A version of this story appeared in the March 17 edition of CNN’s Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction newsletter. Sign up here to receive the need-to-know headlines every weekday.

(CNN)After virtually all of western Europe temporarily suspended the use of Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine, the continent’s top medicines regulator struck out against safety concerns around the shot, saying there is “no indication” that it causes blood clots and that its lifesaving benefits outweigh the risk of any potential side effects.Marvin Was Simply MarvelousThe backing from Emer Cooke, executive director of the European Medicines Agency, came after France, Spain, Germany, Italy and more than a dozen other countries halted use of the vaccine, even as the continent confronts a third wave of the pandemic and faces criticism over sluggish vaccination rollout campaigns.The actions of European governments have surprised experts and caused a myriad of questions among people who have had or are in line to get the shot, Rob Picheta writes.But the pervading message from health experts has been one of calm; when placed in context the reported cases of blood clotting are rare and no greater than numbers would be in the general population, while the vaccine has been proven to work in reducing Covid-19 cases.

Source: ‘No indication’ AstraZeneca shot causes clots, EU agency says

A Brooklyn-based group called Safe Walks NYC offers safe walking from subway stations in response to violence in the neighborhood. In an exclusive interview for the New York Beacon, founder Peter Kerre -also founder of Street Riders NYC and involved in the Black Lives Matter movement-tells the story of Safewalks, which started in the light of the recent attacks on women around the Morgan L. Train.

Ice Cube to meet with Biden to discuss ‘Contract with Black America’

“As an area resident, I was already concerned about the rising cases of assault against women. The fifth one, where the lady posted pictures of her face bruised is what led me to say enough is enough, and I jumped on my bike and rode to the station to post up and hopefully be a deterrent and protect anyone in danger if need be.”

Kerre He adds that, unfortunately, the violence has increased as New Yorkers’ financial situation has changed due to the Covid-19 epidemic. At the moment, in addition to Social Justice efforts via Street Riders NYC, which is the largest body that helped expand Safewalks, the group is trying to build an application/platform to allow the expansion of Safewalk efforts—recalling that they are always open to volunteers, with New York having more than 10 million residents. 

The volunteer form can be found on Instagram. “Volunteers do the Safewalks, and we verify that they are all residents in the neighborhood,” he says. 

“Iniciatives such as self-policing are give a glimpse of how the future will be. We are excited to work on this. We have many initiatives aligned about the larger movement, mainly because it is an election year. We will be questioning any potential candidates heavily through our large platforms to ensure they can not only show us how much they have already done for the residents they represent but what their plans are.”

 How does it work?

1. User requests safe walk from IG ( verification of a valid user is via IG itself requiring verification of identity to use )
2. An Admin monitoring the Safewalks app receives the request ( we ask users to request at least an hr in advance )
3. The admin then forwards the message to the residential area group depending on the related subway stops, e.g, if the user is getting off at Morgan L, then the request would go to the Bushwick Safewalk Group )
4. The request is in pending status until two safe walkers verify availability to escort the user. The admin then reaches out to the user and notifies them of the safe walkers and how they will be dressed.
5. When the safe walkers reach the user, they send a message to their signal group notifying begin of the safe walk. They send status to the signal group every five minutes minimum until the requestor’s destination. They then send a completion message and send a ‘returning’ message (whether home or to a posted base ). They send status signals every five minutes to the rest of the group until they are back at their respective locations, then submit a route completion message along with any notes. 
6. The user also texts the admin to affirm reaching the location safely. 

(CNN)President Joe Biden’s first full day in office Thursday will focus on getting the Covid-19 pandemic under control, rolling out his national strategy that includes several executive actions related to vaccinations and testing in hopes of moving the federal response in a different direction.The day after being sworn-in, Biden plans to sign at least 10 executive orders, memorandums and directives focused on tackling the pandemic, which, as of Thursday morning, has claimed the lives of more than 400,000 Americans and infected over 24 million in the US. And he is set to present some of his initiatives to the public at 2 p.m. ET and his press secretary and Dr. Anthony Fauci will answer questions at 4 p.m. ET.Biden will sign an order ramping up supplies for vaccination, testing and personal protective equipment and another boosting development of therapeutics to treat Covid-19.Following through on his campaign proposals, Biden will sign two executive orders creating a National Pandemic Testing Board to improve US coronavirus testing capacity and a Covid-19 Health Equity Task Force to ensure an “equitable” pandemic response and recovery.Rodgers, Allen, Mahomes, Brady Play for the Super Bowl  Another executive order will enhance the nation’s collection, production, sharing and analysis of data about the virus.He will direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency to offer full reimbursement to states for the cost of National Guard personnel and emergency supplies such as PPE for schools.Biden will direct the Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services to provide guidance for safe reopening and operating of schools, childcare providers, and institutions of higher education.He will issue an executive order calling on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to release clear guidance on Covid-19, decide whether to establish emergency temporary standards, and directs OSHA to enforce worker health and safety requirements.Building on the order he signed Wednesday making masks mandatory on federal property, Biden will also take action to require facial coverings in airports and on certain modes of transportation, including many trains, planes, maritime vessels and intercity buses. Thursday’s executive order will also require international travelers to provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test prior to traveling to the US.Biden also plans to issue a presidential directive to restore America’s leadership, support the international pandemic response effort, promote resilience for future threats, and advance global health security and the Global Health Security Agenda.Newly-installed White House Covid coordinator Jeff Zients told reporters Wednesday that Biden’s pandemic strategy will be “a fundamentally different approach from the Trump administration,” and will be “driven by science, data, and public health” — not politics.

Source: Biden issues slew of pandemic initiatives to improve vaccine distribution

(CNN)In the deadly fall wave of the 1918 flu pandemic, millions of people were doomed because they didn’t know what we know now about how viruses and respiratory illnesses spread.

We might face a similar fate if some people continue to ignore what a century of scientific progress and hindsight have taught us about ending pandemics.

 

The 1918 pandemic transpired in three waves, from the spring of 1918 to the winter of 1919 — ultimately killing 50 million to 100 million people globally. The first wave in the spring of 1918 was relatively mild. A majority of 1918 flu deaths occurred in the fall of 1918 — the second, and worst, wave of the 1918 flu.

 

 

 

 

The St. Louis Red Cross Motor Corps was on duty with mask-wearing women holding stretchers at the backs of ambulances during the influenza epidemic in Missouri in October 1918.

 

Health experts expect Covid-19 infections to increase this winter because the virus that causes Covid-19 is a coronavirus, and other coronaviruses spread more during winter. In wintry, less-humid air, virus-carrying particles can linger in the air longer. Additionally, our nasal membranes are drier and more vulnerable to infection in winter. And as the weather gets colder, we spend more time indoors without sufficient ventilation, which means the virus has a higher likelihood of spreading.

Source: What we can learn from 1918’s deadly second wave