Новини Нікополя - nikopoltoday.com

Всі публікації з тегом virus

ENTER | Quarantine in UK
ENTER | Quarantine in UK
Світ 2020-03-26 06:30:14
Extra! ! NikopolToday publishes a recent mid-quarantine story in Britain. The author of the work has edited works such as books To Mars, the collection Samukomori and Tears Of Rain and several others from Rayan Riener.*Author’s note: events in this fictional account are intended to bear no resemblance to any real event or circumstance, past or present.* ‘Enter’. There. He had pressed the button on the computer. He had said his piece, and sent it to the Web, the Internet, the wide world. He sat back and sighed. He looked at his watch. So many people were filling the pages of Twitter, Facebook, the blogosphere, the chatrooms, the online news pages. There were so many accounts, so many authentically heart-breaking pictures, videos, stories, news reports. Streets were deserted.  Bars, theatres, restaurants - empty. Hospitals were full.  Intensive care was overrun.  People were unable to get medicine, food or urgent supplies.  The disease was everywhere. People were being removed, inert, from their homes, hidden by isolation tents. Families had been torn apart and were grieving. Children for parents, parents for children. Stock markets were in free-fall, economies grinding to a halt. Life as people knew it was coming to an end in the Western world. Lockdowns, curfews, rationed goods.   It was all there on the TV, in the press. Troops on the streets… wait, troops on the streets? This was a civilian crisis, not a war… Civilians were fearful for their lives, yes, but not from violent neighbours, surely? It was the invisible enemy they must fear. The enemy that would seize them, debilitate them, kill them and their loved ones, if they did not cease their normal lives, their jobs, their friendships, their love. If they did not lock themselves indoors and obey the government.  Without question.  ‘Do not engage in social contact.  Do not gather in solidarity. Stay isolated…’ Yet… There had been other calamities, disasters, pestilence, floods, fires… He remembered when after the storm his street had been under water for a week.  His neighbours helped each other, gave those affected food and clothing, or a floor to sleep on.  The familiarity brought a kind of comfort, a sense of a peril shared. When it was all over, they celebrated in a local bar.  That was a good evening. Some time later a stomach bug raged through the town. He knew many people, friends, neighbours and relatives, who had got very sick. The bar owner died. But this… this… He himself knew no-one who was sick from it.  No friend, colleague or acquaintance, nor anyone they knew of.   No-one said in passing – ‘Shame about old Mrs So-and-so…’  No-one personally knew anyone ill, dying, dead.  But everyone was afraid of catching it. If it was a phoney war then – some might say ‘fake’ – someone must be waging it… Who could that be? It was a question that someone should ask. And that was the question in his piece. Which he had just sent out to the world. He hoped someone would read it. And give him an answer.  He had an idea what the answer was, hoped he was wrong. There was a knock on the door. He looked at his watch and sighed again. Barely 10 minutes. Slowly, he went to the door and opened it. Outside, there were six men in might have been hazmat gear, or maybe riot gear, with batons, helmets, armoured gloves and heavy masks. Blue lights flashed in the street. There was a waiting stretcher trolley with thick restraints and an opaque isolation cover. ‘Yes?’ ‘Excuse me sir, we have had a report of dangerous contamination at this address… Do you mind if we enter…’   © Charles A. Melham  2020
Dr. Dominick Auci - exclusive interview: I am sorry to hear that about Ukrainian medicine
Dr. Dominick Auci - exclusive interview: I am sorry to hear that about Ukrainian medicine
Нікополь 2020-04-10 20:15:27
We used our scientific contacts to get an exclusive interview about COVID-19 for NikopolToday. From a respected medical scientist - Dominick Auсi. It is the view of a person with critical thinking about the current situation in the world: answers about medicine, science, personal life, and so on, that is so troubling to us today. It should be noted that the Facebook administration has blocked the page of a doctor Dominick Ausi and an independent journalist Rayan Riener.Rayan Riener: A little bit about you. What is your education? What is your scientific work?Dominick Auсi: Thanks Riener, it's always a pleasure to work with you.  I earned a PhD in Pathology at State University of New York at Downstate Medical Center back in 1991.  I also earned an MBA in Executive Management from Baruch College  in Manhattan, New York.Rayan Riener: And what have you done already in this field?  Dominick Auсi: I have 10 years’ experience in academia as professor of Pathology in various universities and then for the last 20 years, I have been in industry, directing programs in drug development aimed at infectious and inflammatory diseases and cancer.  I have contributed to several investigational new drug applications to the FDA, and have authored over 40 peer-reviewed publications.Rayan Riener: Do you think that because you are a specialist, the US authorities and WHO are hiding the real situation with the coronavirus?Dominick Auсi: No. I don’t believe there is any intentional hiding of information by either US authorities or WHO.  They may not know everything, but the scientists at WHO and NIH and CDC are the very best in the world, and I have had the honor of meeting several of them. I have always found them to be brilliant scientists, highly honorable men and women, and dedicated public servants. We are very fortunate.  What is very unfortunate is that America has a President who has squandered in vainglory, all the integrity of the chair of Washington and Lincoln and Roosevelt.  No one believes anything he says. He cannot lead. I am convinced that the impact of this pandemic will be far worse because of this vacuum of American leadership.Rayan Riener: Does the world hide the real number of infected people? Or just nobody can count?Dominick Auсi: It's the later. The number of tests are very limited. And most people who become infected remain entirely asymptomatic.  All we see to test are the worst cases and those that require medical attention. But if this is like other coronavirus, I expect that 50 to 70% of the US population will eventually become infected.Rayan Riener: What tips can you give people to help protect themselves against the new disease and how do you feel about the advice that WHO is spreading? Are they effective?Dominick Auсi: Remember, we are in the middle of cold and flu season anyway. So, the very same precautions should apply. No matter what you call a virus, no one wants to be sick and suffering for weeks.  My best advice is to know your situation, your personal risk factors. Those who are elderly and have specific underlying conditions, like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or other respiratory ailments, should take extra precautions. I think if I were in that group, I would self-quarantine as much as possible until this pandemic is over. That would probably be a far more effective practice than sealing off entire cities or countries. For the clear majority of the population, the risk is very low. Wash your hands often, stay hydrated and take care of your body.  For example, if you smoke, now is a good time to stop.  This is exactly the advice of WHO.  And yes, they will be as effective as possible against the spread of this virus.Rayan Riener: Please explain to people that creating a vaccine is a complicated and time-consuming process. Many people in Ukraine think that the cure for this virus will be in a few months or weeks. And the media say that doctors "treat" patients, is it misleading for ordinary people.Dominick Auсi: It is important to remember that we have never ‘cured’ any virus. We have an immune system for that job. Vaccines can help, but the immune system does the work.  If it doesn't we are in real trouble, vaccine or no.  As for a vaccine, there are several companies that are working on it. Some are even in clinical trials, or very close. Also, because we know how this virus reproduces, we can predict several drugs will likely be effective.  So, in sense, we already have vaccines and treatments.  But if you want EFFECTIVE vaccines and treatments, that will take a while simply because efficacy must be demonstrated in controlled clinical trials.  For obvious ethical reasons, you can’t simply do the obvious experiments.  You can’t vaccinate several naive people of various ages, and then expose them to the virus and see if they get sick.  So, the kind of trials that you can do on humans, unless you want to be Josef Mengele, take time.  Years, probably.  So, by that time, it is most likely that the human immune system will take care of this strain called Covid-19, and, that a new strain will have evolved, against which any Covid-19 vaccine may or may not work. So yes, it’s a complicated question on many levels.Rayan Riener: How do you recommend "treating" this virus while there is no vaccine.Dominick Auсi: I am not a clinician or a physician, so I am not comfortable recommending any treatments.  As I said, for the clear majority of people, this will be a typical cold. Probably, it will involve fever, runny noses, shortness of breath, aches and pains. The common cold everyone knows well, and everyone knows what to do. Stay at home, get plenty of rest, drink fluids. No parties or drinking alcohol.  As I said, there are several drugs on the market and in development that might be beneficial to those few who become seriously ill.  We will have to see. Rayan Riener: Personal question! Your beloved husband is a pilot; controls the plane, right? Will your husband lose his job if events continue in this direction? Aviation worldwide is no longer operating. Dominick Auсi: Yes. He is a pilot and I am very proud of him. There is some worry, I suppose, that this will spiral out of control, especially since the United States, which should be leading the world-wide response, is led by a megalomaniacal buffoon. But I think the travel industry will be fine in the long run. Even the cruise industry will recover, and I expect rather quickly.  I think so much of the response is out of an abundance of caution.  Also, because infectious coronavirus particles typically need cold, dry air to be highly contagious, I would expect the covid-19 infection rate to taper off in the next few months.  In my opinion, a great deal of the panic is simply fear of the unknown.  Once we get to know Covid-19 better, get a handle on the best treatments, we won’t be so afraid of it. Things will go back to normal.Rayan Riener: If possible, please tell us how the US authorities act to counteract the coronavirus now? And how do you see the situation in America in a few months?Dominick Auсi: Vice President Mike Pence now heads a task force made of himself and top scientists form NIH and CDC. They meet every day and have been communicating with WHO, and the pubic every day. They have made wonderful progress in making tests available and, I think, in providing the best and most accurate information.  Right now, a small number of cases are documented, and a few deaths, but of course those numbers will rise as the testing becomes more wide spread. Some extreme measures were recently taken in New York for example, with the governor calling out the National Guard to help construct quarantine centers. I think that's an overreaction.  But the critical issue is that we are an aging population, and while only a small percentage of infected people will require medical care, if 70 % of the population eventually becomes infected, as predicted, even if only 1% of them require medical care, it could overwhelm the system. We don’t have universal health care in America, so people who are sick must pay if they don’t have insurance, and if they miss work, they don’t get paid. So, you see the problem. Many infected people who should get medical attention won’t because they can’t afford it.  The government is considering some changes in the laws of reimbursement, and making testing free.  Also, it’s important to understand that testing, while critical to our understanding of the pandemic, will not likely to do much to contain the spread of the virus. When you remember that most infected people will never show symptoms, that the incubation period can be as short as two days, and that the illness lasts as little as five days, again you see the problem.  By the time you test, it’s over.  So, in the next few months, I expect to see many more cases, and unfortunately, more deaths, almost exclusively among the elderly with serious and specific pre-existing conditions. I am afraid this virus will simply have to run its course.  Rayan Riener: Let me remind you that the level of Ukrainian medicine is now in a deplorable state due to the years of corruption. And it is next on the list with African countries. Are Ukrainians worried and what can you advise them to do if Ukrainian medicine fails to address the challenge of the virus?Dominick Auсi: I am sorry to hear that about Ukrainian medicine.  The good news is that the clear majority of Ukrainians who are infected with Covid-19 will likely experience no symptoms.  For the elderly and other vulnerable people, it’s probably best to avoid contacts, especially in the context of large groups. Everyone should wash their hands vigorously with soap several times a day, certainly upon returning home. And again, if you smoke, now is a great time to stop. But there is a larger question.  The next pandemic could be much worse than Covid-19.  We must remember that humans are all one species. And even more significantly, we all had the same mother perhaps as little as 200,00 years ago. I say that not to be poetic, but to point to a real danger. We are just about the most inbred species on the planet.  Even though we look different to each other, different enough even to kill each other over it, to viruses, we all look deliciously the same.  That means, our species doesn’t have the genetic diversity to survive a bad, killer virus.  A bad one could wipe us out.  Hopefully, this is the wakeup call we need.Rayan Riener: Are you and your family ready for the worst case scenario? How will you act in the event of an "apocalyptic scenario" or chaos through a crisis?Dominick Auсi: Well, I have adjusted some of my financial assets, that's for sure.  But no, I do not expect any apocalyptic scenario or chaos, and so I haven’t taken any extraordinary precautions. I think covid-19 will be like a bad flu in the worst case, and that in a few months, we will have forgotten all about it.  Humans are like that.  If god forbid, I am wrong, and it does get apocalyptic, I will probably scream like a child just like everyone else. Except for Vladimir Putin. He will probably say something like “Good! its working”.Rayan Riener: The scientific question. Is likely that a small virus can cover the entire Earth and lead to terrible consequences of the crisis that will destroy our civilization? Most people don't want to think about it.Dominick Auсi: Well, see my response to question 10.  Yes, humans are particularly vulnerable to a killer pathogen because of our lack of genetic diversity and the jet age.  We also have very close relationships with huge populations of domesticated animals, which creates fertile ground for development of new pathogens.  I wish the world would really recognize the danger and how pathetically unprepared we really are. And with the modern jet age, new pathogens can spread far faster than our current ability to detect them.  For example, we ought to have monitoring technologies at airports that are constantly scanning the microbiome in strategic places.  We need global cooperation that frankly, under current political situations, is almost unthinkable.  It is time to remember, that survival is not guaranteed on this planet. It must be earned.Rayan Riener: And the last. What advice would you do to people if there is chaos in the country (US or Ukraine, no matter)? How to survive and not get infected?Dominick Auсi: There is no virus more dangerous than a mob of frightened monkeys.  And wash your hands!Recall another contact NikopolToday in the UK published his work on coronavirus and free speech - Enter.
The Business Suit: what future awaits us? | EN
The Business Suit: what future awaits us? | EN
Нікополь 2020-06-15 23:17:08
The Business Suit   *Author’s note: characters and events in this fictional account are intended to bear no resemblance whatsoever to any real person, event or circumstance, past or present.*   The last cheers died away. He waved at no-one in particular and turned to go back inside. Another of the public shows over with. ‘Cheering for Heroes’ was one way of diverting the public’s attention from the real project. It was permitted to cheer them. The ‘heroes’ would be given lavish praise and grateful thanks. Meanwhile, they would be starved of resources and sent to do their job with little or no protection. They would persist in their duty even as they suffered and died.  It was enough to continually express helpless regret, lie about the availability of equipment or its imminent arrival, distort the figures. Testing could help – could have helped – keep the numbers of sick and dead lower.  They had dealt with that rather masterfully. In contrast to other countries, here they had delayed and then stopped, claiming testing was not useful.  They had made it impossible.   Bought tests which ‘didn’t work’ and so had to be thrown away, or sold on for gain.  They had not tested the more elderly and frail sick ones, but simply put them with other vulnerable people so as to infect them. People thought these failures incompetence, but it was all part of the plan. The more of the old and sick, of those dependent on the state, of the poor, infirm and so on, that died, the less the state would be burdened going forward. It was simple – if you were unproductive, you were expendable.  It would mean more for those positioned to profit from the mess. He waved again from the doorstep and adjusted the cuff of a lumpy, ill-fitting, off-the-peg suit. He did not enjoy wearing this. ‘Man of the people’ it was intended to say. But it was not like clothing from a proper tailor.  He had shown his closest advisers the suit he wanted to wear. ‘Not the right time,’ they had said. At least he would be able to wear it when out of the public eye. Until the time was indeed right. The public.  They had fed them impossible promises, cleverly appealed to their deepest prejudices, so that this duped ‘electorate’ voted them in by an unassailable margin.  ‘Turkeys voting for Christmas’ some said. That was putting it mildly, but the sustained assault on the public education system over the years had yielded a populace unable to exercise any critical judgement.  Anyway, that ‘vote’ would be the last for a long while. What these people really needed, and deep down, wanted, was a return to the ‘good old days’. Hard work – a hard life - and no need to think.   They deserved everything they got. They had allowed themselves to be ruled by degenerates and weaklings, with their ridiculous notions of human rights, equality, fairness, tolerance of minorities, votes that counted for something, truthful politicians.  He scoffed at the litany. Free education and healthcare for all.  Support for the sick, the disadvantaged, the disabled.  Proper, sanitary, housing.  Healthy food.  Even leisure time.  These must all go - fortunately there were many in the country who agreed. Or, at least, who had voted that way. At last, it seemed, the great masses would get their revenge on the lefties, liberals and do-gooders.  They themselves might starve and die anyway, but it would be worth it. Plentiful food and medicine -  supplies of these would become a distant memory.  And the new ‘elite’ – well they had been ‘chosen’ – would profit handsomely from the disorder and despair. Only those who could pay would be able to eat, or treat their illnesses.  Everyone else could eat junk, chew aspirins and die of 20th century diseases. He continued indoors, waving away the irritating flunkies requiring urgent decisions and action in order to heal people and save lives. ‘Not this day,’ he thought to himself as a trademark smirk passed his lips. He retired to the privacy of his dressing-room. His despised bourgeois costume was discarded. He unlocked and opened a private closet door. His ‘business’ suit awaited him.  It was a beauty, tailored after a classic design worn by a great leader of recent history, his wartime hero. It fit him perfectly, and showed he meant business. The sort of tailoring art that had produced these garments had almost died out. Men with such skills had been born in another country and had flourished there, until it had become obvious their future there was limited, at least in the short term. These craftsmen had fled and settled here, keeping the tradition alive – though even some here disdained their presence. He slowly donned the sharply cut garments, the jacket and trousers, with highly polished footwear. Reverently, he put on a black-coloured armband to show how much respect he had for the dead, and those yet to die. The sharp creases of the black trousers and immaculate lines of the tan double-breasted jacket with its rows of silver buttons all reflected back at him proudly from the mirror. As did the discreet black medal on the left breast, and the unmistakeable crooked symbol on the armband. Perhaps he would not be leader for ever. But the party coming into being today would continue to sweep away the creaking old ‘democratic’ order, ensuring one of the faithful would always inherit the seat of power. He came to attention and clicked together the heels of the shiny jackboots. He shot his arm forward and then back in a perfect salute, acknowledging the cheers, now for him alone, coming from the imaginary millions ready to be whipped forward to serve the new order of immense power, profit, and world-beating, ruthless, dominance.   © Anon 2020
Завантажуйте більше