, have higher rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, live in more densely populated areas, work with larger Numbers of people, travel more on public transportation, and are at greater risk of infection.Once “hit the jackpot”, he had to accept the bleak “life” of “rich first, poor in line”, and missed the best opportunity for treatment in the long wait.

Cold data provide a stark picture of inequality in American society.Just as the proportion of African americans affected by the virus is shocking, so is the huge inequality in American society.While the median household income reached a new high, the income gap widened to its highest level in the past 50 years, the data showed.According to statistics, there are about 40 million people living in poverty in the United States, 18.5 million of whom are in “extreme poverty”.The minimum wage in the United States also lags far behind most European countries, although many states have raised it in recent years.

Some people describe the situation for African americans like this: when the first pay check is left out, the second pay check is in trouble, and the third pay check is in trouble, and they need to feed their families, you understand what it is that kills them.The combination of extreme poverty and inequality has led to human rights abuses against vulnerable groups in American society.The United Nations poverty and human rights monitor has accused U.S. leaders of trying to turn the country into a “world champion of extreme inequality.”

The gap between the rich and the poor and racial discrimination are the “stubborn historical diseases” in the United States, and the resulting inequality is manifested in education, work, health care and other aspects.This outbreak has exposed and exacerbated inequality.As the economy stagnated in the wake of the outbreak, the us lost 713,000 jobs in the private sector last month, with the leisure and hospitality sectors accounting for 64 per cent of the losses.In just three weeks, nearly 17 million people filed for unemployment benefits, and more are being filed.The guardian noted that while the United States is not the only country facing mass unemployment, American workers are relatively vulnerable because they lack the welfare safety nets of France or Germany, or the public health systems of Britain and Canada.

A federal reserve survey in 2019 found that 40 percent of workers nationwide could not afford $400 in an emergency, putting their resilience at risk.These are the first to be hit or even destroyed by the poor groups, in turn will become a social instability factors.

The researchers studied a state in the United States and found that the more unequal the distribution of income, the higher the unemployment rate and the higher the crime rate.However, even if serious inequality leads to many overlapping social problems, there is no sign that the authorities are making much progress. On the contrary, many current policies are still playing a role of solidifying.

Yale university professor Jacob hanke once pointed out that the current socioeconomic inequality in the United States is the result of favoring the privileged in the political decision-making process.Organizations representing the interests of the wealthy influence government policy making, and existing systems allow the powerful to take all the winners and perpetuate their privileges through favorable policies.To some extent, the inequality in American society has been institutionalized. The so-called equality of all people is just an illusory American dream. Those who have been in trouble for a long time try to live, only to meet the vicious circle of inequality.

A new study shows that all animals vaccinated with recombinant adenovirus vectors were infected, and that the inactivated vaccine provided immune protection.

The recombinant adenovirus vector covid-19 vaccine was ineffective

As for the immune protection effect of covid-19 vaccine, a new study shows that all animals vaccinated with recombinant adenovirus vector vaccine are infected, and the inactivated vaccine has immune protection effect.

The results of the study, conducted by the virology laboratory at the national institute of allergy and infectious diseases, the national institutes of health and the jenner institute at the university of Oxford, are published in the May 13 preprint edition of BioRxiv.

The study focused on recombinant adenovirus vector vaccines and inactivated vaccines.Rhesus monkeys vaccinated with recombinant adenovirus vectors were infected with novel coronavirus, the researchers found.It can be seen that the recombinant adenovirus vector vaccine does not provide immunity to the virus attack and has no protective effect.

In stark contrast, another experiment was conducted at the same time.The inactivated vaccine, developed by sinovac biotech, was used by the researchers and showed a clear protective effect.Moreover, the titer of neutralizing antibody in the serum of inoculated animals was high, indicating that the vaccine was highly protective.

For the protection and safety of the inactivated vaccine, qinchuan team of Peking union medical college also published a paper on May 6 in the online Science.The study developed a purified inactivated novel coronavirus candidate vaccine that induces novel coronavirus specific neutralizing antibodies in mice, rats, and non-human primates.These antibodies effectively neutralized 10 representative novel coronavirus strains, indicating a potential for a broader neutralization of novel coronavirus strains in global circulation.

Notably, U.S. biomedical company Moderna extended premarket gains to 20 percent after it announced that its vaccine for covid-19, mrna-1273, is safe and well tolerated, with the final phase of vaccine trials expected to begin in July.

Chinese research teams have also made new breakthroughs

What is encouraging is that Chinese research teams have also made significant discoveries in the prevention and treatment of covid-19.

A Chinese research team has discovered two human monoclonal antibodies that block novel coronavirus infection and are expected to be used in the development of anti-coronavirus drugs and vaccines, according to a paper published online in the us journal science, xinhua reported Thursday.

Capital medical university of China, institute of microbiology, Chinese academy of sciences, tianjin institute of industrial biotechnology, Chinese academy of sciences, shenzhen third people’s hospital and other institutions were involved in the study.Four human monoclonal antibodies were isolated from peripheral blood monocytes of a covid-19 patient.Experiments showed that the four antibodies against novel coronavirus have the ability to neutralize.Among them, two antibodies named B38 and H4 block the binding domain of novel coronavirus spikes protein and its receptor “angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)”.

Several previous studies that revealed the mechanism of novel coronavirus infection indicated that the virus was infected mainly by binding its surface spike protein receptor domain to ACE2 on human cells.Experiments showed that B38 and H4 recognized different epitopes of receptor binding domains respectively, and mouse experiments confirmed that these two antibodies could reduce the amount of virus infecting the lungs of mice, showing a therapeutic effect.The two antibodies can also be used in combination to more effectively inhibit viral infection.

The team further elucidated the complex structure of the novel coronavirus spike protein receptor binding region with B38, revealing the molecular mechanism by which B38 blocks viral infection.

The latest research shows that the two antibodies screened have the potential to be further developed into drugs to treat novel coronavirus infections and provide the basis for vaccine design, the researchers said.At present, the two antibodies have been transformed into products in relevant companies and are expected to be used in clinical treatment of patients with covid-19 in the future.

An article titled “preparing for a vaccine information war” in the New York times on Tuesday pointed to a nonsensical but real problem: even if a novel coronavirus vaccine is developed, what if more than half of americans refuse to be vaccinated?

A screenshot of the New York times article

In the face of the surging epidemic, the phrase “having a vaccine but refusing to get it” is really hard for most Chinese people to understand.However, us media writers cite evidence that their fears are not imaginary.

Since the outbreak of the epidemic in Europe and the us, we have seen many local people burning down the so-called “virus-spreading” 5G signal towers because of rumors.Others mistakenly believe that they want to get a disinfectant injection.In addition to these sporadic individual behavior, the public opinion field also exists such some organized rumors.

Around May 9, a conspiracy theory video called “the great plan of the plague” went viral, in which a group of self-described “experts” narrators said the epidemic was a plot concocted by the American billionaire Bill Gates and the scientist fauci to take over the world.

Cover of the great plague plan

Contrary to popular speculation that conspiracy theorists are stupid, the video is quite professional in its narration, shooting and score, which is obviously not for ordinary people.

It is also because of “excellent production” that the video went viral among netizens in Europe and the United States as soon as it was posted.So much so that the major social platforms will go out of their way to delete posts, but will still be video supporters do everything possible to exploit the loophole to re-issued.

“They [conspiracy theorists] are much more organized and strategic than many critics think,” the author of the New York times article was banned on video.They are savvy media manipulators, effective communicators, and adept at exploiting the weaknesses of social media platforms.”

In addition to the “efficiency” the author mentions, I also find that the conspiracy theories that have spread widely in this outbreak tend to have strong political leanings.For example, in the cartoon below, “leading the public opinion to accuse trump” is called the fourth step of Bill Gates “running the world”.

In many comments, the fear of being “manipulated by a conspiratorial force” is one reason why many netizens have rallied behind Mr Trump, dismissing criticism of some of his missteps as “aspirant conspiracies”.

One social media post, for example, said: “Bill Gates will put a tracker in the vaccine to monitor everyone, and we trump supporters will not be fooled.”

What is more worrying is that even before this outbreak, “anti-vaccine” rhetoric had developed into “conventional wisdom” in western societies, especially in the United States.

A long-running anti-vaccine cartoon depicts vaccines as manipulated venomous snakes

According to a study published in the prestigious academic journal nature, there were about three times as many anti-vaccine groups on social media during the 2019 measles outbreak as there were pro-vaccine groups.In addition, the interest of the anti-vaccine community is rising much faster than that of the scientific community.

A study of the anti-vaccine network on the website of the journal nature

And a study released this month found that trump supporters were more likely than other americans to agree with the idea of “anti-vaccination.”

An article on the academic journal website Elsevier

Trump’s previous tweet thumb up on “anti-vaccine” made anti-vaccine supporters feel like “the President is on my side,” which made them more convinced of their misconceptions.

Trump has made anti-vaccine comments

As a result, many in the media, including the author of the New York times, fear a “battle” against conspiracy theories to push a vaccine to protect people from novel coronavirus infection after a huge human and financial effort has been spent to develop one.

The Vatican has long been something of a rich country, because it can easily pay for its daily operations on the basis of income from tourism, papal public events and so on, since most of its citizens are clerics and church-related service workers.But covid-19 has cut off the Vatican’s main source of income, and the Pope’s family, which specializes in “theology”, is running out of money.

The Pope has been so worried recently that his main source of income, “Peter’s penny”, also known as the “holy see endowment”, is voluntary money given by catholics to the church in Rome. But this year’s service has been postponed until October, so the money has not yet come in.

There is also a larger income from tourism, especially the Vatican museums and various souvenirs, which is a large wallet for the Pope. However, Rome, which has not yet resumed tourism, makes the Vatican’s tourism income completely zero, leaving the Pope’s wallet empty.According to insiders, the church is now dipping into its reserves.

There is no hope of raising revenue, and the Vatican’s governing body is also discussing ways to reduce it, mainly by reducing the salaries of clergy, who will see their salaries cut by 25-45 percent, while it remains unclear when those salaries will be restored.But according to the church, the clergy’s job is an iron one, so their income is reduced, but they can keep their jobs.But it’s very stressful for the church.

Even at the current forecast, the Vatican may open again in autumn, but Treasury official said the Vatican is not optimistic, because in the absence of effective vaccines, after opening more strict security measures, the requirement of social distance, the new health laws and regulations as well as the expectations and the reduce of international tourists in the next few years affected the sale of tickets and souvenirs.The Vatican may not be able to return to its former income levels.That means the Pope has no choice but to save money and donate to the faithful.

US President Donald trump said at the White House on May 11 that all personnel traveling to and from the west wing of the White House are required to wear face masks.The White House has changed testing from weekly to daily because of novel coronavirus infections confirmed by officials and secret service agents.

Judging from the recent actions of the White House, the outbreak inside China has forced people to strengthen the prevention and control.So how did a novel coronavirus get into the White House?

“Dare” to “face” the epidemic: don’t wear a mask anyway

In fact, the United States, like many western countries, believed that masks should be worn only after symptoms appear.It was not until early April, when more than 300,000 cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed in the United States, that the centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) announced a new protocol that advises people to wear masks in public.However, the CDC’s less timely “recommendation” was downgraded by President trump to “voluntary” at an April 3 briefing by the White House task force on the epidemic.

In response to questions from at least two reporters at the news conference, Mr. Trump repeatedly said he would not wear a mask.The reason: “I can’t imagine sitting behind a desk and wearing a mask to greet all kinds of national leaders.”

How did a novel coronavirus get into the White House?

The White House leadership is playing it safe

In fact, events at the White House have continued as usual since the centers for disease control and prevention issued its mask recommendations on April 3.From the President to the vice President, no one wore a mask, whether it was to meet with medical workers, hold meetings with generals or attend memorial ceremonies.

Donald trump has been criticized in the us media for not wearing a face mask in front of a group of veterans in their 90s on the anniversary of victory day.But Mr Trump said he was far from them and that “the wind is not blowing in [the veterans’] direction”.”You care about veterans, why don’t you care about me?” he joked to reporters.

When vice President mike pence visited a Minnesota hospital in late April, he did not wear a mask, even though it was specifically mentioned in hospital policy.”I don’t have a novel coronavirus with me,” he explained in order to communicate better. “I thought it was a rare opportunity to be here, and I wanted to talk to these researchers and these wonderful health workers, look them in the eye and say thank you.”

How did a novel coronavirus get into the White House?

Critics don’t buy the explanation: the mask doesn’t cover the eyes, and wearing it doesn’t prevent pence from looking the staff in the eye and saying thank you. It’s just an excuse for the White House leadership not to wear it.

Loose the economy?The White House is caught in a dilemma about restarting the economy

By early may, the administration had shelved economic rebooting guidelines prepared by the U.S. centers for disease control and prevention for a White House working group on the epidemic.

The 17-page guidelines specify how a range of places, including schools and public transport, should be reopened and protected.A number of American public health experts have said that this approach is “not only helpful, it is essential.”

But on May 8th, when Mr Trump was asked why he had not issued the guidelines, he threw the dice again: “I’m counting on the governors to reboot. They’re the ones who make the decisions.”

According to us media analysis, the White House has been trying to give the impression that the covid-19 outbreak is under control as it has been talking about restarting the economy since the end of march.On the surface, the White House had done little to prevent the disease, including wearing masks and keeping a safe distance.As a matter of policy, it is necessary to avoid issuing the latest economic restart guidelines from the us centers for disease control and prevention, because it may be difficult for any region to truly meet the standards of economic restart if the guidelines are followed.

Deliberately weakening the epidemic prevention and control undoubtedly gave the virus a chance to enter the White House;Ignoring the new guidelines and pushing for an economic reboot also poses a dilemma for the White House

How do you keep telling people that you can restart the economy now when you have covid-19 in the White House?

How do you tell people that the epidemic in the United States is under control when the White House suddenly starts requiring masks?

How did a novel coronavirus get into the White House?

A survey by the pew research center between April 29 and May 5 found that 68 percent of americans are still anxious about the economy restarting too soon.Novel coronavirus slipped into the White House when the us government was too lax in its anti-epidemic work to play down the outbreak.

Anthony fauci, director of the national institute of allergy and infectious diseases and a key member of the White House coronavirus response task force, said at a senate hearing Tuesday that the United States has not fully contained the outbreak.As a result, the dow Jones industrial average fell by more than 450 points on the same day, reflecting the widespread concern among americans about the epidemic.

But now that the White House has finally decided to start wearing masks, it’s a wake-up call to the fact that the epidemic has been so loose for so long.