naturalnews--2020-03-09--Homeless people can shoot up in the bathrooms, but customers can no longer bring personal cups to St

( Natural News ) A popular “ green ” trend at the Starbucks coffee chain is coming to an end because of the Wuhan coronavirus ( CoVid-19 ) crisis .
According to reports , Starbucks customers are no longer allowed to bring in their own personal coffee cups to use for consuming their favorite brews because potential coronavirus germs could lurk and spread to others .
“ We are pausing the use of personal cups and ‘ for here ’ ware in our stores , ” announced company executive vice president Rossann Williams , adding that the chain will still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who show up with reusable cups .
As of 2018 , about 1.3 percent of Starbucks customers in the United States , Canada , Europe , the Middle East , and Africa brought in their own reusable cups to take advantage of the policy , which makes its grossly overpriced burnt coffee a tad bit less expensive .
The stated purpose of the ban is to ensure the “ health and well-being ” of all Starbucks customers , even though these same customers are still being exposed to homeless people and other vagrants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug-injection sites .
Starbucks says that it ’ s “ optimistic this will be a temporary situation ” regarding reusable cups , and that eventually customers will once again be able to bring in their questionably sanitized mugs for more “ green ” caffeine fixes .
Listen here as Mike Adams , the Health Ranger , asks the question , will the upcoming presidential election be canceled due to the Wuhan coronavirus ( CoVid-19 ) ?
Starbucks issues “ restricted ” business-related air travel policies , as well as “ increased cleaning and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corporate air travel , Williams further indicated that Starbucks has “ restricted ” where its executives are allowed to go at least through the end of March .
The company has also “ modified or postponed ” meetings at both its U.S. and Canadian offices .
At its thousands of individual storefronts , Starbucks has also implemented “ increased cleaning and sanitizing for all company-operated stores to help prevent the spread of all germs , adding paid time for our partners supporting this work.
” Such policies piggyback off of ones that were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which have been dealing with a far more extreme situation over there as authorities prohibit travel in many areas and implement forced quarantines .
According to company data , the U.S. currently has the most licensed and company-operated Starbucks locations , followed by China where roughly half of them remain closed due to the Wuhan coronavirus ( CoVid-19 ) .
With the closure of half of its Chinese locations , Starbucks is expecting a corresponding 50 percent drop in sales .
In February alone , Starbucks China saw a whopping 78 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time last year .
This is due not just to mass store closures but also reduced hours of operation and an overall decline in customer traffic .
Starbucks has since adjusted its performance outlook to shave off nearly half a billion dollars in revenues from the Chinese market .
Many of the company ’ s Chinese stores will also remain closed for the foreseeable future .
“ We remain confident in the strength of the Starbucks brand and the long-term profitability and growth potential of our business in China , ” wrote Starbucks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a letter , adding that these financial impacts are “ temporary , ” and the overall outlook is “ encouraging.
” Keep in mind that there was once a time when bringing reusable food and beverage containers to public restaurants and coffee houses as substitutes for throwaway wear was illegal due to generalized public health risks .
But thanks to “ global warming ” and “ climate change , ” public safety has gone out the window – until coronavirus , that is .
More coronavirus-related news is available at Pandemic.news .

Homeless people can shoot up in the bathrooms, but customers can no longer bring personal cups to Starbucks because of coronavirus
A popular "green" trend at the Starbucks coffee chain is coming to an end because of the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) crisis.
According to reports, Starbucks customers are no longer allowed to bring in their own personal coffee cups to use for consuming their favorite brews because potential coronavirus germs could lurk and spread to others.
"We are pausing the use of personal cups and 'for here' ware in our stores," announced company executive vice president Rossann Williams, adding that the chain will still honor its 10-cent discount policy for customers who show up with reusable cups.
As of 2018, about 1.3 percent of Starbucks customers in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa brought in their own reusable cups to take advantage of the policy, which makes its grossly overpriced burnt coffee a tad bit less expensive.
The stated purpose of the ban is to ensure the "health and well-being" of all Starbucks customers, even though these same customers are still being exposed to homeless people and other vagrants who use Starbucks stores as shelter and drug-injection sites.
Starbucks says that it's "optimistic this will be a temporary situation" regarding reusable cups, and that eventually customers will once again be able to bring in their questionably sanitized mugs for more "green" caffeine fixes.
Listen here as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, asks the question, will the upcoming presidential election be canceled due to the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19)?
Starbucks issues "restricted" business-related air travel policies, as well as "increased cleaning and sanitizing" at all stores
As for corporate air travel, Williams further indicated that Starbucks has "restricted" where its executives are allowed to go at least through the end of March. The company has also "modified or postponed" meetings at both its U.S. and Canadian offices.
At its thousands of individual storefronts, Starbucks has also implemented "increased cleaning and sanitizing for all company-operated stores to help prevent the spread of all germs, adding paid time for our partners supporting this work."
Such policies piggyback off of ones that were already implemented at Starbucks stores throughout China, which have been dealing with a far more extreme situation over there as authorities prohibit travel in many areas and implement forced quarantines.
According to company data, the U.S. currently has the most licensed and company-operated Starbucks locations, followed by China where roughly half of them remain closed due to the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19).
Starbucks anticipates 50 percent sales drop in China due to coronavirus
With the closure of half of its Chinese locations, Starbucks is expecting a corresponding 50 percent drop in sales.
In February alone, Starbucks China saw a whopping 78 percent decline in sales compared to the same time last year. This is due not just to mass store closures but also reduced hours of operation and an overall decline in customer traffic.
Starbucks has since adjusted its performance outlook to shave off nearly half a billion dollars in revenues from the Chinese market. Many of the company's Chinese stores will also remain closed for the foreseeable future.
"We remain confident in the strength of the Starbucks brand and the long-term profitability and growth potential of our business in China," wrote Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson and CFO Patrick Grismer in a letter, adding that these financial impacts are "temporary," and the overall outlook is "encouraging."
Keep in mind that there was once a time when bringing reusable food and beverage containers to public restaurants and coffee houses as substitutes for throwaway wear was illegal due to generalized public health risks. But thanks to "global warming" and "climate change," public safety has gone out the window – until coronavirus, that is.
More coronavirus-related news is available at Pandemic.news.
Sources for this article include:
News.Yahoo.com
NaturalNews.com
CNN.com


naturalnews--2020-03-09--Coronavirus causes so much brain damage in severe cases that victims FORGET TO BREATHE

( Natural News ) A new peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Medical Virology has found that one of the horrific mechanisms of death for the Wuhan coronavirus ( CoVid-19 ) involves its worst victims experiencing so much brain damage from the pathogen that their bodies actually forget how to breathe .
Bearing a similar pathology to SARS ( severe acute respiratory syndrome ) and MERS ( Middle East respiratory syndrome ) , the Wuhan coronavirus ( CoVid-19 ) kills many of its victims with acute , highly lethal pneumonia .
And in the most serious cases , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the autonomic nervous system loses its ability to automatically draw in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide .
Other common symptoms associated with the Wuhan coronavirus ( CoVid-19 ) include headache , nausea , and vomiting .
“ This virus shares highly homological sequence with SARS ?
CoV , and causes acute , highly lethal pneumonia ( COVID ?
19 ) with clinical symptoms similar to those reported for SARS ?
CoV and MERS ?
CoV , ” the study reveals .
“ The most characteristic symptom of COVID ?
19 patients is respiratory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitted to the intensive care could not breathe spontaneously.
” Listen below as Mike Adams , the Health Ranger , explains how the Wuhan coronavirus ( CoVid-19 ) has already become an unstoppable global pandemic , which means you need to prepare for the worst : Coronavirus doesn ’ t just affect the lungs ; it can also get into the nervous system There ’ s also evidence emerging to suggest that the Wuhan coronavirus ( CoVid-19 ) isn ’ t confined solely to the respiratory tract .
The novel disease can also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ causing an array of neurological problems .
Both animal and human cases of the virus show that it can and does lodge itself in the brain , including in the brainstem .
There have also been cases in which the Wuhan coronavirus ( CoVid-19 ) spread from the lungs and lower respiratory airways to the medullary cardiorespiratory center via a synapse-connected route .
What all of this suggests , of course , is that the Wuhan coronavirus ( CoVid-19 ) remains even more of a mystery than previously believed .
With multiple infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this isn ’ t just the flu or a cold as some are claiming .
“ In light of the high similarity between SARS ?
CoV and SARS ?
CoV2 , it is quite likely that the potential invasion of SARS ?
CoV2 is partially responsible for the acute respiratory failure of COVID ?
19 patients , ” the paper concludes .
“ Awareness of this will have important guiding significance for the prevention and treatment of the SARS ?
CoV ?
2 ?
induced respiratory failure.
” Most critically ill coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports about the effectiveness of treatment efforts reinforce some of the grim findings of this study , suggesting that those who become most ill from the Wuhan coronavirus ( CoVid-19 ) typically end up dying .
For patients who develop critical illness with corresponding pneumonia , resulting in them having to be admitted to an intensive care unit ( ICU ) , doctors all across the board are reporting “ high ” numbers of fatalities .
Another new study published in The Lancet , a sampling of 52 people with the virus found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research , 32 of them died .
This translates to a 61 percent death rate , which is far higher than the couple percent being reported by the mainstream media .
“ For comparison , mortality rates generally ranging between 30 and 40 percent are observed for patients who are sickened by ordinary seasonal flu and are fighting pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome in ICUs , ” reports The Washington Post , revealing that this thing is not just another ordinary disease .
At a hospital in Lodi , Italy , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of the coronavirus patients being admitted there are developing pneumonia , further suggesting that more cases of the disease than not end up becoming critical – meaning they ’ re likely to lead to death .
For more related news about the Wuhan coronavirus ( CoVid-19 ) , be sure to check out Pandemic.news .

Coronavirus causes so much brain damage in severe cases that victims FORGET TO BREATHE
new peer-reviewed study published in thehas found that one of the horrific mechanisms of death for the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) involves its worst victims experiencing so much brain damage from the pathogen that their bodies actually
Bearing a similar pathology to SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome), the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) kills many of its victims with acute, highly lethal pneumonia. And in the most serious cases, it can also inhibit spontaneous breathing, meaning the autonomic nervous system loses its ability to automatically draw in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide.
Other common symptoms associated with the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) include headache, nausea, and vomiting.
"This virus shares highly homological sequence with SARS?CoV, and causes acute, highly lethal pneumonia (COVID?19) with clinical symptoms similar to those reported for SARS?CoV and MERS?CoV," the study reveals.
"The most characteristic symptom of COVID?19 patients is respiratory distress, and most of the patients admitted to the intensive care could not breathe spontaneously."
Listen below as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, explains how the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) has already become an unstoppable global pandemic, which means you need to prepare for the worst:
Coronavirus doesn't just affect the lungs; it can also get into the nervous system
There's also evidence emerging to suggest that the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) isn't confined solely to the respiratory tract. The novel disease can also invade the central nervous system, potentially causing an array of neurological problems.
Both animal and human cases of the virus show that it can and does lodge itself in the brain, including in the brainstem. There have also been cases in which the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) spread from the lungs and lower respiratory airways to the medullary cardiorespiratory center via a synapse-connected route.
What all of this suggests, of course, is that the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) remains even more of a mystery than previously believed. With multiple infection routes and a propensity towards brain embedment, this isn't just the flu or a cold as some are claiming.
"In light of the high similarity between SARS?CoV and SARS?CoV2, it is quite likely that the potential invasion of SARS?CoV2 is partially responsible for the acute respiratory failure of COVID?19 patients," the paper concludes.
"Awareness of this will have important guiding significance for the prevention and treatment of the SARS?CoV?2?induced respiratory failure."
Most critically ill coronavirus patients with pneumonia are dying
The latest reports about the effectiveness of treatment efforts reinforce some of the grim findings of this study, suggesting that those who become most ill from the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) typically end up dying.
For patients who develop critical illness with corresponding pneumonia, resulting in them having to be admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU), doctors all across the board are reporting "high" numbers of fatalities.
Another new study published in The Lancet, a sampling of 52 people with the virus found that over the 28-day span of the research, 32 of them died. This translates to a 61 percent death rate, which is far higher than the couple percent being reported by the mainstream media.
"For comparison, mortality rates generally ranging between 30 and 40 percent are observed for patients who are sickened by ordinary seasonal flu and are fighting pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome in ICUs," reports The Washington Post, revealing that this thing is not just another ordinary disease.
At a hospital in Lodi, Italy, an infectious disease doctor has reported that nearly all of the coronavirus patients being admitted there are developing pneumonia, further suggesting that more cases of the disease than not end up becoming critical – meaning they're likely to lead to death.
For more related news about the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19), be sure to check out Pandemic.news.
Sources for this article include:
Wiley.com
WashingtonPost.com
NaturalNews.com


naturalnews--2020-03-09--New study predicts 15 million coronavirus deaths across the globe

( Natural News ) A predictive model from The Australian National University ( ANU ) that looks at seven potential scenarios for how the Wuhan coronavirus ( CoVid-19 ) will impact the world once all is said and done makes one unanimous determination : at best , 15 million people will end up dead when the dust finally settles , along with a corresponding $ 2.4 trillion hit to the global economy .
Again , these shocking projects are a best-case scenario .
The other options presented in the model are far worse , indicating that , contrary to what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this novel virus being no different than the common cold , a major lives lost and financial meltdown scenario is brewing .
Four of the seven scenarios the model predicts assess the impact of the Wuhan coronavirus ( CoVid-19 ) spreading outside of China , with a range of low-to-high severity .
Another scenario looks at the global impact of a mild pandemic occurring annually in perpetuity , while a completely separate model predicts more than two million deaths in the United States alone by this upcoming Fourth of July .
Editor ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ linked above has now been replaced with a Revision 2 model which estimates 1.1 million deaths by early July ( if no travel restrictions are put in place ) by invoking a 25 % “ social distancing suppression ” factor .
Based on data from the 1968-69 Hong Kong flu pandemic , which is estimated to have killed about one million people , researchers from ANU determined the aforementioned lower-end death and financial tolls .
However , based on upper-end data from the infamous Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-20 , figures of $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million deaths is predicted .
“ Our scenarios show that even a contained outbreak could significantly impact the global economy in the short run , ” stated Warwick McKibbin , a professor of economics at ANU and one of the study ’ s lead authors .
“ Even in the best-case scenario of a low-severity impact , the economic fallout is going to be enormous and countries need to work together to limit the potential damage as much as possible , ” he added .
Listen below as Mike Adams , the Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wuhan coronavirus ( CoVid-19 ) deniers who continue to bury their heads in the sand while claiming that we ’ re dealing with just another seasonal flu : The first domino has been tipped – are you ready for the rest ?
The stated purpose of this research isn ’ t to scare people , but rather to give policymakers the nudge they need to effectively prepare for what ’ s coming .
Since it ’ s already too late for any type of formidable containment , researchers are calling on authorities to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter honestly to help minimize the impact this is going to have on countless human lives .
“ There needs to be vastly more investment in public health and development , especially in the poorest countries , ” McKibbin is further quoted as saying .
“ It is too late to attempt to close borders once the disease has taken hold in many other countries and a global pandemic has started.
” A recent study from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that those most seriously affected by the Wuhan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and people with preexisting health conditions .
The risk of death from the virus also increases in direct proportion to a person ’ s age .
At the same time , patients between the ages of 10 and 19 were found to have the same chance of dying from the Wuhan coronavirus ( CoVid-19 ) as people in their 20s and 30s .
But by the time we hit age 50 , the risk of death jumps substantially .
According to the official data , only about 20 percent of Wuhan coronavirus ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the point of becoming a fatality risk .
And there are likely many mild cases of the disease that aren ’ t even being reported because victims aren ’ t sick enough to have to go to the doctor or a nearby hospital for treatment .
More of the latest Wuhan coronavirus ( CoVid-19 ) news is available at Pandemic.news .

New study predicts 15 million coronavirus deaths across the globe
A predictive model from The Australian National University (ANU) that looks at seven potential scenarios for how the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) will impact the world once all is said and done makes one unanimous determination: at, 15 million people will end up dead when the dust finally settles, along with a corresponding $2.4hit to the global economy.
Again, these shocking projects are a best-case scenario. The other options presented in the model are far worse, indicating that, contrary to what Fox News and others are claiming about this novel virus being no different than the common cold, a major lives lost and financial meltdown scenario is brewing.
Four of the seven scenarios the model predicts assess the impact of the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) spreading outside of China, with a range of low-to-high severity. Another scenario looks at the global impact of a mild pandemic occurring annually in perpetuity, while a completely separate model predicts more than two million deaths in the United States alone by this upcoming Fourth of July.
Editor's note: That Revision 1 model linked above has now been replaced with a Revision 2 model which estimates 1.1 million deaths by early July (if no travel restrictions are put in place) by invoking a 25% "social distancing suppression" factor.
Based on data from the 1968-69 Hong Kong flu pandemic, which is estimated to have killed about one million people, researchers from ANU determined the aforementioned lower-end death and financial tolls. However, based on upper-end data from the infamous Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-20, figures of $9 trillion in economic losses and 68 million deaths is predicted.
"Our scenarios show that even a contained outbreak could significantly impact the global economy in the short run," stated Warwick McKibbin, a professor of economics at ANU and one of the study's lead authors.
"Even in the best-case scenario of a low-severity impact, the economic fallout is going to be enormous and countries need to work together to limit the potential damage as much as possible," he added.
Listen below as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, discusses how to deal with Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) deniers who continue to bury their heads in the sand while claiming that we're dealing with just another seasonal flu:
The first domino has been tipped – are you ready for the rest?
The stated purpose of this research isn't to scare people, but rather to give policymakers the nudge they need to effectively prepare for what's coming. Since it's already too late for any type of formidable containment, researchers are calling on authorities to put their politics aside and assess the matter honestly to help minimize the impact this is going to have on countless human lives.
"There needs to be vastly more investment in public health and development, especially in the poorest countries," McKibbin is further quoted as saying. "It is too late to attempt to close borders once the disease has taken hold in many other countries and a global pandemic has started."
A recent study from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that those most seriously affected by the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) are the elderly and people with preexisting health conditions. The risk of death from the virus also increases in direct proportion to a person's age.
At the same time, patients between the ages of 10 and 19 were found to have the same chance of dying from the Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) as people in their 20s and 30s. But by the time we hit age 50, the risk of death jumps substantially.
According to the official data, only about 20 percent of Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) cases end up becoming serious to the point of becoming a fatality risk. And there are likely many mild cases of the disease that aren't even being reported because victims aren't sick enough to have to go to the doctor or a nearby hospital for treatment.
More of the latest Wuhan coronavirus (CoVid-19) news is available at Pandemic.news.
Sources for this article include:
Yahoo.com
NaturalNews.com


naturalnews--2020-03-09--CDC denied access to FDA official sent to check on coronavirus lab test delays

( Natural News ) What exactly is going on at the CDC , and why would they deny access to an FDA official who was sent to check on them ?
That was the question on many observers ’ minds following an incident that took place at the CDC Royal campus in Atlanta late last month .
Timothy Stenzel , the director for the FDA ’ s Office of In Vitro Diagnostics and Radiological Health , was forced to wait overnight over the weekend of February 22 to get on the premises .
Although his visit was reportedly expected , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his access through a series of phone calls before the CDC would allow him to step foot on their campus .
Stenzel , a diagnostics expert and respected scientist , had been sent by the FDA to try to help the CDC speed up the development of novel coronavirus lab tests .
The CDC-developed test has run into problems that have delayed plans by the Trump administration to expand screening for the highly contagious illness .
These delays have prevented Americans who don ’ t fit into the strict criteria set by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At first , the CDC was only allowing those who had recently visited China or had been in close contact with a confirmed case and also displayed symptoms to get the test .
According to Politico , a senior official with the Department for Health and Human Services ( HHS ) has confirmed the episode in question took place .
The CDC had been going out of its way to reassure HHS leaders the lab tests were forthcoming .
The group claims the delay was simply a scheduling misunderstanding , but skepticism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrived at the campus at 7pm on February 22 , which was a day before they had been expecting him .
They blamed his denied access on security issues before adding that he was admitted on the following morning and escorted on campus by CDC staff .
During the visit , Stenzel uncovered evidence of lab contamination and reported it to HHS officials .
It ’ s believed this may have played a part in the delays of coronavirus lab tests and other issues surrounding testing .
Sources told Axios that Stenzel was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ procedures he saw at the Atlanta lab and mentioned his concerns to several officials with the CDC .
So far , hundreds of coronavirus cases are being reported across the country , and evidence points to the virus spreading throughout the nation for weeks undetected .
For its part , the CDC has admitted that their lab tests had “ flaws ” that were getting in the way of the health department ’ s plan to expand testing in the U.S. , but they were predictably vague when discussing it .
The director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases , Nancy Messonnier , said in a conference call that “ Contamination is one possible explanation but there are others , and I can ’ t comment on what is an ongoing investigation.
” The HHS has asked a team of scientists from outside the CDC to look into the defects in the lab test .
They ’ ve also launched an investigation into the coronavirus tests ’ potential contamination .
It ’ s hard to say how many lives could potentially have been saved had the CDC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sent to help them at a critical time – or had they actually had their act together and avoided contamination and delays in their lab tests in the first place .
Needless to say , moving a little faster in this situation could have helped with early detection of the virus and potentially diminished its spread .

CDC denied access to FDA official sent to check on coronavirus lab test delays
What exactly is going on at the CDC, and why would they deny access to an FDA official who was sent to check on them? That was the question on many observers’ minds following an incident that took place at the CDC Royal campus in Atlanta late last month.
Timothy Stenzel, the director for the FDA’s Office of In Vitro Diagnostics and Radiological Health, was forced to wait overnight over the weekend of February 22 to get on the premises. Although his visit was reportedly expected, senior health officials were forced to negotiate his access through a series of phone calls before the CDC would allow him to step foot on their campus.
Stenzel, a diagnostics expert and respected scientist, had been sent by the FDA to try to help the CDC speed up the development of novel coronavirus lab tests. The CDC-developed test has run into problems that have delayed plans by the Trump administration to expand screening for the highly contagious illness.
These delays have prevented Americans who don’t fit into the strict criteria set by the CDC from getting tested for the disease. At first, the CDC was only allowing those who had recently visited China or had been in close contact with a confirmed case and also displayed symptoms to get the test.
According to Politico, a senior official with the Department for Health and Human Services (HHS) has confirmed the episode in question took place.
The CDC had been going out of its way to reassure HHS leaders the lab tests were forthcoming. The group claims the delay was simply a scheduling misunderstanding, but skepticism abounds.
Their spokesperson said that Stenzel arrived at the campus at 7pm on February 22, which was a day before they had been expecting him. They blamed his denied access on security issues before adding that he was admitted on the following morning and escorted on campus by CDC staff.
During the visit, Stenzel uncovered evidence of lab contamination and reported it to HHS officials. It’s believed this may have played a part in the delays of coronavirus lab tests and other issues surrounding testing.
Sources told Axios that Stenzel was “alarmed” by some of the procedures he saw at the Atlanta lab and mentioned his concerns to several officials with the CDC.
So far, hundreds of coronavirus cases are being reported across the country, and evidence points to the virus spreading throughout the nation for weeks undetected.
CDC admits "flaws" in tests
For its part, the CDC has admitted that their lab tests had “flaws” that were getting in the way of the health department’s plan to expand testing in the U.S., but they were predictably vague when discussing it.
The director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Nancy Messonnier, said in a conference call that “Contamination is one possible explanation but there are others, and I can’t comment on what is an ongoing investigation.”
The HHS has asked a team of scientists from outside the CDC to look into the defects in the lab test. They’ve also launched an investigation into the coronavirus tests’ potential contamination.
It’s hard to say how many lives could potentially have been saved had the CDC granted access more urgently to the man sent to help them at a critical time – or had they actually had their act together and avoided contamination and delays in their lab tests in the first place.
Needless to say, moving a little faster in this situation could have helped with early detection of the virus and potentially diminished its spread.
Sources for this article include:
Politico.com
Axios.com


naturalnews--2020-03-09--South Korea doubles down on virus testing: 140,000 people successfully tested for coronavirus

( Natural News ) Around 140,000 people in South Korea have been tested for coronavirus in an attempt to curb a rapid virus epidemic from developing in the country .
This is in stark contrast with reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , which have only tested around 1,500 people for the virus in the United States .
As of writing , South Korea is experiencing one of the largest outbreaks of coronavirus outside of China — considered ground zero for the deadly pathogen — with thousands of confirmed cases .
However , recent developments have allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10,000 tests per day using kits with sensitivity rates of over 95 percent , according to the director of the Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine .
This quick response has already detected 6,000 coronavirus patients all throughout South Korea , with only 35 of whom have died .
Business Insider reports that the country ’ s fatality rate adds up to around 0.6 percent .
On Tuesday , the World Health Organization ( WHO ) estimated that the global death rate of coronavirus was 3.4 percent .
While the number was much higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , some health experts predict that the mortality rate would decrease as the number of cases worldwide rises .
( Related : WHO admits global coronavirus death rate HIGHER than initially thought : Now 3.4 % . )
South Korea has proven that widespread testing could lead to a lower death rate because around 80 percent of coronavirus cases around the world are considered mild .
Severe cases of the infection are often the first to be reported , leaving many milder cases out of the radar of healthcare facilities .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more cases that are actually being reported and that one of the primary reasons for this is that we ’ re just not detecting asymptomatic or mild or moderately symptomatic cases that don ’ t end up seeking healthcare , then our estimates for the case fatality rate will likely increase , ” said University of Texas at Austin epidemiologist Lauren Ancel Meyers .
South Korea ’ s testing also allowed experts to pinpoint where exactly the infections are centered .
They found that most of the outbreak — more than 5,700 infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Daegu , about 150 miles south of the capital Seoul .
The capital itself , which is home to about 10 million people , there have only been 103 reported infections of the novel coronavirus .
South Korean President Moon Jae-in claims that their country is “ at war ” with a pathogen that has afflicted more than 95,000 people worldwide , according to the WHO .
This has urged the government to put all their agencies on a 24-hour emergency footing .
The country ’ s central bank has also warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first quarter as the growing epidemic will most likely hit both exports and product consumption .
One of the largest contributors to South Korea ’ s successful virus testing blitz was the introduction of testing facilities inspired by drive-through counters at McDonald ’ s .
From inside their own cars , motorists would drive through several stations to be approached by medical staff in protective clothing and goggles .
The staff then checks the drivers for their temperatures and takes samples from their throats and nasal passages using swabs .
The Straits Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 10 minutes .
The temporary “ drive-through ” testing facility was set up at a parking lot in the city of Goyang , about 16 kilometers north-west of the capital .
Officials claim that this method of testing is both safer and faster than going to a hospital or healthcare facility .
“ There ’ s less face-to-face contact , ” said Lee Jae-Joon , the mayor of Goyang in a statement .
“ If you operate a testing site indoors , there is concern that suspected patients can infect each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city of Goyang wasn ’ t hit as hard as Daegu , with only four confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus , the rapid surge of infections in other regions of the country have stoked fears of a potential nationwide outbreak .
With this unique testing facility , officials claim that they could cut down their testing time by as much as a third .
“ Here we can test many people within a short period of time in a less crowded manner , and there are lower risks of infection because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Kim An-Hyun , chief of the Goyang community health center .

South Korea doubles down on virus testing: 140,000 people successfully tested for coronavirus
Around 140,000 people in South Korea have been tested for coronavirus in an attempt to curb a rapid virus epidemic from developing in the country. This is in stark contrast with reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which have only tested around 1,500 people for the virus in the United States.
As of writing, South Korea is experiencing one of the largest outbreaks of coronavirus outside of China — considered ground zero for the deadly pathogen — with thousands of confirmed cases. However, recent developments have allowed the nation to conduct as many as 10,000 tests per day using kits with sensitivity rates of over 95 percent, according to the director of the Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine. This quick response has already detected 6,000 coronavirus patients all throughout South Korea, with only 35 of whom have died. Business Insider reports that the country’s fatality rate adds up to around 0.6 percent.
A country at war
On Tuesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that the global death rate of coronavirus was 3.4 percent. While the number was much higher than the previous estimate of two percent, some health experts predict that the mortality rate would decrease as the number of cases worldwide rises. (Related: WHO admits global coronavirus death rate HIGHER than initially thought: Now 3.4%.)
South Korea has proven that widespread testing could lead to a lower death rate because around 80 percent of coronavirus cases around the world are considered mild. Severe cases of the infection are often the first to be reported, leaving many milder cases out of the radar of healthcare facilities.
“If indeed we discover that there are far more cases that are actually being reported and that one of the primary reasons for this is that we’re just not detecting asymptomatic or mild or moderately symptomatic cases that don’t end up seeking healthcare, then our estimates for the case fatality rate will likely increase,” said University of Texas at Austin epidemiologist Lauren Ancel Meyers.
South Korea’s testing also allowed experts to pinpoint where exactly the infections are centered. They found that most of the outbreak — more than 5,700 infections — is being contained in the city of Daegu, about 150 miles south of the capital Seoul. The capital itself, which is home to about 10 million people, there have only been 103 reported infections of the novel coronavirus.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in claims that their country is “at war” with a pathogen that has afflicted more than 95,000 people worldwide, according to the WHO. This has urged the government to put all their agencies on a 24-hour emergency footing. The country’s central bank has also warned of a negative growth rate within the first quarter as the growing epidemic will most likely hit both exports and product consumption.
“Drive-through” a novel method for detecting coronavirus
One of the largest contributors to South Korea’s successful virus testing blitz was the introduction of testing facilities inspired by drive-through counters at McDonald’s. From inside their own cars, motorists would drive through several stations to be approached by medical staff in protective clothing and goggles. The staff then checks the drivers for their temperatures and takes samples from their throats and nasal passages using swabs. The Straits Times reports that the entire procedure lasts no more than 10 minutes.
The temporary “drive-through” testing facility was set up at a parking lot in the city of Goyang, about 16 kilometers north-west of the capital. Officials claim that this method of testing is both safer and faster than going to a hospital or healthcare facility.
“There’s less face-to-face contact,” said Lee Jae-Joon, the mayor of Goyang in a statement. “If you operate a testing site indoors, there is concern that suspected patients can infect each other in the waiting room.”
While the city of Goyang wasn’t hit as hard as Daegu, with only four confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, the rapid surge of infections in other regions of the country have stoked fears of a potential nationwide outbreak. With this unique testing facility, officials claim that they could cut down their testing time by as much as a third.
“Here we can test many people within a short period of time in a less crowded manner, and there are lower risks of infection because it’s done inside the car,” said Kim An-Hyun, chief of the Goyang community health center.
Sources include:
Bloomberg.com
BusinessInsider.com
CNBC.com
NewsInfo.Inquirer.net
WHO.int [PDF]
StraitsTimes.com
Edition.CNN.com


naturalnews--2020-03-09--While everybody panics about coronavirus, insects are heading for extinction in both the U.S. and Eu

While everybody panics about coronavirus, insects are heading for extinction in both the U.S. and Europe ... No insects means no food

( Natural News ) Nothing epitomizes a warm , sunny day like the sound of bees buzzing peacefully from plant to plant in the garden .
These little creatures do far more than provide us with delicious honey , however .
Without bees and other pollinators , humans and other animals would cease to exist on our planet .
The renowned poet Maurice Maeterlinck warned in his book , The Life of the Bee : If the bee disappeared off the face of the earth , man would only have four years left to live .
With bees and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if something drastic is not done soon , humans could be wiped off the face of the earth .
( Related : Wild bees , butterflies and other pollinators are on the path to extinction if we don ’ t stop poisoning them . )
As reported by The Big Wobble , a study published recently in the journal Science claims that the massive decline in bumble bee numbers is all down to the usual suspect : climate change .
The authors note : One aspect of climate change is an increasing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soroye et al .
analyzed a large dataset of bumble bee occurrences across North America and Europe and found that an increasing frequency of unusually hot days is increasing local extinction rates … .
We have certainly been experiencing some extreme weather recently , but the science is far from conclusive that man-made global warming even exists .
After all , we have had massive fluctuations in temperature since the beginning of time , and the bees and other insects are still here .
What is for sure is that bees and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alarming rate , despite the causes being well-known .
World governments have simply chosen to look away and ignore the problem .
( Related : Systemic pesticides are penetrating deep into plants tissues , destroying beetles , trees , bees , and human hormones . )
What is really wiping out the insects ?
As reported by The Guardian , the planet ’ s insects are racing down the road to extinction : More than 40 % of insect species are declining and a third are endangered , the analysis found .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than that of mammals , birds and reptiles .
The total mass of insects is falling by a precipitous 2.5 % a year , according to the best data available , suggesting they could vanish within a century .
[ Emphasis added ] Based on Maeterlinck ’ s hypothesis , the human race would be extinct four years later .
A scientific review of 73 historical reports , published in the journal Biological Conservation , found that insect biodiversity is under threat across the globe .
The scientists found what the vast majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the main drivers of species declines are : • Pollution , in particular , the damage caused by chemical pesticides and fertilizers , and Insects are not the only species in deep trouble .
Huge losses have also been experienced in many other animal types .
The declines in insect numbers are particularly concerning , however , because without them all ecosystems would collapse and the food supply of both animals and humans would disappear .
The study ’ s authors issued a grave warning that we would all do well to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our ways of producing food , insects as a whole will go down the path of extinction in a few decades .
The repercussions this will have for the planet ’ s ecosystems are catastrophic to say the least.
” Learn more about the threat of human and animal extinction at Extinction.news .

While everybody panics about coronavirus, insects are heading for extinction in both the U.S. and Europe … No insects means no food
Nothing epitomizes a warm, sunny day like the sound of bees buzzing peacefully from plant to plant in the garden. These little creatures do far more than provide us with delicious honey, however. Without bees and other pollinators, humans and other animals would cease to exist on our planet.
The renowned poet Maurice Maeterlinck warned in his book, The Life of the Bee:
If the bee disappeared off the face of the earth, man would only have four years left to live.
With bees and other insects dying off at an alarming rate, if something drastic is not done soon, humans could be wiped off the face of the earth. (Related: Wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators are on the path to extinction if we don't stop poisoning them.)
Is it climate change?
As reported by The Big Wobble, a study published recently in the journal Science claims that the massive decline in bumble bee numbers is all down to the usual suspect: climate change. The authors note:
One aspect of climate change is an increasing number of days with extreme heat. Soroye et al. analyzed a large dataset of bumble bee occurrences across North America and Europe and found that an increasing frequency of unusually hot days is increasing local extinction rates … .
We have certainly been experiencing some extreme weather recently, but the science is far from conclusive that man-made global warming even exists. After all, we have had massive fluctuations in temperature since the beginning of time, and the bees and other insects are still here.
What is for sure is that bees and other pollinators are being wiped out at an alarming rate, despite the causes being well-known. World governments have simply chosen to look away and ignore the problem. (Related: Systemic pesticides are penetrating deep into plants tissues, destroying beetles, trees, bees, and human hormones.)
What is really wiping out the insects?
As reported by The Guardian, the planet’s insects are racing down the road to extinction:
More than 40% of insect species are declining and a third are endangered, the analysis found. The rate of extinction is eight times faster than that of mammals, birds and reptiles. The total mass of insects is falling by a precipitous 2.5% a year, according to the best data available, suggesting they could vanish within a century. [Emphasis added]
Based on Maeterlinck’s hypothesis, the human race would be extinct four years later.
A scientific review of 73 historical reports, published in the journal Biological Conservation, found that insect biodiversity is under threat across the globe.
The scientists found what the vast majority of studies have found, namely that the main drivers of species declines are:
Habitat losses caused by urbanization and intensive farming practices
Pollution, in particular, the damage caused by chemical pesticides and fertilizers, and
Biological factors like pathogens
Insects are not the only species in deep trouble. Huge losses have also been experienced in many other animal types. The declines in insect numbers are particularly concerning, however, because without them all ecosystems would collapse and the food supply of both animals and humans would disappear.
The study’s authors issued a grave warning that we would all do well to take note of:
"Unless we change our ways of producing food, insects as a whole will go down the path of extinction in a few decades. The repercussions this will have for the planet’s ecosystems are catastrophic to say the least."
Learn more about the threat of human and animal extinction at Extinction.news.
Sources for this article include:
TheBigWobble.org
TheGuardian.com
ScienceDirect.com


naturalnews--2020-03-09--Animal study finds that morning exercise improves metabolic response, while night exercise increases

( Natural News ) The circadian rhythm is your body ’ s internal process that follows a daily cycle .
This rhythm typically responds to light levels in an individual ’ s environment , which helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle .
Maintaining a consistent circadian rhythm is essential to overall health – chronic disruption of your regular sleep schedule can have adverse health consequences .
Now , recent research has found new ways for circadian rhythm to affect your health .
A study published in the journal Cell Metabolism found that a healthy circadian rhythm and the time of day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exercises affect your metabolism .
The study suggests that a morning exercise session can make it easier for muscle cells to metabolize sugar and fat , while an evening exercise session can give you an overall boost to metabolism for a longer duration of time .
“ There appear to be rather significant differences between the effect of exercise performed in the morning and evening , and these differences are probably controlled by the body ’ s circadian clock .
Morning exercise initiates gene programs in the muscle cells , making them more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and fat .
Evening exercise , on the other hand , increases whole-body energy expenditure for an extended period of time , ” said Jonas Thue Treebak from the Novo Nordisk Foundation for Basic Metabolic Research .
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen – in collaboration with the University of California Irvine – looked into understanding the impact of exercise performed at varying times of the day .
To test their theories , Treebak and his colleagues had a group of rodents perform exercises at the start and at the end of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effects of the exercise sessions on the rodents ’ muscle cells .
Using high-throughput transcriptomic and metabolomic approaches , the researchers identified very distinct responses of metabolic oscillations that characterize exercise performed in either day or night .
Notably , the researchers discovered that a protein called hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha ( HIF1-alfa ) , which is responsible for regulating the body ’ s circadian clock , was involved in these mechanisms .
The team explained that this particular protein is selectively activated when you exercise , depending on the time of day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of alternative energy resources , adaptation of energy expenditure and carbohydrate exhaustion .
( Related : Fitness and your circadian rhythm : Is a late-night jog better than an early morning walk ? )
Their findings showed that exercising early in the morning can boost the muscle cells ’ ability to metabolize fat and sugars – a finding that may spark intrigue in researchers focusing on people with Type 2 diabetes and severe obesity .
On the other end of the spectrum , exercising in the evening can increase your body ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good , long workout .
This means that the researchers can not confidently conclude that doing exercise in the morning is significantly better than doing it in the evening .
“ On this basis we can not say for certain which is best , exercise in the morning or exercise in the evening .
At this point , we can only conclude that the effects of the two appear to differ , and we certainly have to do more work to determine the potential mechanisms for the beneficial effects of exercise training performed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eager to extend these studies to humans to identify if timed exercise can be used as a treatment strategy for people with metabolic diseases , ” Treebak explains .
Whether you decide to go out for a morning jog or save that for a later part of the day , exercise can ultimately provide plenty of health benefits if performed on a regular basis .
FightObesity.news has everything you need to know about the health benefits of working out and other natural means of improving your overall health .

Animal study finds that morning exercise improves metabolic response, while night exercise increases energy expenditure
The circadian rhythm is your body's internal process that follows a daily cycle. This rhythm typically responds to light levels in an individual's environment, which helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle. Maintaining a consistent circadian rhythm is essential to overall health – chronic disruption of your regular sleep schedule can have adverse health consequences. Now, recent research has found new ways for circadian rhythm to affect your health.
A study published in the journal Cell Metabolism found that a healthy circadian rhythm and the time of day can make an impact on how aerobic exercises affect your metabolism. The study suggests that a morning exercise session can make it easier for muscle cells to metabolize sugar and fat, while an evening exercise session can give you an overall boost to metabolism for a longer duration of time.
“There appear to be rather significant differences between the effect of exercise performed in the morning and evening, and these differences are probably controlled by the body's circadian clock. Morning exercise initiates gene programs in the muscle cells, making them more effective and better capable of metabolizing sugar and fat. Evening exercise, on the other hand, increases whole-body energy expenditure for an extended period of time,” said Jonas Thue Treebak from the Novo Nordisk Foundation for Basic Metabolic Research.
Like night and day
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen – in collaboration with the University of California Irvine – looked into understanding the impact of exercise performed at varying times of the day. To test their theories, Treebak and his colleagues had a group of rodents perform exercises at the start and at the end of the day. Afterward, they analyzed the effects of the exercise sessions on the rodents' muscle cells.
Using high-throughput transcriptomic and metabolomic approaches, the researchers identified very distinct responses of metabolic oscillations that characterize exercise performed in either day or night. Notably, the researchers discovered that a protein called hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF1-alfa), which is responsible for regulating the body's circadian clock, was involved in these mechanisms. The team explained that this particular protein is selectively activated when you exercise, depending on the time of day. This selective activation results in the usage of alternative energy resources, adaptation of energy expenditure and carbohydrate exhaustion. (Related: Fitness and your circadian rhythm: Is a late-night jog better than an early morning walk?)
Their findings showed that exercising early in the morning can boost the muscle cells' ability to metabolize fat and sugars – a finding that may spark intrigue in researchers focusing on people with Type 2 diabetes and severe obesity.
On the other end of the spectrum, exercising in the evening can increase your body's energy expenditure in the hours after a good, long workout. This means that the researchers cannot confidently conclude that doing exercise in the morning is significantly better than doing it in the evening.
“On this basis we cannot say for certain which is best, exercise in the morning or exercise in the evening. At this point, we can only conclude that the effects of the two appear to differ, and we certainly have to do more work to determine the potential mechanisms for the beneficial effects of exercise training performed at these two time-points. We are eager to extend these studies to humans to identify if timed exercise can be used as a treatment strategy for people with metabolic diseases,” Treebak explains.
Whether you decide to go out for a morning jog or save that for a later part of the day, exercise can ultimately provide plenty of health benefits if performed on a regular basis. FightObesity.news has everything you need to know about the health benefits of working out and other natural means of improving your overall health.
Sources include:
SleepFoundation.org
ScienceDaily.com
Cell.com


naturalnews--2020-03-09--What's in it? Probiotic product labels need to be more detailed so consumers can make informed decis

What's in it? Probiotic product labels need to be more detailed so consumers can make informed decisions, suggest researchers

( Natural News ) As probiotic products often contain live microorganisms such as bacteria or yeast , it ’ s important that people know exactly what they ’ re getting when they buy probiotic supplements .
However , a study has found that most probiotic product labels are sorely lacking in the information that consumers need in order to make informed decisions about them .
The study , conducted by researchers at the Georgetown University Medical Center , found out that only 35 percent of the probiotic products they sampled had labels that linked to the products ’ medical efficacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that while the remaining 65 percent of products might be supported by clinical studies , the researchers weren ’ t able to track down the evidence due to insufficient labeling .
Digging deep into the labeling of probiotics To conduct their research , the team led by Dan Merenstein , director of research programs for the Department of Family Medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine , purchased 93 different bottles of probiotics from four large national probiotic retailers in the Washington , D.C. area .
Using the labeling in the bottles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could track down the medical efficacy of the product from the labeling alone .
To this end , the researchers considered a product to be supported by evidence if the label disclosed the strain of bacteria or yeast used and if the strain was stated to be present at a beneficial dose .
In addition to this , the team also looked to see if at least on controlled human study supporting the use of the probiotic was listed on PubMed , a web-based search engine for biomedicine and health studies .
Of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they purchased , the researchers found that only 33 fit within their criteria .
Merenstein also noted that just because a bottle had a higher number of strains , a higher dose or greater cost did not mean that it was associated with any medical evidence .
“ It may be counter-intuitive to consumers , but we found that products with fewer strains and lower cost were more likely to be supported by evidence we could trace , ” sated Dr. Merenstein .
An even greater cause for concern was the fact that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within the team ’ s criteria had labels that directly linked to evidence that the probiotics inside were clinically beneficial .
This means that consumers would still have to do some legwork to get the information they need .
Despite insufficient labeling however , probiotics do work .
In 2014 , a group of experts , including two who were involved in the Georgetown study , affirmed the definition of probiotics .
They stated that probiotics are “ live microorganisms that , when administered in adequate amounts , confer a health benefit on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probiotics increases , more studies have come out that several strains work as intended .
However , some studies have also shown that other strains don ’ t work any better than a placebo .
Manufacturers , on the other hand , are required to demonstrate that the probiotics they sell are labeled in a manner that ’ s truthful and not misleading to the consumer .
Of the 93 products , the researchers judged 67 to be “ unique ” based on their strain composition .
This however included some that did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their precise compositions could not be determined .
Other products listed strains that were known to be beneficial , however , the dosages of these strains were not listed .
As such , the researchers could not determine if these strains were present in an effective dose .
( Related : Researchers look at the benefits of probiotic supplementation in elderly . )
Getting the right probiotics With the issues regarding the labeling on probiotic products , choosing the right ones can be difficult .
Fortunately , the study does give some hints @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such as by reading the label on the bottle and looking at resources online to know what ’ s exactly inside the product .
Another way to get your fill of probiotics , however , is through food .
A number of foods come with probiotics , the most common of which are fermented dairy products like yogurt .
Going for foods like these could be a better alternative to supplements .

What’s in it? Probiotic product labels need to be more detailed so consumers can make informed decisions, suggest researchers
As probiotic products often contain live microorganisms such as bacteria or yeast, it's important that people know exactly what they're getting when they buy probiotic supplements. However, a study has found that most probiotic product labels are sorely lacking in the information that consumers need in order to make informed decisions about them.
The study, conducted by researchers at the Georgetown University Medical Center, found out that only 35 percent of the probiotic products they sampled had labels that linked to the products' medical efficacy. In addition, the study stated that while the remaining 65 percent of products might be supported by clinical studies, the researchers weren't able to track down the evidence due to insufficient labeling.
Digging deep into the labeling of probiotics
To conduct their research, the team led by Dan Merenstein, director of research programs for the Department of Family Medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine, purchased 93 different bottles of probiotics from four large national probiotic retailers in the Washington, D.C. area. Using the labeling in the bottles, the team tried to see if they could track down the medical efficacy of the product from the labeling alone.
To this end, the researchers considered a product to be supported by evidence if the label disclosed the strain of bacteria or yeast used and if the strain was stated to be present at a beneficial dose. In addition to this, the team also looked to see if at least on controlled human study supporting the use of the probiotic was listed on PubMed, a web-based search engine for biomedicine and health studies.
Of the 93 bottles of probiotic supplements that they purchased, the researchers found that only 33 fit within their criteria. Merenstein also noted that just because a bottle had a higher number of strains, a higher dose or greater cost did not mean that it was associated with any medical evidence.
“It may be counter-intuitive to consumers, but we found that products with fewer strains and lower cost were more likely to be supported by evidence we could trace,” sated Dr. Merenstein.
An even greater cause for concern was the fact that none of the 33 bottles that fit within the team's criteria had labels that directly linked to evidence that the probiotics inside were clinically beneficial. This means that consumers would still have to do some legwork to get the information they need.
Despite insufficient labeling however, probiotics do work. In 2014, a group of experts, including two who were involved in the Georgetown study, affirmed the definition of probiotics. They stated that probiotics are “live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.”
As the use of probiotics increases, more studies have come out that several strains work as intended. However, some studies have also shown that other strains don't work any better than a placebo. Manufacturers, on the other hand, are required to demonstrate that the probiotics they sell are labeled in a manner that's truthful and not misleading to the consumer.
Of the 93 products, the researchers judged 67 to be "unique" based on their strain composition. This however included some that did not disclose strains on their label as their precise compositions could not be determined. Other products listed strains that were known to be beneficial, however, the dosages of these strains were not listed. As such, the researchers could not determine if these strains were present in an effective dose. (Related: Researchers look at the benefits of probiotic supplementation in elderly.)
Getting the right probiotics
With the issues regarding the labeling on probiotic products, choosing the right ones can be difficult. Fortunately, the study does give some hints as to how to get this information, such as by reading the label on the bottle and looking at resources online to know what's exactly inside the product.
Another way to get your fill of probiotics, however, is through food. A number of foods come with probiotics, the most common of which are fermented dairy products like yogurt. Going for foods like these could be a better alternative to supplements.
Sources include:
GUMC.Georgetown.edu
IntegrativePractitioner.com
.


naturalnews--2020-03-09--Mike Adams releases downloadable "Pandemic Projection Model" spreadsheet - get it HERE and run your

Mike Adams releases downloadable "Pandemic Projection Model" spreadsheet - get it HERE and run your own coronavirus scenarios

( Natural News ) We are now releasing the downloadable Pandemic Projection Model ( “ Adams Model ” ) spreadsheet , Revision 2 , with new features : • You can alter the starting assumption values to test different scenarios of where the coronavirus pandemic goes in any given nation or population region .
• Fields that can be altered include R0 value , mortality rate , and # of infected individuals on day one .
• New feature : “ Social distancing suppression ” value allows you to suppress new infections by a percentage you choose .
This helps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bans and personal contact habits which are already being altered .
You can now download the spreadsheet at this link : The file format is .xls , compatible with MS Excel and Apache Open Office ( free software from Apache ) .
You will also need to unzip the zip file , of course , after you download it .
You can use a utility like 7-zip ( 7-zip.org ) to achieve this .
Once you download the spreadsheet , you may immediately begin altering several variables to test the outcomes they will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections , # of deaths , etc.
, are automatically updated ( as in any spreadsheet based on relational formulas ) .
If you use this spreadsheet or cite its numbers , please give credit to Mike Adams , Pandemic.news / NaturalNews.com .
New projections show only 1.1 million deaths in the USA by July 4th if social distancing achieves 25 % suppression The projections of this Revision 2 spreadsheet typically do not match Revision 1 , since we have simplified some of the calculations .
This has resulted in typically a lower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good news in this projection is that if you enter an R0 value of 2.4 , and use a social distancing suppression value of 25 % , there are only 1.1 million deaths in the USA by July 4th .
You are free to modify the values in the spreadsheet yourself , and to republish the spreadsheet as long as you give proper credit to the author .
If you notice any calculation modeling errors in the spreadsheet , please inform us via the NaturalNews.com feedback form so we can improve it for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals who are newly infected become infectious themselves the following day , and then remain infectious for exactly 14 days , after which they either become immune ( and non-infectious ) or die ( and are therefore non-infectious ) .
• You can change the 14-day window in this spreadsheet by altering the references starting with cell E41 which references C27 ( notice the difference between the row numbers is 14 ) .
Because of the “ lag time ” calculations , you have to manually alter these cells yourself to create whatever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( such as 10 days , or 20 days ) .
These changes must of course be carried to all subsequent cells in the spreadsheet .
Feel free to run your own projections .
Try R0 values of 3.0 or higher to see what happens ( if you dare… )

Mike Adams releases downloadable “Pandemic Projection Model” spreadsheet – get it HERE and run your own coronavirus scenarios
We are now releasing the downloadable Pandemic Projection Model ("Adams Model") spreadsheet, Revision 2, with new features:
You can alter the starting assumption values to test different scenarios of where the coronavirus pandemic goes in any given nation or population region.
Fields that can be altered include R0 value, mortality rate, and # of infected individuals on day one.
New feature: "Social distancing suppression" value allows you to suppress new infections by a percentage you choose. This helps take into account school closures, travel bans and personal contact habits which are already being altered.
You can now download the spreadsheet at this link:
http://www.pandemic.news/PPM-Adams-Rev-2.zip
The file format is .xls, compatible with MS Excel and Apache Open Office (free software from Apache).
You will also need to unzip the zip file, of course, after you download it. You can use a utility like 7-zip (7-zip.org) to achieve this.
Once you download the spreadsheet, you may immediately begin altering several variables to test the outcomes they will produce. All rows showing # of infections, # of deaths, etc., are automatically updated (as in any spreadsheet based on relational formulas).
If you use this spreadsheet or cite its numbers, please give credit to Mike Adams, Pandemic.news / NaturalNews.com.
New projections show only 1.1 million deaths in the USA by July 4th if social distancing achieves 25% suppression
The projections of this Revision 2 spreadsheet typically do not match Revision 1, since we have simplified some of the calculations. This has resulted in typically a lower total fatality projection. One piece of good news in this projection is that if you enter an R0 value of 2.4, and use a social distancing suppression value of 25%, there are only 1.1 million deaths in the USA by July 4th.
You are free to modify the values in the spreadsheet yourself, and to republish the spreadsheet as long as you give proper credit to the author.
If you notice any calculation modeling errors in the spreadsheet, please inform us via the NaturalNews.com feedback form so we can improve it for Revision 3.
Additional assumptions in the model:
The model assumes individuals who are newly infected become infectious themselves the following day, and then remain infectious for exactly 14 days, after which they either become immune (and non-infectious) or die (and are therefore non-infectious).
You can change the 14-day window in this spreadsheet by altering the references starting with cell E41 which references C27 (notice the difference between the row numbers is 14). Because of the "lag time" calculations, you have to manually alter these cells yourself to create whatever lag time window you want to simulate (such as 10 days, or 20 days). These changes must of course be carried to all subsequent cells in the spreadsheet.
Feel free to run your own projections. Try R0 values of 3.0 or higher to see what happens (if you dare...)
Stay informed. Read Pandemic.news.


naturalnews--2020-03-10--IT BEGINS: NY Gov. activates National Guard to create "containment zone" while Colorado Gov. declare

IT BEGINS: NY Gov. activates National Guard to create "containment zone" while Colorado Gov. declares State of Emergency, USA approaches 1,000 confirmed infections

( Natural News ) Just as we predicted weeks ago through a series of articles , videos and podcasts that were largely mocked and ridiculed by many Trump supporters who still think the coronavirus is a left-wing media hoax , medical martial law is quickly dropping into place across America .
In addition to Washington State Gov .
Inslee announcing today that the State of Washington would likely be placed under a quarantine lockdown , the Governor of New York has activated the National Guard there to enforce ( at gunpoint ) a “ containment zone ” around the small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same day , the Governor of Colorado just declare a state of emergency .
Amazingly , many Trump supporters still literally think this is all a staged theatrical production by the left-wing media and left-wing governors .
This is what happens when the left-wing media lies to the entire country for years : Nobody believes them anymore , even when their reporting just happens to occasionally collide with a real event .
But then how do they explain to themselves why Iran and China are also part of the same supposed “ hoax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 959 today , about a 1000 % increase from a week ago .
America is now beginning to enter the “ Italy scenario ” exponential explosion curve that will not be stopped until a nationwide lockdown is announced and enforced ( as I ’ ve exhaustively shown in mathematical pandemic projection models ) .
Here ’ s the shape of the exponential curve now being reported for America ( via Woldometers.info ) For things to get resolved in America , that parabolic-looking curve shown above is going to have to turn flat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ just the flu ” doesn ’ t make the line go flat .
And that means New York won ’ t be the only state that rolls out the National Guard for “ containment ” operations : New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that they are calling in the National Guard to have a quarantine containment of the town of New Rochelle because of a cluster of cases in the town .
So he says they are going to create a 1-mile containment area and have a satellite testing area in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and businesses for two weeks .
Cuomo said they would be using the National Guard to clean the town and help out with things like delivering food .
And if you believe the National Guard is only there to “ clean the town , ” you ’ re as delusional as Rush Limbaugh .
You don ’ t deploy the National Guard to clean trash from the sidewalks .
You do it mostly to bring men with guns to enforce things that the local citizens might not agree to do unless they had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ go home and stay indoors , you loser ” ) .
Granted , National Guard troops often do help with things like food deliveries , medical triage and public infrastructure , but they do it while carrying rifles for all the obvious reasons .
This isn ’ t some Meals on Wheels volunteer outfit .
It ’ s the Guard .
When the Guard is called out to enforce a containment zone in New York , you know this isn ’ t “ just the flu.
” Colorado now under a State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have an update via The Epoch Times : The governor of Colorado declared a state of emergency and seeks to increase testing for the COVID-19 coronavirus after more than a dozen cases have been confirmed in his state .
“ The top priority is to expand testing capacity in Colorado so eventually we can reach the point where anyone who is exhibiting flu-like symptoms can be tested , ” Polis remarked , reported CBS Denver .
“ We will continue the pressure on our federal government to rapidly expand testing capacity and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can identify positive cases , isolate them and quarantine those who may have been exposed , ” the governor added .
As we were writing this update , the Governor of the State of Massachusetts also declared a state of emergency , so we now have emergencies spreading across the country as quickly as the virus itself .
Washington State about to go under a quarantine lockdown This is all in addition to Washington State ’ s Gov .
Inslee announcing today that he intends to issue some sort of lockdown there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his state from exploding to 64,000 by May .
“ What the experts are telling us is … the number of people who are infected will double in anywhere from 5 to 8 days … unless we take some real action , ” the governor said at a morning news conference .
“ And if you do the math , it gets very disturbing .
… If it ’ s 1,000 ( infections ) today , in seven to eight weeks there could be 64,000 people infected in the state of Washington if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this epidemic .
And in the next week it could be 120,000 , and in the next week a quarter of a million.
” Yep , it ’ s definitely NOT “ just the flu.
” And now you see why everything I stated in this narrated short video is suddenly coming true : The important thing to realize is that medical martial law is coming to your city even if you don ’ t believe the coronavirus is real .
Martial law gets very real very fast , and a person ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them from the reality of a viral infection .
If you live in Washington , California or New York and you aren ’ t yet ready to hunker down with a 30-day survival supply , you may have already missed the boat .
Lack of preparedness has consequences , and millions of Americans are about to experience those consequences firsthand .
Lock and load , folks .
Stewart Rhodes says it ’ s going to get ugly : If you want to live , read Pandemic.news .
If you want to die , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

IT BEGINS: NY Gov. activates National Guard to create “containment zone” while Colorado Gov. declares State of Emergency, USA approaches 1,000 confirmed infections
Just as we predicted weeks ago through a series of articles, videos and podcasts that were largely mocked and ridiculed by many Trump supporters who still think the coronavirus is a left-wing media hoax,
In addition to Washington State Gov. Inslee announcing today that the State of Washington would likely be placed under a quarantine lockdown, the Governor of New York has activated the National Guard there to enforce (at gunpoint) a "containment zone" around the small city of New Rochelle.
On the same day, the Governor of Colorado just declare a state of emergency.
Amazingly, many Trump supporters still literally think this is all a staged theatrical production by the left-wing media and left-wing governors. This is what happens when the left-wing media lies to the entire country for years: Nobody believes them anymore, even when their reporting just happens to occasionally collide with a real event. But then how do they explain to themselves why Iran and China are also part of the same supposed "hoax?"
America now has 959 confirmed infections
Confirmed infections across America skyrocketed to 959 today, about a 1000% increase from a week ago. America is now beginning to enter the "Italy scenario" exponential explosion curve that will not be stopped until a nationwide lockdown is announced and enforced (as I've exhaustively shown in mathematical pandemic projection models).
Here's the shape of the exponential curve now being reported for America (via Woldometers.info)
For things to get resolved in America, that parabolic-looking curve shown above is going to have to turn flat. Sadly, saying the coronavirus is "just the flu" doesn't make the line go flat.
And that means New York won't be the only state that rolls out the National Guard for "containment" operations:
Via RedState.com:
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that they are calling in the National Guard to have a quarantine containment of the town of New Rochelle because of a cluster of cases in the town.
So he says they are going to create a 1-mile containment area and have a satellite testing area in the containment area. They are closing schools and businesses for two weeks.
Cuomo said they would be using the National Guard to clean the town and help out with things like delivering food.
And if you believe the National Guard is only there to "clean the town," you're as delusional as Rush Limbaugh. You don't deploy the National Guard to clean trash from the sidewalks. You do it mostly to bring men with guns to enforce things that the local citizens might not agree to do unless they had guns pointed at them (such as "go home and stay indoors, you loser").
Granted, National Guard troops often do help with things like food deliveries, medical triage and public infrastructure, but they do it while carrying rifles for all the obvious reasons. This isn't some Meals on Wheels volunteer outfit. It's the Guard.
When the Guard is called out to enforce a containment zone in New York, you know this isn't "just the flu."
Colorado now under a State of Emergency
Moving over to Colorado, we have an update via The Epoch Times:
The governor of Colorado declared a state of emergency and seeks to increase testing for the COVID-19 coronavirus after more than a dozen cases have been confirmed in his state.
“The top priority is to expand testing capacity in Colorado so eventually we can reach the point where anyone who is exhibiting flu-like symptoms can be tested,” Polis remarked, reported CBS Denver. “We will continue the pressure on our federal government to rapidly expand testing capacity and ensure that Colorado has enough tests that we can identify positive cases, isolate them and quarantine those who may have been exposed,” the governor added.
As we were writing this update, the Governor of the State of Massachusetts also declared a state of emergency, so we now have emergencies spreading across the country as quickly as the virus itself.
Washington State about to go under a quarantine lockdown
This is all in addition to Washington State's Gov. Inslee announcing today that he intends to issue some sort of lockdown there to prevent the number of cases in his state from exploding to 64,000 by May.
Via KOMOnews.com:
"What the experts are telling us is ... the number of people who are infected will double in anywhere from 5 to 8 days ... unless we take some real action," the governor said at a morning news conference.
"And if you do the math, it gets very disturbing. ... If it's 1,000 (infections) today, in seven to eight weeks there could be 64,000 people infected in the state of Washington if we don't somehow slow down this epidemic. And in the next week it could be 120,000, and in the next week a quarter of a million."
Yep, it's definitely NOT "just the flu."
And now you see why everything I stated in this narrated short video is suddenly coming true:
The important thing to realize is that medical martial law is coming to your city even if you don't believe the coronavirus is real. Martial law gets very real very fast, and a person's mathematical illiteracy doesn't save them from the reality of a viral infection.
If you live in Washington, California or New York and you aren't yet ready to hunker down with a 30-day survival supply, you may have already missed the boat. Lack of preparedness has consequences, and millions of Americans are about to experience those consequences firsthand.
Lock and load, folks. Stewart Rhodes says it's going to get ugly:
Brighteon.com/37c606ce-969a-4ed1-8218-c774f4b12c2f
If you want to live, read Pandemic.news. If you want to die, listen to Mike "Propaganda" Pence.


naturalnews--2020-03-10--BREAKING: State of Washington about to go under medical martial law to stop the virus from infecting

( Natural News ) Just as we ’ ve modeled and predicted , medical martial law is now beginning to be implemented across America to contain the spread of the coronavirus .
As of this writing , there are now 804 confirmed infections across America , and the number is rising by over 100 per day ( which we also warned about two weeks ago , rather precisely ) .
Earlier today , NY Gov .
Cuomo activated the National Guard to create a “ containment zone ” around an infected community there ( New Rochelle ) .
And now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state that Gov .
Inslee fully recognizes that unless they issue a mandatory quarantine order there , up to 64,000 new coronavirus infections will occur by May .
This is unfolding exactly as we ’ ve been modeling in our “ pandemic projection model ” spreadsheet which can be downloaded and shared by anyone .
If you ’ re wondering why we can “ see the future , ” it ’ s because we are just following the mathematics of exponential spread .
By the end of next week , there will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Up to 64,000 people could be infected with coronavirus in Washington state within two months if actions aren ’ t taken now to stop its spread , Gov .
Inslee said Tuesday .
Although the number of confirmed cases is now 162 , Inslee said experts believe the actual number could be 1,000 or more at the present time .
“ What the experts are telling us is … the number of people who are infected will double in anywhere from 5 to 8 days … unless we take some real action , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news conference .
“ And if you do the math , it gets very disturbing .
… If it ’ s 1,000 ( infections ) today , in seven to eight weeks there could be 64,000 people infected in the state of Washington if we don ’ t somehow slow down this epidemic .
And in the next week it could be 120,000 , and in the next week a quarter of a million.
” “ We need to look forward and get ahead of the curve in Washington state .
If we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or seriously slow it down , we need to focus on what ’ s coming – not what ’ s here today , ” Inslee added .
He then outlined a number of steps the state is taking to slow the spread of the coronavirus , including new rules for nursing homes and an expansion of unemployment benefits .
These could be followed by more dramatic actions later , Inslee said .
We ’ ve finally discovered a political leader who can do math On the positive side of things , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who can do math .
Currently Trump can ’ t do the math , and Pence can ’ t do the math , and Rush Limbaugh most certainly can ’ t do math .
But Gov .
Inslee ( Democrat ) can do math !
As our pandemic projection models show , strict quarantine is the only thing that works to stop the spread of the virus right now ( that , and recommending widespread anti-viral nutraceuticals , but we ’ re not holding our breath that anyone from government will know anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the current NYT map of infections across America .
Note the high density hubs ?
They ’ re all left-wing cities , exactly as our model predicted : Every day that Trump delays issuing a nationwide 30-day “ shelter in place ” order might cost an additional 10,000 lives down the road , depending on how long Trump denies reality and fails to act .
Ultimately , the only way to stop this in America is to close the borders , halt all flights , shut down the roads and declare a 30-day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the entire country , much like what Italy just did yesterday .
Trump can stop the virus in 30 days , but it requires shutting down the entire country ( and the borders and all international flights ) .
The ramifications will be ugly , no matter how you slice it .
But the cost of doing nothing and continuing with this pathetic streak of stupid denialism is only going to lead to a catastrophic outcome for America and the end of the Trump administration .
If you want to live , read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , listen to Rush Limbaugh or Dr. Drew .

BREAKING: State of Washington about to go under medical martial law to stop the virus from infecting 64,000 by May, warns Gov. Inslee
Just as we've modeled and predicted, medical martial law is now beginning to be implemented across America to contain the spread of the coronavirus. As of this writing, there are nowacross America, and the number is rising by over 100 per day (which we also warned about two weeks ago, rather precisely).
Earlier today, NY Gov. Cuomo activated the National Guard to create a "containment zone" around an infected community there (New Rochelle). And now we're getting word from Washington state that Gov. Inslee fully recognizes that unless they issue a mandatory quarantine order there, up to 64,000 new coronavirus infections will occur by May.
This is unfolding exactly as we've been modeling in our "pandemic projection model" spreadsheet which can be downloaded and shared by anyone. If you're wondering why we can "see the future," it's because we are just following the mathematics of exponential spread.
By the end of next week, there will be thousands of confirmed infections in America.
Via KOMOnews.com:
Up to 64,000 people could be infected with coronavirus in Washington state within two months if actions aren't taken now to stop its spread, Gov. Inslee said Tuesday.
Although the number of confirmed cases is now 162, Inslee said experts believe the actual number could be 1,000 or more at the present time.
"What the experts are telling us is ... the number of people who are infected will double in anywhere from 5 to 8 days ... unless we take some real action," the governor said at a morning news conference.
"And if you do the math, it gets very disturbing. ... If it's 1,000 (infections) today, in seven to eight weeks there could be 64,000 people infected in the state of Washington if we don't somehow slow down this epidemic. And in the next week it could be 120,000, and in the next week a quarter of a million."
"We need to look forward and get ahead of the curve in Washington state. If we're going to stop this epidemic or seriously slow it down, we need to focus on what's coming - not what's here today," Inslee added.
He then outlined a number of steps the state is taking to slow the spread of the coronavirus, including new rules for nursing homes and an expansion of unemployment benefits. These could be followed by more dramatic actions later, Inslee said.
We've finally discovered a political leader who can do math
On the positive side of things, it's refreshing to find a government leader who can do math. Currently Trump can't do the math, and Pence can't do the math, and Rush Limbaugh most certainly can't do math. But Gov. Inslee (Democrat) can do math!
As our pandemic projection models show, strict quarantine is the only thing that works to stop the spread of the virus right now (that, and recommending widespread anti-viral nutraceuticals, but we're not holding our breath that anyone from government will know anything about nutrition).
Here's the current NYT map of infections across America. Note the high density hubs? They're all left-wing cities, exactly as our model predicted:
Every day that Trump delays issuing a nationwide 30-day "shelter in place" order might cost an additional 10,000 lives down the road, depending on how long Trump denies reality and fails to act.
Ultimately, the only way to stop this in America is to close the borders, halt all flights, shut down the roads and declare a 30-day "shelter in place" order for the entire country, much like what Italy just did yesterday.
Trump can stop the virus in 30 days, but it requires shutting down the entire country (and the borders and all international flights).
The ramifications will be ugly, no matter how you slice it. But the cost of doing nothing and continuing with this pathetic streak of stupid denialism is only going to lead to a catastrophic outcome for America and the end of the Trump administration.
If you want to live, read Pandemic.news. If you want to die, listen to Rush Limbaugh or Dr. Drew.