Category: General
John Cleese on the Virus
Ibuprofen Covid-19 Hoax
(Reuters) – Nurofen producer Reckitt Benckiser sought to quash warnings against taking the drug on Monday, saying it was not aware of any evidence that the pills’ active ingredient ibuprofen adversely impacted patients suffering from COVID-19.
The company’s statement followed a warning https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-france-drug/france-warns-against-use-of-anti-inflammatory-drugs-to-tackle-coronavirus-idUSKBN2110Q8 by France’s health minister on Saturday that people should not use anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen if they have coronavirus-like symptoms.
Olivier Véran, France’s health minister who is also a qualified doctor, said in a tweet on Saturday: “The taking of anti-inflammatories [ibuprofen, cortisone … ] could be a factor in aggravating the infection. In case of fever, take paracetamol. If you are already taking anti-inflammatory drugs, ask your doctor’s advice.”
Nurofen, one of Reckitt’s more popular drugs, contains 200 mg of Ibuprofen as its active ingredient in each tablet and is indicated for “effective pain and inflammation relief and reducing fever,” according to the company’s website. “RB has neither received new safety information nor been involved in the evaluation of any adverse events regarding the use of ibuprofen in COVID-19,” the company said on Monday.
“Appropriate use of ibuprofen and paracetamol is still currently being recommended by most European health authorities as part of the symptomatic treatment of COVID-19.”
The number of deaths in France from the coronavirus increased by more than a third on Sunday to 127 and over 5,400 have been infected, according to the country’s health authorities. (https://reut.rs/2TVwxKR)
(Reporting by Siddharth Cavale in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)
I Hate PETA
1. It promotes euthanasia
2. It runs shock campaigns
3. It doesn’t believe people should have pets
4. It says no to animal crates
5. It wants to nix all zoos
6. It doesn’t believe in ‘managing’ feral cats
7. It deplores animal breeders
St. Patrick’s Day at Stacy’s
Coronavirus: how to keep things in perspective
1. We know what it is
The first cases of AIDS were described in June 1981 and it took more than two years to identify the virus (HIV) causing the disease. With COVID-19, the first cases of severe pneumonia were reported in China on December 31, 2019 and by January 7 the virus had already been identified. The genome was available on day 10. We already know that it is a new coronavirus from group 2B, of the same family as the SARS, which we have called SARSCoV2. The disease is called COVID-19. It is thought to be related to coronavirus of bats. Genetic analyses have confirmed that it has a recent natural origin (between the end of November and the beginning of December) and that, although viruses live by mutating, its mutation rate may not be very high.
2. We know how to detect the virus
Since January 13, a test to detect the virus has been available.
3. The situation is improving in China
4. 80% of cases are mild
5. People heal
6. Symptoms appear mild in children
7. The virus can be wiped clean
8. Science is on it, globally
9. There are already vaccine prototypes
10. Antiviral trials are underway
Bicycles
Arm Rest
Iphone Plant To Make Masks
The firm is also pushing to be allowed to reopen its regular production lines making electronics, which have been closed due to the coronavirus.
The outbreak has seen demand for masks soar and caused a shortage of supplies around the world.
Foxconn aims to produce two million masks a day by the end of the month.
“In this war against the epidemic, every second counts,” the firm said on the social media platform WeChat.
“The earlier we take precautionary actions, the earlier we can prevent the virus, the earlier we can save lives, the sooner we can overcome this.”
As well as the iPhone, Foxconn, the world’s largest electronics manufacturer, makes parts and consumer electronics products including the iPad, Amazon’s Kindle, and PlayStations.
The company said it had already started test production of masks at its flagship manufacturing plant in Shenzhen in southern China.
The masks would in the first instance be to protect its workers from infection, something that the firm believes: “is not just Foxconn’s biggest corporate responsibility, but also our social responsibility”.
Once full production had started it would start providing masks to people outside the company, it added.
- China’s urgent plea for face masks
- Fiat warns of coronavirus risk to Europe car plant
- China pumps billions into economy as coronavirus hits
The firm also said that it would use a new generation of infrared temperature measurement equipment at its facilities to help detect any potential coronavirus infections in its workforce.
Like other companies, Foxconn responded to the outbreak by closing most of its operations during the Lunar New Year break. In previous years it had kept its factories running during the holiday. It is now seeking permission from the authorities to restart work at the closed plants.
The announcement came as concerns grow that factory closures and travel restrictions across China will have a major impact on the supply of goods around the world.
Some analysts have estimated that global smartphone shipments could fall by as much as 10% this year, and cause a shortage of iPhones, especially the new iPhone 11.
US car maker General Motors has also joined efforts to resolve the surgical mask shortage.
Its Chinese joint venture SAIC-GM-Wuling has announced that it will set up 14 production lines with the goal of making 1.7 million masks a day.