naturalnews--2020-03-13--BREAKING: President Trump declares state of emergency as coronavirus epidemic explodes across Americ

BREAKING: President Trump declares state of emergency as coronavirus epidemic explodes across America, explains that only people "with symptoms" will be tested

( Natural News ) As Natural News predicted would happen over a week ago , President Trump today declared a national state of emergency in the national fight against the coronavirus epidemic .
“ To unleash the full power of the federal government today , I am officially declaring a national emergency , ” he said today .
“ I am urging every state to set up emergency operation centers effective immediately.
” President Trump is also urging every hospital in America to activate its own emergency plans : “ I am also asking every hospital to activate its emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this new declaration will free up $ 50 billion of “ very important money for states ” and territories .
The FDA is rapidly approving new coronavirus tests from Roche and Thermo-Fisher .
Trump says an additional 1.4 million tests will be available early next week , followed by 5 million more tests “ within a month.
” This is on the heels of the total failure of the U.S. government to make functional tests kits available in America , with the CDC now having lost any last shred of credibility after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in early February .
To this day , doctors across America are still screaming and begging for coronavirus tests .
Trump announced Coronavirus.gov would be the website that provides information to the public .
– Waived interest on all student loans held by government agencies .
– Instructed the Secretary of Energy to purchase large quantities of crude oil to store in the U.S. Strategic Reserve .
Further , another spokesperson announced an order to temporarily restrict all visitors to nursing homes across America .
Here ’ s how the epidemic is now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities run by Democrats : “ New approach to testing ” means NOT testing asymptomatic carriers… a disaster in the making Trump ’ s speech was then followed by heaps of Big Pharma propaganda from some woman speaking for HHS who claimed the “ private sector ” would save the world .
Mike Pence also continued to repeat his wildly false claims that everybody in America who needs to be tested can be tested right now .
It ’ s a lie .
The woman from HHS ( Dr Deborah Birx ? )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” — a whole new screening website run by Google , which Trump says is being built by 1,700 Google engineers — no doubt the same engineers who continue to censor and silence the very same independent media that was weeks ahead of everybody else in telling the truth about this pandemic .
There was no mention of whether Google would use this power to spy on the private health care test results of millions of Americans .
In effect , Trump just handed yet more power to Google , one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has ever existed on the planet .
Why can ’ t the U.S. government run its own website ?
Because the CDC is incompetent and clueless .
From a medical standpoint , this “ new approach to testing ” is a disaster .
It ’ s only tests those who currently show symptoms .
According to a chart displayed during the live address , people who do not currently show any symptoms will not be tested .
This is an enormous mistake and will allow asymptomatic carriers to further spread the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be “ chasing infections ” rather than preventing them .
No mention of vitamin C , anti-viral herbs , avoiding inflammatory foods… ZERO health advice for America What was completely missing from today ’ s live address was even a single mention about nutrition , nutraceuticals or natural strategies for boosting immune function and preventing the spread of the virus using solutions that are available right now .
While China is studying vitamin C as a safe , affordable treatment against coronavirus , the USA is run entirely by the corrupt , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is being run by Big Pharma and the retailers that sell pharmaceuticals ( Wal-Mart , Target , CVS , Amazon , etc. )
.
With this pandemic , America has truly become a “ pharma state ” under the complete control of the pharmaceutical giants .
Here ’ s my video from three months ago which explains all this : Stay informed by reading Pandemic.news .
Be ready to shelter in place for 60 days or more .
Read Survival.news for survival advice that can help save your life .

BREAKING: President Trump declares state of emergency as coronavirus epidemic explodes across America, explains that only people “with symptoms” will be tested
As Natural News predicted would happen over a week ago, President Trump today declared a national state of emergency in the national fight against the coronavirus epidemic.
"To unleash the full power of the federal government today, I am officially declaring a national emergency," he said today.
"I am urging every state to set up emergency operation centers effective immediately."
President Trump is also urging every hospital in America to activate its own emergency plans: "I am also asking every hospital to activate its emergency preparedness plan."
According to President Trump, this new declaration will free up $50 billion of "very important money for states" and territories.
The FDA is rapidly approving new coronavirus tests from Roche and Thermo-Fisher. Trump says an additional 1.4 million tests will be available early next week, followed by 5 million more tests "within a month."
This is on the heels of the total failure of the U.S. government to make functional tests kits available in America, with the CDC now having lost any last shred of credibility after botching the first wave of test kits in early February. To this day, doctors across America are still screaming and begging for coronavirus tests.
Trump announced Coronavirus.gov would be the website that provides information to the public.
Emergency executive actions announced by Trump
Trump also announced a couple of executive actions:
- Waived interest on all student loans held by government agencies.
- Instructed the Secretary of Energy to purchase large quantities of crude oil to store in the U.S. Strategic Reserve.
Further, another spokesperson announced an order to temporarily restrict all visitors to nursing homes across America.
Here's how the epidemic is now exploding across America, mostly in left-wing cities run by Democrats:
"New approach to testing" means NOT testing asymptomatic carriers... a disaster in the making
Trump's speech was then followed by heaps of Big Pharma propaganda from some woman speaking for HHS who claimed the "private sector" would save the world.
Mike Pence also continued to repeat his wildly false claims that everybody in America who needs to be tested can be tested right now. It's a lie.
The woman from HHS (Dr Deborah Birx?) announced a "new approach to testing" -- a whole new screening website run by Google, which Trump says is being built by 1,700 Google engineers -- no doubt the same engineers who continue to censor and silence the very same independent media that was weeks ahead of everybody else in telling the truth about this pandemic. There was no mention of whether Google would use this power to spy on the private health care test results of millions of Americans.
In effect, Trump just handed yet more power to Google, one of the most evil, vicious and Orwellian corporations that has ever existed on the planet. Why can't the U.S. government run its own website? Because the CDC is incompetent and clueless.
From a medical standpoint, this "new approach to testing" is a disaster. It's only tests those who currently show symptoms. According to a chart displayed during the live address, people who do not currently show any symptoms will not be tested. This is an enormous mistake and will allow asymptomatic carriers to further spread the coronavirus across America.
In effect, America will be "chasing infections" rather than preventing them.
No mention of vitamin C, anti-viral herbs, avoiding inflammatory foods... ZERO health advice for America
What was completely missing from today's live address was even a single mention about nutrition, nutraceuticals or natural strategies for boosting immune function and preventing the spread of the virus using solutions that are available right now. While China is studying vitamin C as a safe, affordable treatment against coronavirus, the USA is run entirely by the corrupt, toxic pharmaceutical industry.
This entire thing is being run by Big Pharma and the retailers that sell pharmaceuticals (Wal-Mart, Target, CVS, Amazon, etc.).
With this pandemic, America has truly become a "pharma state" under the complete control of the pharmaceutical giants.
Here's my video from three months ago which explains all this:
Stay informed by reading Pandemic.news. Be ready to shelter in place for 60 days or more. Read Survival.news for survival advice that can help save your life.


naturalnews--2020-03-13--Yes, coronavirus is airborne and a new study proves it

( Natural News ) Just wash your hands and cough into your sleeve , they say .
But is this really enough to prevent transmission of the Wuhan coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) ?
Absolutely not , at least if the findings of a new study on the novel pathogen ’ s survivability in air and on surfaces are any indication .
Researchers from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) , the University of California , Los Angeles , and Princeton University collaborated to determine how long the Wuhan coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) can last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the results may shock you .
As it turns out , the Wuhan coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) can persist in the air for up to three hours , and for up to three days on surfaces .
This means that if you ’ re in the same room with an infected person , it ’ s probably best to leave .
And if they ’ ve touched anything you ’ re about to touch , don ’ t .
Using a nebulizer to put traces of the novel virus in the air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an infected person coughs or otherwise sends the pathogen flying .
In the open air , it remained infectable for up to three hours , and on surfaces for up to three days depending on the type of surface .
On copper , which is inherently antimicrobial , the Wuhan coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) persisted for up to four hours .
On cardboard , it survived for up to a day .
And on plastic and stainless steel , the novel virus lasted for two or three days depending on temperature and moisture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any way saying there is aerosolized transmission of the virus , ” stated study lead author Neeltje van Doremalen from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ( NIAID ) , adding the caveat that such transmission is “ theoretically possible.
” Listen below as Mike Adams , the Health Ranger , explains how the release of the Wuhan coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) fulfills many of the key agendas that the globalists are imposing against humanity : SARS had similar survivability , but didn ’ t spread as widely as COVID-19 – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
An important thing to note is that , compared to similar tests that this group conducted on the 2003 SARS ( severe acute respiratory syndrome ) coronavirus , both viruses behaved similarly in air and on surfaces .
The difference is that the Wuhan coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) is spreading much more widely and much more seriously , which begs the question why ?
The biggest difference that we know of is that the Wuhan coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) is transmissible for a very long time while not showing symptoms .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Wuhan coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) “ shed and transmit the virus while pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic.
” Other factors that the team say are “ likely to play a role include the infectious dose required to establish an infection , the stability of virus in mucus , and environmental factors such as temperature and relative humidity.
” Though the study admittedly has yet to be peer-reviewed , its findings already correlate with others that have also demonstrated solid evidence that the Wuhan coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) is fully capable of this type @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we need to be doing is washing our hands , being aware that people who are infected may be contaminating surfaces , ” says Julie Fischer , a professor of microbiology at Georgetown University who described this latest study as a “ solid piece of work ” that answers many of the public ’ s questions about how to engage in proper preventative hygiene .
Van Doremalen also suggests keeping surfaces clean with disinfectant solutions like diluted bleach that are known to ward off viruses .
“ We have called every day for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” stated World Health Organization ( WHO ) head Tedros Adhanaom Ghebreyesus as part of his agency ’ s recent declaration of a global pandemic .
“ We have rung the alarm bell loud and clear.
” For more related news about the Wuhan coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) , be sure to check out Pandemic.news .

Yes, coronavirus is airborne and a new study proves it
Just wash your hands and cough into your sleeve, they say. But is this really enough to prevent transmission of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19)? Absolutely not, at least if the findings of a new study on the novel pathogen's survivability in air and on surfaces are any indication.
Researchers from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the University of California, Los Angeles, and Princeton University collaborated to determine how long the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) can last both in air and on surfaces, and the results may shock you.
As it turns out, the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) can persist in the air for up to three hours, and for up to three days on surfaces. This means that if you're in the same room with an infected person, it's probably best to leave. And if they've touched anything you're about to touch, don't.
Using a nebulizer to put traces of the novel virus in the air, the team simulated what happens when an infected person coughs or otherwise sends the pathogen flying. In the open air, it remained infectable for up to three hours, and on surfaces for up to three days depending on the type of surface.
On copper, which is inherently antimicrobial, the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) persisted for up to four hours. On cardboard, it survived for up to a day. And on plastic and stainless steel, the novel virus lasted for two or three days depending on temperature and moisture.
"We're not by any way saying there is aerosolized transmission of the virus," stated study lead author Neeltje van Doremalen from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), adding the caveat that such transmission is "theoretically possible."
Listen below as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, explains how the release of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) fulfills many of the key agendas that the globalists are imposing against humanity:
SARS had similar survivability, but didn't spread as widely as COVID-19 – what's different about this one?
An important thing to note is that, compared to similar tests that this group conducted on the 2003 SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) coronavirus, both viruses behaved similarly in air and on surfaces. The difference is that the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) is spreading much more widely and much more seriously, which begs the question why?
The biggest difference that we know of is that the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) is transmissible for a very long time while not showing symptoms. As the researchers explain it, those infected with the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) "shed and transmit the virus while pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic."
Other factors that the team say are "likely to play a role include the infectious dose required to establish an infection, the stability of virus in mucus, and environmental factors such as temperature and relative humidity."
Though the study admittedly has yet to be peer-reviewed, its findings already correlate with others that have also demonstrated solid evidence that the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) is fully capable of this type of "community spread."
"What we need to be doing is washing our hands, being aware that people who are infected may be contaminating surfaces," says Julie Fischer, a professor of microbiology at Georgetown University who described this latest study as a "solid piece of work" that answers many of the public's questions about how to engage in proper preventative hygiene.
Van Doremalen also suggests keeping surfaces clean with disinfectant solutions like diluted bleach that are known to ward off viruses.
"We have called every day for countries to take urgent and aggressive action," stated World Health Organization (WHO) head Tedros Adhanaom Ghebreyesus as part of his agency's recent declaration of a global pandemic. "We have rung the alarm bell loud and clear."
For more related news about the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), be sure to check out Pandemic.news.
Sources for this article include:
TheEpochTimes.com
NaturalNews.com


naturalnews--2020-03-13--Chinese doctors study vitamin C for treating coronavirus infections

( Natural News ) Researchers from China report that they have successfully treatment coronavirus patients with doses of vitamin C. In a statement , the medical team from Xi ’ an Jiatong University described how coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) patients who were suffering from severe coronary pneumonia — a complication of the virus — recovered after being given extremely high doses of vitamin C. The National Institute of Health recommends a daily intake of 90 mg and 75 mg of vitamin C for adult men and women , respectively .
The team from Xi ’ an Jiaotong University , on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100 mg of vitamin C per kilogram of body weight ( mg/kg ) per day , injected intravenously , and up to 200 mg/kg per day for severe and critically ill patients .
The team recommends the administration of vitamin C to critically ill patients and those with severe neonatal pneumonia , or if the coronavirus patient is an infant who has developed a lung infection .
Vitamin C should be given as soon as possible after the COVID-19 patient is admitted to the hospital .
They also mentioned how early applications of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect on the virus , potentially reducing inflammatory responses and improving endothelial function .
They believe that numerous studies showed how much vitamin C is needed to have a positive effect on patients .
( Related : ICU no longer – a daily dose of vitamin C proven to reduce ICU times . )
They also noted how their past experience with other patients shows that high doses of vitamin C can not only improve antiviral levels in critical patients but also possibly prevent and treat acute respiratory distress and acute lung injury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put out a statement expressing their findings on how to treat COVID-19 .
With the help of over 30 experts on the treatment of pneumonia caused by coronavirus and with data gathered from over 300 patients , they recommend the administration of high doses of vitamin C even for “ light and ordinary ” COVID-19 patients , or those who are asymptomatic or only experience mild symptoms .
Retailers report surge in demand for vitamin C It seems that Chinese people understand how important vitamin C is for their health because Chinese e-commerce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are reporting a surge in demand for health-supporting products , including vitamin C effervescent tablets .
Two traditional Chinese medicines , ban lan gen ( Isatis tinctoria ) and xiao chai hu tang ( a formula made from several herbs ) , are also seeing a big upswing in demand .
These supplements are reportedly useful for helping to prevent fever , cold and other respiratory concerns .
JD.com reports that the coronavirus outbreak is causing a surge in the consumption of health supplements .
They believe their higher sales can be attributed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online instead of walking to supermarkets and pharmacies to get their vitamins , where they can risk exposure to the virus .
Given the spike in sales for products like vitamin C that support the immune system , suppliers are also working around the clock to be able to meet demand .
DSM , a vitamin C manufacturer with a production facility in Jiangshan in eastern China , is one such supplier .
Jiang Weiming , president and group vice president of DSM China , said in an interview , “ Demand has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important role as an immune system booster .
A strong immune system is not only an important defense line to prevent infection , but also the key to controlling the disease ’ s development and restoring health after infection.
” While many manufacturing companies shut down their operations in mainland China during the extended Lunar New Year holiday , DSM China took advantage of the coronavirus outbreak by remaining operational during this period .
Their Jiangshan facility continued producing approximately 25 kilotons of vitamin C per day , both of which are for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sale in the domestic supplement market .

Chinese doctors study vitamin C for treating coronavirus infections
Researchers from China report that they have successfully treatment coronavirus patients with doses of vitamin C . In a statement, the medical team from Xi’an Jiatong University described how coronavirus (COVID-19) patients who were suffering from severe coronary pneumonia -- a complication of the virus -- recovered after being given extremely high doses of vitamin C
The National Institute of Health recommends a daily intake of 90 mg and 75 mg of vitamin C for adult men and women, respectively. The team from Xi’an Jiaotong University, on the other hand, recommends 50 to 100 mg of vitamin C per kilogram of body weight (mg/kg) per day, injected intravenously, and up to 200 mg/kg per day for severe and critically ill patients.
The team recommends the administration of vitamin C to critically ill patients and those with severe neonatal pneumonia, or if the coronavirus patient is an infant who has developed a lung infection. Vitamin C should be given as soon as possible after the COVID-19 patient is admitted to the hospital. They also mentioned how early applications of vitamin C could have a strong antioxidant effect on the virus, potentially reducing inflammatory responses and improving endothelial function. They believe that numerous studies showed how much vitamin C is needed to have a positive effect on patients. (Related: ICU no longer – a daily dose of vitamin C proven to reduce ICU times.)
They also noted how their past experience with other patients shows that high doses of vitamin C can not only improve antiviral levels in critical patients but also possibly prevent and treat acute respiratory distress and acute lung injury.
Furthermore, the Shanghai Medical Association put out a statement expressing their findings on how to treat COVID-19. With the help of over 30 experts on the treatment of pneumonia caused by coronavirus and with data gathered from over 300 patients, they recommend the administration of high doses of vitamin C even for “light and ordinary” COVID-19 patients, or those who are asymptomatic or only experience mild symptoms.
Retailers report surge in demand for vitamin C
It seems that Chinese people understand how important vitamin C is for their health because Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com and other retailers of supplements are reporting a surge in demand for health-supporting products, including vitamin C effervescent tablets.
Two traditional Chinese medicines, ban lan gen (Isatis tinctoria) and xiao chai hu tang (a formula made from several herbs), are also seeing a big upswing in demand. These supplements are reportedly useful for helping to prevent fever, cold and other respiratory concerns.
JD.com reports that the coronavirus outbreak is causing a surge in the consumption of health supplements. They believe their higher sales can be attributed to consumers who prefer to order supplements online instead of walking to supermarkets and pharmacies to get their vitamins, where they can risk exposure to the virus.
Given the spike in sales for products like vitamin C that support the immune system, suppliers are also working around the clock to be able to meet demand. DSM, a vitamin C manufacturer with a production facility in Jiangshan in eastern China, is one such supplier.
Jiang Weiming, president and group vice president of DSM China, said in an interview, “Demand has been robust as vitamin C plays an important role as an immune system booster. A strong immune system is not only an important defense line to prevent infection, but also the key to controlling the disease’s development and restoring health after infection.”
While many manufacturing companies shut down their operations in mainland China during the extended Lunar New Year holiday, DSM China took advantage of the coronavirus outbreak by remaining operational during this period. Their Jiangshan facility continued producing approximately 25 kilotons of vitamin C per day, both of which are for global export, as well as for sale in the domestic supplement market.
Sources include:
GreenMedInfo.com
2Yuan.XJTU.edu.cn
ODS.OD.NIH.gov
NutraIngredients-Asia.com


naturalnews--2020-03-13--Iran's coronavirus crisis is so bad they're excavating mass graves so large they can be SEEN FROM SP

Iran's coronavirus crisis is so bad they're excavating mass graves so large they can be SEEN FROM SPACE

( Natural News ) Iran is building so many burial pits that satellite photos were able to detect them .
These new satellite images show that the coronavirus outbreak in Iran may either be worse than what government sources are reporting , or they may be preparing for a possible disaster .
In the city of Qom , just 80 miles south of Tehran , there ’ s a massive cemetery known as the Behesht-e Masoumeh Complex , which lies around six miles north of the city center .
Satellite images from as early as February 21 show that excavation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new section in the graveyard .
By the end of February , two large trenches , around 100 yards in length total , had been dug out — they were so large that they were visible from space .
According to video testimony , official statements as well as analysis from experts , this excavation project wasn ’ t just a routine expansion of a cemetery , but these fresh graves were dug out to accommodate the country ’ s near-uncontrollable death toll from the coronavirus pandemic .
The pictures of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Maxar Technologies , a private space technology company based in Colorado .
A senior imagery analyst from Maxar told Vox that “ the trenches were made very quickly ” and that these new graves mark a clear departure from the country ’ s past burial practices when it comes to individual and family grave plots .
Furthermore , the same Maxar analyst said that they have an image of a large pile of lime right next to the freshly-dug plots .
Iranian health officials have previously said that they ’ re using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A video released by BBC Persia purportedly shows the mass graves in Bahesht-e Masoumeh .
In the video , the narrator describes the scenes he ’ s seeing in the cemetery .
( Related : Leaked video published by the BBC shows victims of coronavirus in Iran PILING up in stacks of body bags . )
“ This is the section for the coronavirus victims , ” says the narrator , as the camera pans to a small portion of the trench , showing small , simple markers placed on mounds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standing nearby .
“ More than 80 [ people ] have been buried in this section so far , and they say only 34 deaths.
” The man is citing Iran ’ s official death toll on February 28 .
Fabian Hinz , a research associate and geospatial analysis expert for Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey , reviewed the video as well as another video that was also supposedly shot on sight , said that “ unique geographical markers ” in the videos match landmarks found in the massive graveyard .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the trenches at Bahesht-e Masoumeh were made to supply Qom with more burials for coronavirus victims .
As of press time , Iran reports having 10,075 cases of coronavirus and 429 deaths .
They also reported 75 new deaths over the past 24 hours — the most deaths reported by Iran in a single day .
Reports came in last week that dozens of dead Iranians were being kept in black body bags , unburied , on the floor of a morgue in Qom , meaning that morgues all over the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of the dead .
This underscores how one of the holiest cities in Shia Islam is struggling to contend with so many deaths in such a short span of time .
Two medical workers in Qom even told reporters that they worry the coronavirus may put an end to traditional Islamic burial practices , which involves washing the body with soap and water before laying it to rest , due to the fears over catching the infection from dead bodies .
Instead , the bodies are being treated with lime so that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soil .
Ali Ramezani , director of Bahesht-e Masoumeh , told a state-run news agency that there was a “ pile-up ” of bodies at the cemetery .
Fear and confusion as Iranian government officials keel over due to their COVID-19 infections Iran is currently being criticized for its lack of transparency with regards to the progression of the outbreak in their country .
Many experts believe that the real infection rate and death toll are much higher than what the Iranian government reporting .
For example , Mohammad Hossein Ghorbani , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ province , commented that the death toll in the province alone was over 200 — which would represent nearly half of the entire country ’ s reported deaths .
Over the weekend , the National Council of Resistance of Iran ( NCRI ) , a Paris-based political organization made up primarily of Iranian expatriates dedicated to the toppling of the country ’ s current regime , held an online conference that featured addresses by Iranian nurses , medical practitioners and health experts from 19 different locations .
Their main topic : the beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their home country .
Some who spoke at the conference put the real death toll at over 2,000 .
A surprising number of current and former government officials in Iran have either been infected by the coronavirus or have succumbed to it .
Here are the 14 known current and former politicians who have COVID-19 : • Mohammad Sadr , member of the Expediency Council , which acts as an advisory council for the Supreme Leader , Ali Khamenei • Mostafa Pourmohammadi , former minister of justice and adviser to the current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ally of the Supreme Leader , his sister is Khamenei ’ s daughter-in-law • Mojtaba Zolnour , member of parliament ( MP ) and chair of the Committee for National Security and Foreign Affairs Furthermore , the speaker for Iran ’ s parliament reported that 23 MPs have tested positive for COVID-19 , including the four MPs listed above .
The country ’ s has also experienced an unprecedented amount of clerics and government officials dying from the virus .
Here are 14 confirmed deaths due to COVID-19 : • Hossein Sheikholeslam , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the current minister for foreign affairs • Ahmad Toyserkani , adviser to the current head of the judiciary • Reza Pourkhanali , official in the ministry of agriculture in Gilan province • Farzad Tazari , former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ( IRGC ) and former deputy of the IRGC ’ s political bureau • Ayatollah Mohsen Habibi , high-ranking cleric and member of the Supreme Council of Tehran ’ s Seminaries • Ali Hosseini , cleric and head of the Islamic Development Organization “ We Iranians are about to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to this epidemic , ” said Sina Dashti , a member of NCRI and an infectologist residing in Sweden .
“ Iranians are fighting with two enemies .
One is COVID-19 and the second is the Iranian regime .
Transparency is key to fighting epidemics .
The regime is preventing news of the epidemic from being broadcast .
”

Iran’s coronavirus crisis is so bad they’re excavating mass graves so large they can be SEEN FROM SPACE
Iran is building so many burial pits that satellite photos were able to detect them . These new satellite images show that the coronavirus outbreak in Iran may either be worse than what government sources are reporting, or they may be preparing for a possible disaster.
In the city of Qom, just 80 miles south of Tehran, there's a massive cemetery known as the Behesht-e Masoumeh Complex, which lies around six miles north of the city center. Satellite images from as early as February 21 show that excavation teams have been hard at work creating a new section in the graveyard. By the end of February, two large trenches, around 100 yards in length total, had been dug out -- they were so large that they were visible from space.
According to video testimony, official statements as well as analysis from experts, this excavation project wasn't just a routine expansion of a cemetery, but these fresh graves were dug out to accommodate the country's near-uncontrollable death toll from the coronavirus pandemic.
The pictures of the new graves were taken on March 1 by Maxar Technologies, a private space technology company based in Colorado. A senior imagery analyst from Maxar told Vox that "the trenches were made very quickly" and that these new graves mark a clear departure from the country's past burial practices when it comes to individual and family grave plots.
Furthermore, the same Maxar analyst said that they have an image of a large pile of lime right next to the freshly-dug plots. Iranian health officials have previously said that they're using lime to bury those killed by COVID-19.
A video released by BBC Persia purportedly shows the mass graves in Bahesht-e Masoumeh. In the video, the narrator describes the scenes he's seeing in the cemetery. (Related: Leaked video published by the BBC shows victims of coronavirus in Iran PILING up in stacks of body bags.)
"This is the section for the coronavirus victims," says the narrator, as the camera pans to a small portion of the trench, showing small, simple markers placed on mounds of dirt and people in blue protective suits standing nearby. "More than 80 [people] have been buried in this section so far, and they say only 34 deaths." The man is citing Iran's official death toll on February 28.
Fabian Hinz, a research associate and geospatial analysis expert for Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, reviewed the video as well as another video that was also supposedly shot on sight, said that "unique geographical markers" in the videos match landmarks found in the massive graveyard. This provides evidence to support the hypothesis that the trenches at Bahesht-e Masoumeh were made to supply Qom with more burials for coronavirus victims.
Mistrust and mishandling hamper Iran's efforts to combat outbreak
As of press time, Iran reports having 10,075 cases of coronavirus and 429 deaths. They also reported 75 new deaths over the past 24 hours -- the most deaths reported by Iran in a single day.
https://twitter.com/AlinejadMasih/status/1238085542543269890
Reports came in last week that dozens of dead Iranians were being kept in black body bags, unburied, on the floor of a morgue in Qom, meaning that morgues all over the city may be struggling to find space for all of the dead. This underscores how one of the holiest cities in Shia Islam is struggling to contend with so many deaths in such a short span of time.
Two medical workers in Qom even told reporters that they worry the coronavirus may put an end to traditional Islamic burial practices, which involves washing the body with soap and water before laying it to rest, due to the fears over catching the infection from dead bodies. Instead, the bodies are being treated with lime so that the coronavirus doesn't infect the soil. Ali Ramezani, director of Bahesht-e Masoumeh, told a state-run news agency that there was a "pile-up" of bodies at the cemetery.
Fear and confusion as Iranian government officials keel over due to their COVID-19 infections
Iran is currently being criticized for its lack of transparency with regards to the progression of the outbreak in their country. Many experts believe that the real infection rate and death toll are much higher than what the Iranian government reporting.
For example, Mohammad Hossein Ghorbani, a representative for the health ministry of Gilan province, commented that the death toll in the province alone was over 200 -- which would represent nearly half of the entire country's reported deaths.
Over the weekend, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), a Paris-based political organization made up primarily of Iranian expatriates dedicated to the toppling of the country's current regime, held an online conference that featured addresses by Iranian nurses, medical practitioners and health experts from 19 different locations. Their main topic: the beginning and the spread of the coronavirus outbreak in their home country. Some who spoke at the conference put the real death toll at over 2,000.
https://twitter.com/iran_policy/status/1236689109898407940
A surprising number of current and former government officials in Iran have either been infected by the coronavirus or have succumbed to it. Here are the 14 known current and former politicians who have COVID-19:
Eshaq Jahangiri, First Vice President
Masoumeh Ebtekar, Vice President for Women and Family Affairs
Reza Rahmani, minister of Industry, Mines and Business
Ali Asghar Mounesan, acting minister of Cultural Heritage and Tourism
Iraj Harirchi, deputy minister of Health
Esmail Najar, head of emergency response organization, the National Disaster Management Organization
Pirhossein Koolivand, head of emergency medical services
Mohammad Sadr, member of the Expediency Council, which acts as an advisory council for the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei
Mostafa Pourmohammadi, former minister of justice and adviser to the current justice minister
Farideddin Haddad-Adel, close ally of the Supreme Leader, his sister is Khamenei's daughter-in-law
Mojtaba Zolnour, member of parliament (MP) and chair of the Committee for National Security and Foreign Affairs
Masoumeh Aghapour Alishahi, MP
Zohreh Elahian, MP
Mahmoud Sadeghi, MP
Furthermore, the speaker for Iran's parliament reported that 23 MPs have tested positive for COVID-19, including the four MPs listed above. The country's has also experienced an unprecedented amount of clerics and government officials dying from the virus. Here are 14 confirmed deaths due to COVID-19:
Mohammad Mirmohammadi, member of the Expediency Council
Fatemeh Rahbar, newly-elected MP
Hadi Khosroshahi, former ambassador to Vatican City
Hossein Sheikholeslam, former ambassador to Syria and former adviser to the current minister for foreign affairs
Ahmad Toyserkani, adviser to the current head of the judiciary
Reza Pourkhanali, official in the ministry of agriculture in Gilan province
Mohammadreza Rahchamani, former MP
Mousa Torabzadeh, former prosecutor
Farzad Tazari, former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and former deputy of the IRGC's political bureau
Ayatollah Reza Mohammadi Langroudi, a high-ranking cleric
Ayatollah Mohsen Habibi, high-ranking cleric and member of the Supreme Council of Tehran's Seminaries
Ali Hosseini, cleric and head of the Islamic Development Organization
Akbar Dehghan, cleric and head of Qom seminary's interpretation staff
Reza Modaressi, cleric from Qom
"We Iranians are about to lose many of our friends and families to this epidemic," said Sina Dashti, a member of NCRI and an infectologist residing in Sweden.
"Iranians are fighting with two enemies. One is COVID-19 and the second is the Iranian regime. Transparency is key to fighting epidemics. The regime is preventing news of the epidemic from being broadcast."
Sources include:
CTPost.com
Vox.com
Reuters.com
Vice.com
AlJazeera.com
English.AlArabiya.net


naturalnews--2020-03-13--The best bug-out locations for preppers in the Eastern U.S.

The interior of Maine is made up of large tracts of sparsely populated forests , both publicly and privately owned .
This makes it a key asset if you set up your homestead somewhere deep in Maine ’ s interior , as it provides you with enough “ depth ” to steer clear of any conflict brewing in densely populated locations .
If you need to stock up on food , Maine ’ s coast is easily accessible and filled with industries that catch a lot of fish , shellfish and crustaceans .
Maine also has favorable gun laws that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ammunition less difficult .
( Related : Ammo stockpiling now underway as coronavirus spreads across America and uncertainty grows about how to stop it . )
New Hampshire , Vermont and the Adirondack Mountains New Hampshire and Vermont are great states to set up shop in .
They ’ re both also sparsely populated and their gun laws are good enough for your firearm needs .
The Adirondacks in northeastern New York State , while it doesn ’ t have the best gun laws in the country , is still a great place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rough .
It won ’ t be difficult to set up a farm anywhere in these three areas .
If you ’ re in Vermont , you may also be able to set up an organic cattle operation due to the state ’ s massive dairy farming industry .
Western New York and Northern Pennsylvania are also very sparsely populated areas in the Northeastern United States .
There is a large forested area in northern Pennsylvania that can be a strategic refuge if you ’ re looking to stay away from much of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes farming a viable option for self-sufficient living .
The area surrounding the Finger Lakes in New York , for example , has an excellent micro-climate for growing grapes and making wine — which you can use to barter with different communities for food and other supplies .
This area is also filled with apple orchards and dairy farms .
The Alleghenies are an ancient and heavily eroded mountain range , part of the Appalachian Mountain Range , that extends in the north from north-central Pennsylvania and cuts southwest through western Maryland , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ southwestern Virginia .
While they aren ’ t as high in elevation , they are still a formidable barrier for foot travelers , having held up the westward progress of the early American settlers for decades .
The soil is also very fertile in this region .
This makes the Allegheny Mountains both defensible and a great place to set up a self-sustainable homestead .
There is a viable strategic reason for wanting to set up a bug-out shelter in rural parts of the country .
The high population density in the many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those areas highly vulnerable to the spread of diseases , and it also makes them prime targets for terrorists and foreign invaders .
Bugging out to a rural part of the Eastern United States makes you more likely to survive even the worst SHTF scenarios .

The best bug-out locations for preppers in the Eastern U.S.
Disaster can strike anywhere – now might be a good time to consider bugging out, and looking for good bug-out locations, especially if you're living in the Eastern United States. Geographically speaking, it's a prime location to set up your own homestead. Here are four areas in the Eastern United States to consider as retreat options in case SHTF. (h/t to SurvivalBlog.com
Maine
The interior of Maine is made up of large tracts of sparsely populated forests, both publicly and privately owned. This makes it a key asset if you set up your homestead somewhere deep in Maine's interior, as it provides you with enough "depth" to steer clear of any conflict brewing in densely populated locations. If you need to stock up on food, Maine's coast is easily accessible and filled with industries that catch a lot of fish, shellfish and crustaceans. Maine also has favorable gun laws that will make stocking up on firearms and ammunition less difficult. (Related: Ammo stockpiling now underway as coronavirus spreads across America and uncertainty grows about how to stop it.)
New Hampshire, Vermont and the Adirondack Mountains
New Hampshire and Vermont are great states to set up shop in. They're both also sparsely populated and their gun laws are good enough for your firearm needs. The Adirondacks in northeastern New York State, while it doesn't have the best gun laws in the country, is still a great place to go to when the going gets rough. It won't be difficult to set up a farm anywhere in these three areas. If you're in Vermont, you may also be able to set up an organic cattle operation due to the state's massive dairy farming industry.
Western New York and Northern Pennsylvania
Western New York and Northern Pennsylvania are also very sparsely populated areas in the Northeastern United States. There is a large forested area in northern Pennsylvania that can be a strategic refuge if you're looking to stay away from much of civilization. The geography of the area makes farming a viable option for self-sufficient living. The area surrounding the Finger Lakes in New York, for example, has an excellent micro-climate for growing grapes and making wine -- which you can use to barter with different communities for food and other supplies. This area is also filled with apple orchards and dairy farms.
The Allegheny Mountains
The Alleghenies are an ancient and heavily eroded mountain range, part of the Appalachian Mountain Range, that extends in the north from north-central Pennsylvania and cuts southwest through western Maryland, eastern West Virginia, and ends in southwestern Virginia. While they aren't as high in elevation, they are still a formidable barrier for foot travelers, having held up the westward progress of the early American settlers for decades. The soil is also very fertile in this region. This makes the Allegheny Mountains both defensible and a great place to set up a self-sustainable homestead.
There is a viable strategic reason for wanting to set up a bug-out shelter in rural parts of the country. The high population density in the many megalopolis in the Northeastern United States makes those areas highly vulnerable to the spread of diseases, and it also makes them prime targets for terrorists and foreign invaders. Bugging out to a rural part of the Eastern United States makes you more likely to survive even the worst SHTF scenarios.
Sources include:
SurvivalBlog.com
MoreThanJustSurviving.com


naturalnews--2020-03-13--Incompetence at the highest levels: Virtually NO new coronavirus testing kits are being distributed,

( Natural News ) We ’ re well into the week following the one where the United States was supposed to get about a million more testing kits for the Wuhan coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) , and they ’ re still not here .
Despite promises by the Trump administration that everything is under control , reports are emerging to suggest that authorities have failed to produce even a “ small number of testing kits , ” according to former Affordable Care Act ( ACA ) head Andy Slavitt .
There have also been only 77 new coronavirus tests conducted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Labs and states are worried , ” Slavitt tweeted , chiding the Trump administration for failing to deliver on its promises .
“ Expect next to no availability to continue for weeks .
It is vital to self-quarantine.
” Slavitt ’ s announcement came just before President Trump made an announcement from the Oval Office about suspended travel from most European countries , save for the United Kingdom ( UK ) , for the next 30 days .
“ To keep new cases from entering our shores , we will be suspending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States for the next 30 days , ” Trump announced .
“ The new rules will go into effect Friday at midnight , ” he added , pointing to Friday the 13th .
“ These restrictions will be adjusted subject to conditions on the ground .
There will be exemptions for Americans who have undergone appropriate screenings.
” Following this announcement , Trump clarified in a tweet that this travel suspension only applies to foreign nationals who have traveled to one of 26 European countries in the past 14 days .
American citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to “ limited airports ” for government screening .
Listen below as Mike Adams , the Health Ranger , unpacks President Trump ’ s current failures in responding to this epidemic , warning that the U.S. is not at all prepared for this pandemic : Congress grills CDC over failure to deliver on increased coronavirus testing Testifying before lawmakers on Wednesday , officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) tried to defend the agency ’ s failure to elicit a formidable response to this burgeoning crisis .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ one particularly heated exchange , prompting him to respond with claims that the federal agency has maintained an “ aggressive ” response to this unfolding pandemic .
The truth , however , is that the CDC has been slow to roll out a proper testing protocol , and is also lacking in testing kits .
The few testing kits that the CDC did unveil earlier on were also largely defective , which set the process back even further .
“ Recovering from that misstep cost us precious weeks and now months , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Illinois .
“ Meanwhile , the virus spread and people died.
” When he was interviewed later about Redfield ’ s testimony , Krishnamoorthi told reporters that Redfield “ seemed to paint a rosy picture of the CDC.
” “ I think that really ran contrary to the facts , ” he added about Redfield ’ s rhetoric , which doesn ’ t seem to match reality .
Because there still aren ’ t enough testing kits to go around , the CDC and the Trump administration are still pushing the narrative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be tested .
Everyone else , the story goes , is just fine and has a “ low risk ” of infection .
“ Sending out faulty tests is unforgivable , ” added David Ho , a leading AIDS researcher from Columbia University who blasted the CDC for sending out test kits early on that didn ’ t even work .
“ There was so much time to prepare , ” he added .
Former New York City Health Department Commissioner and CDC Director Tom Frieden also piped in on the situation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the Zika and H1N1 crises , the CDC didn ’ t run into these types of problems .
This current situation is “ certainly disappointing , ” Frieden is quoted as saying .
To keep up with the latest Wuhan coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) news , be sure to check out the all-new Pandemic.news .

Incompetence at the highest levels: Virtually NO new coronavirus testing kits are being distributed, only 77 tested this week by the CDC
We're well into the week following the one where the United States was supposed to get about a million more testing kits for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), and they're still not here
Despite promises by the Trump administration that everything is under control, reports are emerging to suggest that authorities have failed to produce even a "small number of testing kits," according to former Affordable Care Act (ACA) head Andy Slavitt. There have also been only 77 new coronavirus tests conducted this past week by the CDC.
"Labs and states are worried," Slavitt tweeted, chiding the Trump administration for failing to deliver on its promises. "Expect next to no availability to continue for weeks. It is vital to self-quarantine."
Slavitt's announcement came just before President Trump made an announcement from the Oval Office about suspended travel from most European countries, save for the United Kingdom (UK), for the next 30 days.
"To keep new cases from entering our shores, we will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days," Trump announced.
"The new rules will go into effect Friday at midnight," he added, pointing to Friday the 13th. "These restrictions will be adjusted subject to conditions on the ground. There will be exemptions for Americans who have undergone appropriate screenings."
Following this announcement, Trump clarified in a tweet that this travel suspension only applies to foreign nationals who have traveled to one of 26 European countries in the past 14 days. American citizens are supposedly exempt and will be directed to "limited airports" for government screening.
Listen below as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, unpacks President Trump's current failures in responding to this epidemic, warning that the U.S. is not at all prepared for this pandemic:
Congress grills CDC over failure to deliver on increased coronavirus testing
Testifying before lawmakers on Wednesday, officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tried to defend the agency's failure to elicit a formidable response to this burgeoning crisis.
CDC head Robert Redfield was chided during one particularly heated exchange, prompting him to respond with claims that the federal agency has maintained an "aggressive" response to this unfolding pandemic.
The truth, however, is that the CDC has been slow to roll out a proper testing protocol, and is also lacking in testing kits. The few testing kits that the CDC did unveil earlier on were also largely defective, which set the process back even further.
"Recovering from that misstep cost us precious weeks and now months," stated Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat from Illinois. "Meanwhile, the virus spread and people died."
When he was interviewed later about Redfield's testimony, Krishnamoorthi told reporters that Redfield "seemed to paint a rosy picture of the CDC."
"I think that really ran contrary to the facts," he added about Redfield's rhetoric, which doesn't seem to match reality.
Because there still aren't enough testing kits to go around, the CDC and the Trump administration are still pushing the narrative that only the highest-risk patients need to be tested. Everyone else, the story goes, is just fine and has a "low risk" of infection.
"Sending out faulty tests is unforgivable," added David Ho, a leading AIDS researcher from Columbia University who blasted the CDC for sending out test kits early on that didn't even work.
"There was so much time to prepare," he added.
Former New York City Health Department Commissioner and CDC Director Tom Frieden also piped in on the situation, noting that when he was in charge during the Zika and H1N1 crises, the CDC didn't run into these types of problems.
This current situation is "certainly disappointing," Frieden is quoted as saying.
To keep up with the latest Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) news, be sure to check out the all-new Pandemic.news.
Sources for this article include:
Twitter.com
Yahoo.com
CBSNews.com
Bloomberg.com
NaturalNews.com


naturalnews--2020-03-13--Natural remedies that support immunity and may help prevent the spread of coronavirus

( Natural News ) Coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) continues to infect people in several countries around the globe , and governments and institutions are scrambling to delay and contain its spread .
But they seem to be forgetting one thing : The possibility that there are natural remedies that can support immunity and help prevent coronavirus , such as garlic or vitamin C. Studying superfoods may be key to protecting the public from coronavirus While there are efforts to develop medicinal cures or vaccines for coronavirus , not much is being done to continue research on natural remedies that can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to at least prevent infection .
There are those who say that coronavirus is “ uniquely resistant ” to the same pharmaceutical or natural compounds that “ normal ” coronavirus infections are inhibited by , it remains to be seen if they are indeed true .
Until studies have proven otherwise , where ’ s the harm in reassessing existing studies that have already identified possible natural cures for similar infectious diseases ?
Another thing worth considering is the fact that upper respiratory tract infections can be caused by different kinds of viruses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 meta-analysis on high dose vitamin C ( ascorbic acid ) and upper respiratory tract infection ( URTI ) published in the journal BioMed Research International , the cold , often referred to as the common cold , is a URTI caused by various viruses .
But since colds caused by different viruses share similar symptoms , it is difficult to distinguish among the different types of common cold , other URTIs , and influenza .
URTIs aren ’ t a single diagnosable disease .
Rather , URTIs are a group of diseases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the common cold , bacterial pharyngotonsillitis , viral pharyngitis , laryngitis , herpangina and pharyngoconjunctival fever .
At least 70 to 80 percent of URTIs are caused by viruses such as adenovirus , coronavirus , influenza , parainfluenza virus and rhinovirus .
The remaining 20 to 30 percent are caused by bacteria .
Following a balanced diet and eating foods that support immunity is key to not getting sick in the first place .
While superfoods aren ’ t magical cures , eating well helps boost your overall health .
Natural substances that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black tea , cinnamon , resveratrol and garlic .
Taking vitamin C supplements and consuming vitamin C-rich foods also helps support your immune system .
( Related : Vitamin C infusions being studied in China as possible treatment for coronavirus-related pneumonia . )
Data has shown that most of garlic ’ s health benefits are due to the sulfur compounds formed when it is chopped , crushed or chewed .
One such compound is allicin , an unstable compound that is briefly present in fresh garlic after the blub is cut or crushed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this pungent superfood ’ s health benefits include diallyl disulfide and s-allyl cysteine .
Sulfur compounds from garlic enter your body via the digestive tract .
These beneficial compounds then travel all over your body , where it applies its powerful biological effects .
Additionally , taking garlic supplements can help boost the function of your immune system .
Data from a large , 12-week study published in the journal Advances in Therapy suggests that taking a garlic supplement daily can reduce the number of colds by 63 percent , compared to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported that the average length of cold symptoms was reduced by 70 percent from five days in the placebo group to only 1.5 days in the garlic supplement group .
Reports on coronavirus cases have confirmed that older adults are among the most vulnerable to the condition , particularly those with weak or compromised immune systems .
While vitamin C supplements don ’ t guarantee 100 percent protection against coronavirus , supplementation and eating vitamin C-rich foods can help support your immunity .
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin found in many fruits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powerful antioxidant and it helps boost skin health and immune function .
You also need vitamin C to produce collagen .
Since your body can ’ t produce or store vitamin C , following a balanced diet is important to prevent deficiency .
The current daily value ( DV ) for vitamin C is 90 mg. Not getting enough vitamin C can cause deficiency symptoms like anemia , bleeding gums , frequent bruising and infections , poor wound healing and scurvy .
Listed below are vitamin C-rich foods that may help support immunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as maintaining proper hygiene , frequent handwashing , avoiding crowded areas and consuming immune-boosting foods .
And while studies are ongoing to develop cures for the condition , it wouldn ’ t hurt to eat an extra serving of garlic or oranges , wouldn ’ t it ?

Natural remedies that support immunity and may help prevent the spread of coronavirus
Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to infect people in several countries around the globe, and governments and institutions are scrambling to delay and contain its spread. But they seem to be forgetting one thing: The possibility that there are natural remedies that can support immunity and help prevent coronavirus , such as garlic or vitamin C.
Studying superfoods may be key to protecting the public from coronavirus
While there are efforts to develop medicinal cures or vaccines for coronavirus, not much is being done to continue research on natural remedies that can potentially address the virus or support immunity to at least prevent infection.
There are those who say that coronavirus is "uniquely resistant" to the same pharmaceutical or natural compounds that “normal” coronavirus infections are inhibited by, it remains to be seen if they are indeed true. Until studies have proven otherwise, where's the harm in reassessing existing studies that have already identified possible natural cures for similar infectious diseases?
Another thing worth considering is the fact that upper respiratory tract infections can be caused by different kinds of viruses and bacterial overgrowth.
According to a 2018 meta-analysis on high dose vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) published in the journal BioMed Research International, the cold, often referred to as the common cold, is a URTI caused by various viruses.
Common symptoms of the cold include:
Coughing or sneezing
Fever
Headache
Muscle aches or aching limbs
Sore throat
A stuffy or runny nose
But since colds caused by different viruses share similar symptoms, it is difficult to distinguish among the different types of common cold, other URTIs, and influenza.
URTIs aren't a single diagnosable disease. Rather, URTIs are a group of diseases in the broad sense, along with the common cold, bacterial pharyngotonsillitis, viral pharyngitis, laryngitis, herpangina and pharyngoconjunctival fever.
At least 70 to 80 percent of URTIs are caused by viruses such as adenovirus, coronavirus, influenza, parainfluenza virus and rhinovirus. The remaining 20 to 30 percent are caused by bacteria.
Following a balanced diet and eating foods that support immunity is key to not getting sick in the first place. While superfoods aren't magical cures, eating well helps boost your overall health.
Natural substances that have been studied for coronavirus infections include black tea, cinnamon, resveratrol and garlic. Taking vitamin C supplements and consuming vitamin C-rich foods also helps support your immune system. (Related: Vitamin C infusions being studied in China as possible treatment for coronavirus-related pneumonia.)
Garlic supports immunity
Data has shown that most of garlic's health benefits are due to the sulfur compounds formed when it is chopped, crushed or chewed. One such compound is allicin, an unstable compound that is briefly present in fresh garlic after the blub is cut or crushed.
Other compounds with a role in this pungent superfood's health benefits include diallyl disulfide and s-allyl cysteine.
Sulfur compounds from garlic enter your body via the digestive tract. These beneficial compounds then travel all over your body, where it applies its powerful biological effects.
Additionally, taking garlic supplements can help boost the function of your immune system. Data from a large, 12-week study published in the journal Advances in Therapy suggests that taking a garlic supplement daily can reduce the number of colds by 63 percent, compared to a placebo.
Researchers who conducted the study reported that the average length of cold symptoms was reduced by 70 percent from five days in the placebo group to only 1.5 days in the garlic supplement group.
Vitamin C for a stronger immune system
Reports on coronavirus cases have confirmed that older adults are among the most vulnerable to the condition, particularly those with weak or compromised immune systems. While vitamin C supplements don't guarantee 100 percent protection against coronavirus, supplementation and eating vitamin C-rich foods can help support your immunity.
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin found in many fruits and vegetables. The vitamin is a powerful antioxidant and it helps boost skin health and immune function.
You also need vitamin C to produce collagen. Since your body can't produce or store vitamin C, following a balanced diet is important to prevent deficiency. The current daily value (DV) for vitamin C is 90 mg.
Not getting enough vitamin C can cause deficiency symptoms like anemia, bleeding gums, frequent bruising and infections, poor wound healing and scurvy.
Listed below are vitamin C-rich foods that may help support immunity:
Acerola cherries Blackcurrants Chili peppers Guavas Kakadu plums Mustard spinach Parsley Rosehips Sweet yellow peppers Thyme
Avoiding coronavirus involves several measures, such as maintaining proper hygiene, frequent handwashing, avoiding crowded areas and consuming immune-boosting foods.
And while studies are ongoing to develop cures for the condition, it wouldn't hurt to eat an extra serving of garlic or oranges, wouldn't it?
Sources include:
GreenMedInfo.com
NCBI.nlm.nih.gov
Healthline.com 1
Healthline.com 2


naturalnews--2020-03-13--CDC director warns: Public health labs are underequipped and understaffed

( Natural News ) As the threat of a COVID-19 outbreak looms over the country , officials now warn that the U.S. may not be ready for it .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) has stated that both state and local health labs do not have enough equipment or staff to handle an outbreak .
“ The truth is we ’ ve not invested , we ’ ve under-invested in the public health labs , ” stated CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield at a House Appropriations hearing for the 2021 CDC budget .
“ There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not enough people , there ’ s not enough internal capacity , there ’ s no surge capacity.
” The House hearing initially sought to address the concerns about the CDC ’ s 2021 budget .
However , lawmakers ’ questions for Director Redfield focused more on the coronavirus outbreak , particularly on the slow rollout of testing kits across the country .
Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler , R-Wash. , questioned Redfield ’ s claims .
The congresswoman , who represents the state ’ s third congressional district , noted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly obtain tests and results , some of her constituents were still waiting .
“ I find it interesting that when my colleagues were able to get tested almost immediately and quickly receive their results while folks in my district and across Washington state are unable to get their testing results back , ” stated Beutler .
25 people have already died in Washington state , according to data from the CDC .
Of those , at least 19 can be linked to the Life Care nursing home in Kirkland , based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health and Human Services ( HHS ) Secretary Alex Azar mentioned that the U.S. had 75,000 test kits during an interview in ABC ’ s This Week .
The HHS Secretary then claimed that the supply would expand radically over the following weeks .
In addition to the lack of testing kits , the CDC ’ s testing efforts were initially marred by quality control issues that delayed the testing for many Americans .
The CDC confirmed Sunday that it was investigating a manufacturing defect in some of the initial coronavirus testing kits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ask the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) for permission to use their own , locally developed test kits .
The FDA has since allowed laboratories to immediately use test kits they have developed and validated , in an effort to achieve a more rapid testing capacity for the disease .
Since then , FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn stated that the agency is working hand in hand with the CDC to resolve the issues with the test components .
“ FDA has confidence in the design and current manufacturing of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be distributed , ” stated Hahn .
“ These tests have passed extensive quality control procedures.
” In recent years , the CDC has had to work under a shrinking budget .
From 2010 to 2019 , the agency ’ s budget fell by 10 percent .
The current administration has previously justified the cuts by stating that the government can simply hire more doctors should the need ever arise .
“ I ’ m a businessperson .
I don ’ t like having thousands of people around when you don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump in a press conference last month .
“ When we need them , we can get them back very quickly.
” To help get more test kits out in the market , the CDC is now partnering with private companies .
Integrated DNA Technologies ( IDT ) has since been given a CDC contract to manufacture test kits .
IDT is also partnering with commercial labs such as LabCorp and Quest for testing .
LabCorp had their test available by Thursday while Quest had theirs available Monday .
While government sorts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of infected continues to grow .
The CDC reports a total of 647 cases so far and 25 deaths .
However , the agency ’ s count only covers those tested by public health labs , results from private labs have not yet been factored in .

CDC director warns: Public health labs are underequipped and understaffed
As the threat of a COVID-19 outbreak looms over the country, officials now warn that the U.S. may not be ready for it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that both state and local health labs do not have enough equipment or staff to handle an outbreak.
“The truth is we've not invested, we've under-invested in the public health labs,” stated CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield at a House Appropriations hearing for the 2021 CDC budget. “There's not enough equipment, there's not enough people, there's not enough internal capacity, there's no surge capacity.”
Lawmakers grill CDC on budget
The House hearing initially sought to address the concerns about the CDC's 2021 budget. However, lawmakers' questions for Director Redfield focused more on the coronavirus outbreak, particularly on the slow rollout of testing kits across the country.
Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., questioned Redfield's claims. The congresswoman, who represents the state's third congressional district, noted that while her congressional colleagues were able to quickly obtain tests and results, some of her constituents were still waiting.
“I find it interesting that when my colleagues were able to get tested almost immediately and quickly receive their results while folks in my district and across Washington state are unable to get their testing results back,” stated Beutler.
25 people have already died in Washington state, according to data from the CDC. Of those, at least 19 can be linked to the Life Care nursing home in Kirkland, based on local official tallies.
On Sunday, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar mentioned that the U.S. had 75,000 test kits during an interview in ABC's This Week. The HHS Secretary then claimed that the supply would expand radically over the following weeks.
Lack of test kits made worse by quality control issues
In addition to the lack of testing kits, the CDC's testing efforts were initially marred by quality control issues that delayed the testing for many Americans. The CDC confirmed Sunday that it was investigating a manufacturing defect in some of the initial coronavirus testing kits.
The issues have prompted some states to ask the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for permission to use their own, locally developed test kits. The FDA has since allowed laboratories to immediately use test kits they have developed and validated, in an effort to achieve a more rapid testing capacity for the disease.
Since then, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn stated that the agency is working hand in hand with the CDC to resolve the issues with the test components.
“FDA has confidence in the design and current manufacturing of the test that already have and are continuing to be distributed,” stated Hahn. “These tests have passed extensive quality control procedures.”
CDC's budget slashed in recent years
In recent years, the CDC has had to work under a shrinking budget. From 2010 to 2019, the agency's budget fell by 10 percent. The current administration has previously justified the cuts by stating that the government can simply hire more doctors should the need ever arise.
“I'm a businessperson. I don't like having thousands of people around when you don't need them,” stated President Donald Trump in a press conference last month. “When we need them, we can get them back very quickly.”
To help get more test kits out in the market, the CDC is now partnering with private companies. Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT) has since been given a CDC contract to manufacture test kits. IDT is also partnering with commercial labs such as LabCorp and Quest for testing. LabCorp had their test available by Thursday while Quest had theirs available Monday.
While government sorts out the issues with testing, the number of infected continues to grow. The CDC reports a total of 647 cases so far and 25 deaths. However, the agency's count only covers those tested by public health labs, results from private labs have not yet been factored in.
Sources include:
CNBC.com
TFAH.org


naturalnews--2020-03-13--Coronavirus fears continue to crush the Dow: US stocks suffer worst losses since 1987 market crash

( Natural News ) The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank by 10 percent Thursday , the worst one-day drop since the 1987 “ Black Monday ” market crash which sent the Dow tumbling to more than 22 percent , plunging the index deeper into bear market territory .
The slide comes despite efforts from both President Donald Trump and the Federal Reserve to quell investors ’ concerns over the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic .
In addition to the Dow , the S & P 500 also joined the Dow in the bear market , plummeting by 9.5 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 9.4 percent by closing bell .
“ The pandemic ’ s economic disruptions threaten to trigger a global financial crisis that will be worse outside of the United States than 2008-2009 , ” stated David Levy , chairman of the Jerome Levy Forecasting Center on Thursday .
Slide continues despite aid from the Fed The Fed offered the indices a brief respite during the trading day , announcing a ramp-up of its overnight funding operations to more than $ 500 million on Thursday .
The Fed will also offer more repo operations totaling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is on top of it expanding the types of securities it would purchase with reserves .
Despite the Fed ’ s attempts , however , stocks quickly traded back toward their session lows as investors waited for more aggressive measures to support the economy and address the outbreak .
“ These changes are being made to address highly unusual disruptions in Treasury financing markets associated with the coronavirus outbreak , ” said the statement from the New York Federal Reserve , the branch which conducts these operations on behalf of the Fed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ came as the World Health Organization officially designated the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic , as the virus spread to over 100 countries , infecting well over 100,000 people .
On Thursday , the sell-off went from bad to worse that trading was halted after the open for 15 minutes .
This was due to the markets hitting the mandated “ circuit-breaker ” threshold use by U.S. exchanges .
The halt , however , did nothing to slow the descent as the Dow went on to notch the fifth-worst decline in its history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are going into a global recession , ” said Allianz ’ s chief economic adviser Mohamed El-Erian on CNBC ’ s Squawk Box .
“ After what ’ s been happening the last few days , we are going to see a spread of economic sudden stops.
” El-Erian believes that selling won ’ t stop until the bear market goes down to 30 percent .
“ The trouble with economic sudden stops is it ’ s not easy to restart an economy , ” said E-Erian .
On Wednesday night , President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House , where he stated that travel from certain areas of Europe affected by the coronavirus to the U.S. would be suspended for 30 days .
In addition to this , he also announced plans for $ 50 billion of low-interest loans to affected businesses while also suggesting a delay in the April 15 tax filing deadline .
Despite this , the new measures failed to assuage the fears of panic-stricken investors .
At worse , it may have actually stoked their urge to sell .
“ This effectively kicks the issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , policy economist for Evercore ISI .
The biggest driver of the slide into the bear market is investors ’ concern over the lack of consumer spending .
The coronavirus is causing consumers to stay at home which results in them spending less .
“ The crux of the angst investors are feeling as the coronavirus spreads surrounds what might happen to consumer spending , ” stated Scott Wren , senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute .
“ It has been the U.S. consumer who has been driving the recovery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added Wren , referring to the record-setting 11-year bull-run that the Dow experienced coming out of the 2008 financial crisis .
Prior to this , most economic analyses had assumed that the biggest impact on the U.S. economy would come from global supply lines being disrupted due to the lockdowns in China which would leave U.S. manufacturers and retailers without the goods they need .
However , the spread of the virus in the U.S. has increased calls for more social distancing and having more people work from home .
As a result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that fighting the outbreak requires a temporary economic slowdown as people quarantine themselves .
Industries linked to travel and entertainment are bearing the brunt of the economic slowdown .
The airline industry is expecting revenue losses as high as $ 113 billion as people cut down on flying and governments restrict travel from virus struck countries .
This is on top of some airlines having to spend on “ ghost flights ” — flights with little or no passengers — just to maintain their airport slots on certain valuable routes .
Cruise lines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been in the spotlight from the early days of the outbreak as a number of cruise ships , including the Grand Princess that ’ s currently anchored just off San Francisco , have been quarantined after they reported outbreaks of the virus among their passengers .
The entertainment industry is also taking losses from the virus .
A number of high profile movies have had their release dates moved as studios expect audiences to avoid movie houses during the outbreak .
Meanwhile , a number of theme parks such as those owned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to the expected decrease in attendance as people move to avoid crowds .
The lowered consumer spending has led some analysts to warn that the outbreak may trigger a debt bomb .
For years , low-interest rates have encouraged companies to keep borrowing money .
According to a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ( OECD ) , total outstanding debt among corporations other than financial institutions had hit a record high of $ 13.5 trillion worldwide by the end of 2019 .
With this high amount debt , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could happen with the right trigger .
“ We have been always saying that we are sitting on top of an unexploded bomb , but we don ’ t know what is going to trigger it , ” stated Emre Tiftik , director of the Washington-based financial industry trade group Research for Global Policy Initiatives at the Institute of International Finance .
“ Can the coronavirus be a trigger ?
We don ’ t know .
Maybe.
” As lower consumer spending causes profit forecasts to drop , the fear now is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make their debt payments or even defaulting on them .
This could , in turn , lead to lenders tightening credit for everyone , not just the companies involved .
Not everyone is convinced that a debt bomb will be triggered .
“ The prophets of doom who thought that more debt was more risk have generally been wrong for the last 12 years , ” stated Nicolas Véron , a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington .
Companies such as Apple , Google and Facebook have large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the crisis .
For their part , central banks have been leaping into action to stem the tide , including increasing the amount of money provided to banks for overnight borrowing and extending repos .
However , the continued slide of indices like the Dow seems to indicate that these moves are not enough .

Coronavirus fears continue to crush the Dow: US stocks suffer worst losses since 1987 market crash
The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank by 10 percent Thursday , the worst one-day drop since the 1987 “Black Monday” market crash which sent the Dow tumbling to more than 22 percent, plunging the index deeper into bear market territory.
The slide comes despite efforts from both President Donald Trump and the Federal Reserve to quell investors' concerns over the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to the Dow, the S&P 500 also joined the Dow in the bear market, plummeting by 9.5 percent. Nasdaq was also routed, dipping 9.4 percent by closing bell.
“The pandemic’s economic disruptions threaten to trigger a global financial crisis that will be worse outside of the United States than 2008-2009,” stated David Levy, chairman of the Jerome Levy Forecasting Center on Thursday.
Slide continues despite aid from the Fed
The Fed offered the indices a brief respite during the trading day, announcing a ramp-up of its overnight funding operations to more than $500 million on Thursday. The Fed will also offer more repo operations totaling $1 trillion on Friday. This is on top of it expanding the types of securities it would purchase with reserves.
Despite the Fed's attempts, however, stocks quickly traded back toward their session lows as investors waited for more aggressive measures to support the economy and address the outbreak.
“These changes are being made to address highly unusual disruptions in Treasury financing markets associated with the coronavirus outbreak,” said the statement from the New York Federal Reserve, the branch which conducts these operations on behalf of the Fed.
The Fed's infusion of liquidity came as the World Health Organization officially designated the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic, as the virus spread to over 100 countries, infecting well over 100,000 people.
On Thursday, the sell-off went from bad to worse that trading was halted after the open for 15 minutes. This was due to the markets hitting the mandated “circuit-breaker” threshold use by U.S. exchanges. The halt, however, did nothing to slow the descent as the Dow went on to notch the fifth-worst decline in its history, according to FactSet.
“We are going into a global recession,” said Allianz's chief economic adviser Mohamed El-Erian on CNBC’s Squawk Box. “After what’s been happening the last few days, we are going to see a spread of economic sudden stops.”
El-Erian believes that selling won't stop until the bear market goes down to 30 percent. “The trouble with economic sudden stops is it’s not easy to restart an economy,” said E-Erian.
Investors wary of new White House measures
On Wednesday night, President Trump made a televised address from the White House, where he stated that travel from certain areas of Europe affected by the coronavirus to the U.S. would be suspended for 30 days. In addition to this, he also announced plans for $50 billion of low-interest loans to affected businesses while also suggesting a delay in the April 15 tax filing deadline. Despite this, the new measures failed to assuage the fears of panic-stricken investors. At worse, it may have actually stoked their urge to sell.
“This effectively kicks the issue to Congress,” stated Ernie Tedeschi, policy economist for Evercore ISI.
Lack of consumer spending is driving investor fears
The biggest driver of the slide into the bear market is investors' concern over the lack of consumer spending. The coronavirus is causing consumers to stay at home which results in them spending less.
“The crux of the angst investors are feeling as the coronavirus spreads surrounds what might happen to consumer spending,” stated Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.
“It has been the U.S. consumer who has been driving the recovery bus during this long expansion,” added Wren, referring to the record-setting 11-year bull-run that the Dow experienced coming out of the 2008 financial crisis.
Prior to this, most economic analyses had assumed that the biggest impact on the U.S. economy would come from global supply lines being disrupted due to the lockdowns in China which would leave U.S. manufacturers and retailers without the goods they need.
However, the spread of the virus in the U.S. has increased calls for more social distancing and having more people work from home. As a result, analysts and investors are now realizing that fighting the outbreak requires a temporary economic slowdown as people quarantine themselves.
Industries linked to travel and entertainment are bearing the brunt of the economic slowdown. The airline industry is expecting revenue losses as high as $113 billion as people cut down on flying and governments restrict travel from virus struck countries. This is on top of some airlines having to spend on “ghost flights” -- flights with little or no passengers -- just to maintain their airport slots on certain valuable routes. Cruise lines have also been hit. The industry has been in the spotlight from the early days of the outbreak as a number of cruise ships, including the Grand Princess that's currently anchored just off San Francisco, have been quarantined after they reported outbreaks of the virus among their passengers.
The entertainment industry is also taking losses from the virus. A number of high profile movies have had their release dates moved as studios expect audiences to avoid movie houses during the outbreak. Meanwhile, a number of theme parks such as those owned by Disney and Universal are also closing due to the expected decrease in attendance as people move to avoid crowds.
Coronavirus may trigger a debt bomb
The lowered consumer spending has led some analysts to warn that the outbreak may trigger a debt bomb. For years, low-interest rates have encouraged companies to keep borrowing money. According to a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), total outstanding debt among corporations other than financial institutions had hit a record high of $13.5 trillion worldwide by the end of 2019. With this high amount debt, analysts have been warning that a crisis could happen with the right trigger.
“We have been always saying that we are sitting on top of an unexploded bomb, but we don’t know what is going to trigger it,” stated Emre Tiftik, director of the Washington-based financial industry trade group Research for Global Policy Initiatives at the Institute of International Finance. “Can the coronavirus be a trigger? We don’t know. Maybe.”
As lower consumer spending causes profit forecasts to drop, the fear now is that some companies may end up struggling to make their debt payments or even defaulting on them. This could, in turn, lead to lenders tightening credit for everyone, not just the companies involved.
Not everyone is convinced that a debt bomb will be triggered. “The prophets of doom who thought that more debt was more risk have generally been wrong for the last 12 years,” stated Nicolas Véron, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington. Companies such as Apple, Google and Facebook have large cash reserves, making them essentially immune to the crisis.
For their part, central banks have been leaping into action to stem the tide, including increasing the amount of money provided to banks for overnight borrowing and extending repos. However, the continued slide of indices like the Dow seems to indicate that these moves are not enough.
Sources include:
CNBC.com 1
Finance.Yahoo.com
CNBC.com 2
MarketWatch.com
NYTimes.com
Fortune.com


naturalnews--2020-03-13--Scientists use cheap plastic lenses to make solar-powered desalination systems more effective

( Natural News ) As it turns out , the addition of cheap , plastic lenses can effectively boost the efficiency of solar-powered water desalination systems .
This is according to researchers from Rice University ’ s Laboratory for Nanophotonics ( LANP ) , who found that by concentrating sunlight into “ hotspots ” using lenses , they could boost the efficiency of solar-powered membrane distillation desalination systems by more than 50 percent .
“ The typical way to boost performance in solar-driven systems is to add solar concentrators and bring in more light , ” Pratiksha Dongare , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Brown School of Engineering and co-lead author of the paper , said .
As detailed in their study , which was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , conventional membrane distillation involves flowing hot , salty water across one side of a sheetlike membrane while cool , filtered water flows across the other .
This temperature difference between the two creates a difference in vapor pressure , which then drives water vapor from the heated side through the membrane toward the cooler , lower-pressure side .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distillation technology is difficult because the temperature difference across the membrane is inversely proportional to the size of the membrane being used .
Rice ’ s “ nanophotonics-enabled solar membrane distillation ” or NESMD technology , however , addresses this by using light-absorbing nanoparticles to turn the membrane itself into a solar-driven heating element .
“ The big difference here is that we ’ re using the same amount of light .
We ’ ve shown it ’ s possible to inexpensively redistribute that power and dramatically increase the rate of purified water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to test their theory , which involves exploiting an inherent and previously unrecognized nonlinear relationship between incident light intensity and vapor pressure , the research team first coated the top layer of their membranes with low-cost , commercially available nanoparticles that are designed to convert more than 80 percent of sunlight energy into heat .
The concept and particles used in the NESMD were first demonstrated in 2012 by LANP director Naomi Halas and research scientist Oara Neumann , who are both co-authors on the new study .
Study co-lead author Alessandro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Professor at Rice ’ s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering , used a simple mathematical example to describe the difference between a linear and nonlinear relationship .
“ If you take any two numbers that equal 10 — seven and three , five and five , six and four — you will always get 10 if you add them together .
But if the process is nonlinear , you might square them or even cube them before adding .
So if we have nine and one , that would be nine squared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which equals 82 .
That is far better than 10 , which is the best you can do with a linear relationship ” Alabastri said .
In the case of NESMD , the nonlinear improvement comes from concentrating sunlight into tiny spots , not unlike what a child might do with a magnifying glass on a sunny day .
Concentrating the light on a tiny spot on the membrane results in a linear increase in heat , which in turn , produces a nonlinear increase in vapor pressure .
The increased pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a shorter amount of time .
“ We showed that it ’ s always better to have more photons in a smaller area than to have a homogeneous distribution of photons across the entire membrane , ” Alabastri said .
Halas , a chemist and engineer with 25 years of pioneering experience in the use of light-activated nanomaterials , said that this development may prove helpful for locations that still experience water scarcity .
( Related : Water is life : 10 Ways to purify water when SHTF . )
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are important because water scarcity is a daily reality for about half of the world ’ s people , and efficient solar distillation could change that , ” Halas said , adding that their study ’ s findings can have applications beyond water purification , such as the improvement of technologies that use solar heating to drive chemical processes like photocatalysis .

Scientists use cheap plastic lenses to make solar-powered desalination systems more effective
As it turns out, the addition of cheap, plastic lenses can effectively boost the efficiency of solar-powered water desalination systems.
This is according to researchers from Rice University’s Laboratory for Nanophotonics (LANP), who found that by concentrating sunlight into “hotspots” using lenses, they could boost the efficiency of solar-powered membrane distillation desalination systems by more than 50 percent.
“The typical way to boost performance in solar-driven systems is to add solar concentrators and bring in more light,” Pratiksha Dongare, a graduate student in applied physics at Rice’s Brown School of Engineering and co-lead author of the paper, said.
As detailed in their study, which was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, conventional membrane distillation involves flowing hot, salty water across one side of a sheetlike membrane while cool, filtered water flows across the other. This temperature difference between the two creates a difference in vapor pressure, which then drives water vapor from the heated side through the membrane toward the cooler, lower-pressure side.
According to the researchers, scaling up conventional membrane distillation technology is difficult because the temperature difference across the membrane is inversely proportional to the size of the membrane being used.
Rice’s “nanophotonics-enabled solar membrane distillation” or NESMD technology, however, addresses this by using light-absorbing nanoparticles to turn the membrane itself into a solar-driven heating element.
“The big difference here is that we’re using the same amount of light. We’ve shown it’s possible to inexpensively redistribute that power and dramatically increase the rate of purified water production,” Dongare explained.
In order to test their theory, which involves exploiting an inherent and previously unrecognized nonlinear relationship between incident light intensity and vapor pressure, the research team first coated the top layer of their membranes with low-cost, commercially available nanoparticles that are designed to convert more than 80 percent of sunlight energy into heat.
The concept and particles used in the NESMD were first demonstrated in 2012 by LANP director Naomi Halas and research scientist Oara Neumann, who are both co-authors on the new study.
Study co-lead author Alessandro Alabastri, a physicist and Research Assistant Professor at Rice’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, used a simple mathematical example to describe the difference between a linear and nonlinear relationship.
“If you take any two numbers that equal 10 — seven and three, five and five, six and four — you will always get 10 if you add them together. But if the process is nonlinear, you might square them or even cube them before adding. So if we have nine and one, that would be nine squared, or 81, plus one squared, which equals 82. That is far better than 10, which is the best you can do with a linear relationship” Alabastri said.
In the case of NESMD, the nonlinear improvement comes from concentrating sunlight into tiny spots, not unlike what a child might do with a magnifying glass on a sunny day.
Concentrating the light on a tiny spot on the membrane results in a linear increase in heat, which in turn, produces a nonlinear increase in vapor pressure. The increased pressure forces more purified steam through the membrane in a shorter amount of time.
“We showed that it’s always better to have more photons in a smaller area than to have a homogeneous distribution of photons across the entire membrane,” Alabastri said.
Halas, a chemist and engineer with 25 years of pioneering experience in the use of light-activated nanomaterials, said that this development may prove helpful for locations that still experience water scarcity. (Related: Water is life: 10 Ways to purify water when SHTF.)
“The efficiencies provided by this nonlinear optical process are important because water scarcity is a daily reality for about half of the world’s people, and efficient solar distillation could change that,” Halas said, adding that their study’s findings can have applications beyond water purification, such as the improvement of technologies that use solar heating to drive chemical processes like photocatalysis.
Sources include:
NanoWerk.com
PNAS.org