Why can't people simply do the right thing?

September 4, 2020

Flint - A contractor in Flint(click here)  is under fire for how he disposed of lead pipes and soil in a residential neighborhood, and Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley said it's an environmental injustice.

When contractors do demolition, they have to dispose of the so-coiled spoils properly, and now, Neeley is fighting one contractor and the city council over a new issue.

"To allow this to happen once again in a residential area in a poor section of our community, this is unacceptable by all means," Neeley said....

The first thing that needed to be done was to remove the lead pipes separately from any other debris and consider it toxic waste.

To simply dump old lead pipes into the city's garbage dump was completely irresponsible. Water runoff can carry the lead back into the environment and we'd have to start all over again. I can't believe the people involved in his project in Flint have no conscience.

There is nothing like having children effected by lead looking at a garbage dump full of the lead that originally poisoned them. This is a call for "Environmental Justice."

This is an enormous amount of lead. This is not the usual paint chip issue or lead in toys problem, this is an enormous amount of lead and it needs to be handled correctly. This will endanger the health of thousands of people all over again.

In my opinion, it needs to be put in a sealed burial facility OR have it safely removed by a seriously competent contractor that recycles lead. But, even then it has to be understood that this enormous amount of lead pipe MUST be handled correctly and without ANY opportunity of recontamination anywhere in this country.

For that reason, the disposal of these lead pipes MUST BE TRACKED by competent people that know what needs to be done and oversees the work to be sure it is all carried out competently.

By law in most states, the contractor that disturbed the lead is responsible for it's disposal. But, if that contractor is incompetent then that company must pay for proper disposal and oversight. There needs to be reassurances to the people of Flint and to this country it is being handled properly and will never contaminate another human being again!

The Russian vaccination is not a live virus vaccine. I am relieved to see that.

It appears of the nine none are live vaccine. This is also a huge commercial issue. It is unfortuante that money has taken priority to proper testing. I believe that is the issue that is driving these early approvals. There are billions of orders for these vaccines as soon as they are approved. I can only hope they work against SARS-CoV-2, otherwise, the premature release will prove to be a folly.

“We have no idea whether this vaccine is safe or whether it works”, cautions Ashish Jha, Dean of the Brown University School of Public Health (Providence, RI, USA). “It is really worrying when people start to bypass the standard process we have for vaccine development.”

The review of the Russian vaccine by professionals outside Russia states there is poor performance by the vaccine to date. There are some hopeful results, but, not the kind of response that will bring about peace of mind.

Realize that people are dying of this virus. For the USA poor leadership has confused the issue and super spreader events are becoming daily occurrences. The "tone" of a country like the USA can very well be desperation and not caution. That will cause panic if indeed the vaccine being touted as "ready" for late October is released. Panic is the last thing that should happen because it may very well cause still yet new super spreader events if these vaccines require more than one shot or they are ineffective.

September 4, 2020

By Talha Khan Burki

On Aug 11, 2020, (click here) Russia became the first country in the world to approve a vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The vaccine, which is based on two adenovirus vectors, was developed by the Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology (Moscow, Russia). Its approval was announced by President Vladimir Putin. “I know [the vaccine] works quite effectively, helps to develop strong immunity, and has gone through all the necessary tests”, declared Putin at a cabinet meeting. Nonetheless, there are widespread concerns that the approval is premature. At the time of approval, the vaccine had not even started phase 3 trials, nor had any results on the earlier stage trials been published....

...According to WHO, as of Aug 28, 2020, nine vaccine candidates were in late-stage trials. These included separate adenovirus vector vaccines, a couple of mRNA vaccines, and several inactivated virus vaccines. There are plenty of vaccine candidates in earlier stages of evaluation. Experts are confident that at least one of the candidates will be successful. COVAX, a joint initiative between Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and WHO, aims to ensure any eventual vaccine is distributed fairly and equitably. 92 low-income and middle-income countries are eligible for support. The initiative is backing a range of vaccine candidates, including seven in clinical trials....

The adenovirus vector vaccines is more of a general coronavirus vaccine. In other words it is targetting the protrusions of the vaccine and if successful it may even end the common cold. This is the method I had imagined might work, but, the mRNA maybe something of a surprise and highly reliable. I would expect the adenovirus vaccines to work. China has one it is hoping will be an answer for it's people.

We are looking for effectiveness and I know the FDA is stating it is satisfied with 50% effectiveness. Fifity percent is interesting and of course 50% is important, but, to leave it at that is not the answer. Every person vaccinated has to have an immune response. I don't deny 50% their immunity, but, it is not enough. The American people and global community must have a vaccine that works for everyone.

There is a small percentage of people in the USA and globally that do not produce strong immunity because of their health conditions such as receiving chemotherapy. Their immunity will come from the fact others in their lives are immune and it is for that reason all Americans that can produce an immune response must have a vaccine that works.

2016 January 2

By Ursula Wiedermann, Erika Garner-Spitzer and Angelika Wagner

There are 2 major factors responsible for vaccine failures, (click here) the first is vaccine-related such as failures in vaccine attenuation, vaccination regimes or administration. The other is host-related, of which host genetics, immune status, age, health or nutritional status can be associated with primary or secondary vaccine failures. The first describes the inability to respond to primary vaccination, the latter is characterized by a loss of protection after initial effectiveness. Our studies concentrate on the evaluation of immunological characteristics responsible for primary vaccine failures in different (risk) populations for which the underlying mechanisms are currently unknown. Here we summarise current knowledge and findings from our studies....

Regardless of the success of one of the many vaccines in development, the virus SARS-CoV-2 has to be eliminated from existance. A vaccine begins that process but putting out flare-up of this virus is vitally important to those that cannot obtain immunity.

This virus is too dangerous to allow only those immune from a vaccine to live without fear or worse actual illness that causes problems beyond the infection and possibly death. It is important to have completely safe air quality for all people alive today.

This population of people that do not achieve immunity will have to continue social distancing, masks and hand hygiene without touching their face. The rules will not change for them. That is why we cannot stop at 50 percent immunity effectiveness. We would still be hampered by a substantial number of Americans that cannot return to normal life. That is unacceptable.

Even after the vaccine begins to be administered there needs to be caution among the optimism to continue the social distancing, mask wearing and hand hygiene until people are finally immune. There is also the caution for SUSTAINABLE IMMUNITY. Will this first immune response be a flash in the pan response only to be reinfected after a short time of a few months if lucky. 

It is these reasons why full testing can be certain to the best outcomes for people. By releasing these vaccines early, it might bring in tons of money for one country or another, but, will it be a folly or a cure? It seems the public interest in any country is to SPEND THEIR VACCINE DOLLARS WISELY ON SUPPLIES THAT WORK AND SUSTAIN IMMUNITY.

This rush to judgement about vaccines is a bad idea. The FDA has "fast tracked" medications for disease that is dangerous, but, this is the first time such ideas were instilled in the vaccine process. It is more than worrisome. So much can go wrong and most probably will go wrong. We don't need super spreader events out of false confidence in the face of containment strategies that when applied do work.

Gold Star Families

 My heart breaks with them. This is a horrible reality for them. We make them Gold Star Families because that is what we can do. We cannot replace their sons and daughters and Mommys and Daddys. We can only honor them in the way we can. 

Losing a son or daughter is the worst pain a parent can endure. Losing a mother or father makes childhood incomplete. The loss of a spouse leaves a husband or wife alone feeling life closing in on them. The country tries to make links to them because they have sacrificed for us. Their loss ensures life in the USA continues uninterrupted by enemies and the USA has very real enemies.

I apologize to them for this severely painful time with a president that isn't worthy of the office. These families will remain important and honored by the people of this country. The American people have a conscience even if a person in the White House does not.