Month: May 2020

TORONTO — Two-thirds of Canadians believe the government should nationalize long-term care facilities in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, according to a new poll. 

The survey from Angus Reid Institute found that 66 per cent want the government to take over private long-term care homes, while 34 per cent disagree with the idea. 

The strongest support for nationalization is in Quebec at 77 per cent and the lowest is in Saskatchewan, where only 49 per cent think it should happen. 

COVID-19 has killed thousands of residents in Canada’s long-term care facilities. Eighty-two per cent of the Canadians who have died of the disease lived in long-term care, according to research by the International Long Term Care Policy Network. 

Earlier: Premier Doug Ford says he can relate to Canadians who have relatives in long-term care homes.

 

The facilities fall under provincial jurisdiction and are not subject to the Canada Health Act, which sets out the health-care services that must be universally available. 

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has said that there’s “no question” that private homes must be nationalized after the pandemic. 

“I think we need to end them,” he said on May 10. “Profit should not be the motive when it comes to how we care for our seniors.”

Neither of the premiers of Ontario nor Quebec, the provinces with the highest death rates in long-term care, have committed to cutting out for-profit care homes altogether. 

But Premier François Legault of Quebec, where 2,713 have died in the homes known as CHSLDs, has raised the possibility.

“These are living environments, but they are also care environments — just as important as hospitals,” he said on May 15. 

“A lot of Quebecers are not proud of what happened in CHSLDs, myself first.”

In Ontario, where 1,531 have died in long-term care, the premier says the system needs an overhaul but that it could be too costly for the government to fund all facilities. 

“We aren’t in the financial spot to be able to fund the whole system, but I’d love to sit down, and I’ve mentioned this to the prime minister and deputy prime minister, we need their support,” Premier Doug Ford said May 6. 

His office later said that his talks with the federal government haven’t included the possibility of doing away with privatized homes. 

“It’s not really a conversation we’re having right now, at all,” Ford’s spokesperson Ivana Yelich told iPolitics on May 11. 

The two largest operators of long-term care and seniors homes in Canada make hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue. Chartwell, which is chaired by the former Ontario premier who expanded the privatization of long-term care, made USD$684 million in revenue last year, according to business analytics firm Dun & Bradstreet. Revera, a company that is being sued for negligence over its response to the pandemic, makes USD$694 million a year.

The Angus Reid Institute poll found that feelings about the role of for-profit care homes are divided by political beliefs. 

Only 47 per cent of respondents who voted Conservative in the last election believe the homes should be nationalized, while three-quarters of respondents who voted Liberal or NDP support government takeovers. 

The institute surveyed 1,777 adults through its Angus Reid Forum on May 18 and 19. A probability sample of that size has a margin of error +/- 2.3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

READ MORE…

• For-Profit Nursing Homes Hire Tory Insiders To Lobby Ford Government

• COVID-19 Has Killed 164 At Revera's Care Homes. Their Families Want Answers.

• Canadians Want The U.S. Border Closed For Longer During Pandemic: Survey

This story on the new coronavirus is updated throughout the day with national news and developments from around our network of local Patches. Scroll down for links, helpful for day-to-day living and the most recent stories.

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Jerome H. Powell, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, has a simple message for Americans gearing up for another week amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“This economy will recover. It may take a while,” Powell said in a preview of an interview he gave to “60 Minutes” on Sunday night.

The comments from the U.S. central bank chief came after the House of Representatives pushed through a $3 trillion bill intended to help in that economic recovery process.

However, the aid package has almost no chance of passing the Senate in its current form, with Senate Republicans calling it “dead on arrival.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday stressed the urgency of passing the next coronavirus relief bill as Republicans suggested waiting to see how funds already distributed from the federal government impact the nation.

“They may think it’s ok to pause but people are hungry across America, hunger doesn’t take a pause. People are jobless across America, that doesn’t take a pause,” Pelosi told reporters.

Pelosi Stresses Urgency For Next Relief Bill

Speaker Pelosi made it clear on Sunday she thinks that the next coronavirus relief bill should be the top priority for Republicans.

“Time is very important. We have lost time. But, again, setting aside how we got here, we can not take a pause,” Pelosi said Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

The $3 trillion Democratic measure would cost more than the prior four coronavirus bills combined. It would deliver almost $1 trillion for state and local governments, another round of $1,200 direct payments to individuals and help for the unemployed, renters and homeowners, college debt holders and the struggling Postal Service.

Trump and top Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell are insisting the next bill should protect reopening businesses from liability lawsuits. The president is also demanding a cut to payroll taxes, but GOP leaders are not yet onboard.

Additionally, Senate Republicans are suggesting a wait-and-see approach to state reopenings and the distributions of already allotted funds.

Powell Warns U.S. Recovery Could Stretch Through 2021

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell thinks the U.S. economy may not start to turn around until the end of this year, and that a vaccine will be critical to achieving a full financial recovery.

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“Assuming there’s not a second wave of the coronavirus, I think you’ll see the economy recover steadily through the second half of this year,” the U.S. central bank chief said in an interview preview aired Sunday on CBS. “For the economy to fully recover people will have to be fully confident, and that may have to await the arrival of a vaccine.”

Powell added that people should never “bet” against the American people, but the economy will take its time in recovering. The Fed chair’s comments came as more than 36 million Americans have lost their jobs since February.

Obama Criticizes Virus Response In Graduation Speech

Former President Barack Obama on Saturday criticized U.S. leaders responsible for overseeing the country’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Obama spoke during the “Show Me Your Walk, HBCU Edition,” a two-hour event for students graduating from historically black colleges and universities, and then again later in the day during a televised commencement address for high school seniors.

“More than anything, this pandemic has fully, finally torn back the curtain on the idea that so many of the folks in charge know what they’re doing,” Obama said in his first speech. “A lot of them aren’t even pretending to be in charge.”

Obama did not name any federal or state officials in either of his appearances, but earlier in May he harshly criticized President Trump’s handling of the pandemic as an “absolute chaotic disaster” in a call with 3,000 members of his administrations.

Obama urged the young graduates to be unafraid despite the current challenges facing the nation and to strive to be part of a diverse community.

Most States Failing To Hit Recommended Testing Levels

A new analysis claims a vast majority of states are not administering the number of coronavirus tests recommended by public health experts to safely reopen.

According to an AP analysis of metrics developed by Harvard’s Global Health Institute, 41 of the nation’s 50 states fail to test widely enough to drive their infections below a key benchmark.

Rapid, widespread testing is considered essential to tracking and containing the coronavirus.

Among the states falling short are Texas and Georgia, which moved aggressively last month to reopen stores, malls, barbershops and other businesses.

Researchers at Harvard University have calculated that the U.S. needs to test a minimum of 900,000 people per day to safely reopen the economy. That goal is nearly three times the country’s current daily testing tally of about 360,000, according to figures compiled by the COVID Tracking Project website.

From Across America

Cuomo Takes Coronavirus Test Live

Gov. Andrew Cuomo got tested for the coronavirus during his daily press briefing to show how “fast and easy” it is.

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Big Cat Advocate ‘Tiger King’ Sells Face Masks

The founder of the Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, featured in the Netflix docuseries, “Tiger King,” is selling leopard-printed face masks.

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Class Of 2020 Joins Worst Job Market In History

Nearly 4 million people are expected to graduate with a college degree this academic year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. They will do so amid soaring unemployment and shuttering businesses, The Hill reports.

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NY Racing Tracks Get Green Light To Reopen

The state will allow horse racing tracks to open without fans, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo looks to boost economic activity while avoiding crowds.

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Wisconsin Supreme Court Strikes Down ‘Safer-At-Home’ Order

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has struck down the state’s “Safer-At-Home” order, stating that Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ administration overstepped its legal boundaries when crafting the order.

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Illinois 13-Year-Old Makes More Than 2,000 Masks

Madi Hagwell, a junior high student from Mokena, has made 2,000 masks for those in need.

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You’ve Never Seen A ‘Save The Date’ Like This One

Marc and Christina of Connecticut have been together for 8 years, engaged for 3. They set a date: June 2020. But coronavirus happened. Come on, July 2021!

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How To Get Free Or Discounted Prescriptions During Coronavirus

Pharmacies across the U.S. are stepping up to help consumers find affordable medications.

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Should We Believe Gov. Pritzker’s Coronavirus Testing Statistics?

KONKOL COLUMN: Illinois Gov. Pritzker wants us to believe the state with the most coronavirus tests wins, but statistics don’t tell the whole story.

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Read More By State

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Patch Coronavirus Resources

Interrogée sur RTL dimanche 24 mai, Roxana Maracineanu a indiqué que la reprise du sport ne pourra pas se faire tant qu’un vaccin contre le Covid-19 n’aura pas été trouvé.

Sommaire

1. Quand les compétitions vont-elles reprendre ?

“Sans le vaccin, pas de retour à la normale pour le sport“. C’est ce qu’a annoncé la ministre des Sports Roxana Maracineanu au micro de RTL dimanche 24 mai précisant qu’en l’absence d’

un vaccin contre le Covid-19, il serait impossible pour le monde du

 sport de reprendre une activité normale, semblable à celle antérieure à la crise sanitaire. “Dans

une période de confinement, on ne pouvait pas envisager de 

faire du sport comme avant. Mais tout au long de cette crise je ne jamais cessé de me battre pour le sport”, a-t-elle déclaré alors que l’apparition d’un vaccin n’est envisagée qu’à partir de l’année prochaine. 

@RoxaMaracineanu sur @RTLFrance : « Dans une période de confinement, on ne pouvait pas envisager de faire du sport comme avant. Mais tout au long de cette crise je ne jamais cessé de me battre pour le sport. Sans le vaccin, pas de retour à la normale pour le sport » #Covid19 pic.twitter.com/jo7VQLmWN1— RTL Pro : RTL – RTL2 – FUN RADIO (@RTL_presse) May 24, 2020

“D’autres mesures seront annoncées le 2 juin, pour que les clubs puissent utiliser les tests pour valider l’état physique et psychologique de leurs joueurs, retravailler et rejouer en groupe, a-t-elle ajouté. Il faut un certain temps pour se remettre d’un tel confinement et derrière, rejouer, retrouver les réflexes de jeux collectifs. Nous avons eu aussi

des clusters en France, situation que n’ont pas connue nos voisins, notamment l’Allemagne.”

Quand les compétitions vont-elles reprendre ?Alors que l’arrêt de la Ligue 1 divisent le monde du

football français, la ministre confirme “valider l’arrêt des saisons des différents sports”. “Cela n’empêchera pas les recours comme ceux de l’Olympique Lyonnais et d’Amiens auprès du conseil d’Etat. Les finales de Coupe en août, ça peut s’envisager à huis clos.““Dans le contexte du 11 mai, on ne pouvait finir le championnat le 3 août et ça n’était pas envisageable de faire des sports comme le foot dès le 13 juin. Il faut un certain temps pour se remettre d’un tel confinement et pour retrouver les réflexes d’un jeu collectif. Désormais, on espère tous que la compétition pourra reprendre mi-juillet ou début août. Quelles compétitions ? Ce n’est pas à moi d’en décider.“La ministre a également été interrogée sur le retour partiel du public dans les stades. Elle a évoqué des “parcours d’arrivée et de sortie pour aller à son siège” afin d’avoir du public “de manière dégradée“, mais “dans tous ces écosystèmes comme les événements sportifs, ça va être compliqué, même si aujourd’hui dans les stades, on sait gérer les flux de personnes. Tous ces acteurs de l’événementiel sont au travail.” Quid de Roland-Garros ou du Tour de France ? “Ma plus grande envie, c’est qu’il y ait du public, car Roland-Garros et le Tour de France sans public, ce n’est pas envisageable. Mais la réalité, c’est qu’aujourd’hui, nous les faisons également travailler sur d’autres scénarios avec moins de public.“Click Here: Bape Kid 1st Camo Ape Head rompers

“Mais comment font les femmes?”. A l’occasion de la sortie du film le 21 septembre 2011, Sarah Jessica Parker nous en dit plus !

Mais comment font les femmes ? de Douglas McGrath, avec Sarah Jessica Parker, Pierce Brosnan, Greg Kinnear, Christina Hendricks …

Synopsis : Kate est mariée, a deux enfants et un job épuisant. Professionnelle jusqu’au bout des ongles, elle jongle avec un emploi du temps de ministre pour concilier son travail, l’éducation de ses enfants et sa vie de couple. Sa vie est une succession de mini-cataclysmes auxquels elle doit trouver des solutions : comment réussir une conférence-call en préparant le diner de ses enfants ? Comment arriver à se faire des soirées entre copines quand le petit dernier est malade ? Comment être sexy avec son mari après 12h au bureau ? Mais comment font les femmes ? Si c’était si simple, les hommes feraient pareil…

Propos recueillis par Emmanuel Itier  / Montage : Michel Weinstein

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MICHIGAN — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday discussed aspects of a plan that would eventually begin to open the state’s economy, but she noted there is still a ways to go.

The plan, called “MI Safe Start,” weighs several factors when considering whether to open a particular workplace, and it builds off many measures already put in place such as social distancing and the use of personal protective equipment in workplaces.

“When I asked Michigan residents to stay home, to stay safe, you listened,” Whitmer said. “You did the right thing, and I know it has not been easy. I know that many people have lost work. I know that many people are worried about paying their bills, taking care of their families, just getting the rent taken care of.

“We are not out of the woods yet, but we are seeing signs that give us reason to be feeling optimistic,” Whitmer added.

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Debate over when to reopen the state economy has been taking place for weeks, as Whitmer has continued to say opening too soon would be detrimental.

The governor said the state has monitored trends relating to new cases of the coronavirus and that those trends have been promising as of late. Whitmer said Monday that without social distancing, projections showed Michigan would have more than 220,000 people requiring hospitalization as of today. Thanks to social distancing, she said, about 3,000 people are currently hospitalized due to the coronavirus.

On Monday, the state reported fewer than 600 new cases for the third straight day, something that had not been done since March.

Whitmer has been collaborating with governors in surrounding states to determine how to safely reopen economic in the Midwest. Ohio announced Monday that it will reopen its economy Friday. Such a time frame does not seem likely for Michigan, Whitmer said, because the state is facing an entirely different set of circumstances.

MI Safe Start

According to Whitmer, the state will direct businesses to adopt a new array of workforce safety practices that have been recommended by industry and public health experts.

Workplaces will be given risk scores that will play a part in determining when they can reopen in the MI Safe Start plan.

Businesses also will be required to closely monitor their employees and potential symptoms, and implement an array of social distancing techniques. Some businesses will be required to strengthen their sanitation and hygiene protocols while also providing recommended personal protective equipment.

Under an executive order signed earlier in April, employers will continue to be barred from retaliating against employees who stay home because they think they are sick or believe someone in their household is sick.

Geography will also be taken into account when determining if a workplace should be reopened, with officials detailing eight sectors throughout the state.

Officials in a news conference Monday said the construction industry may be one of the first to reopen. No firm timeline was given for the economy as a whole, however.

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Les premières photos de tournage du long métrage de Tim Burton ” The Dark Shadows” ont été dévoilées !

Deux nouvelles photos de tournage du long métrage de Tim Burton Dark Shadows ont été dévoilées ! Adapté de la célèbre série télévisée, le film raconte l’histoire du vampire Barnabas Collins, dont le chemin croise régulièrement celui de monstres, fantômes et autres créatures surnaturelles. Emmené par Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley et Chloe Moretz, le long métrage sortira sur nos écrans le 9 mai 2012.

Tim Burton & Johnny Depp

Tim Burton, Michelle Pfeiffer & Jonny Lee Miller

Laëtitia Forhan avec Comingsoon

CHICAGO — Illinois residents bought $2.6 million more in recreational cannabis products in April than they did in March, state regulators announced Monday. The state’s highest month of non-medical marijuana sales since the first month of legalization coincided with the first full month of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s statewide stay-at-home order.

Dispensaries sold nearly 819,000 items last month. Customers bought $37.26 million worth of cannabis, with nearly $29.74 million of that purchased by those with Illinois state identification, according to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, or IDFPR.

The order may have had more of an effect on sales to travelers from other states. Out-of-state residents bought over $7.52 million worth of cannabis in April, nearly $1.3 million than the prior month.

All these spending totals do not include the amount cannabis consumers spend in sales and excise taxes, which run somewhere in excess of 25 percent of pre-tax spending, according to previous months’ data from the Illinois Department of Revenue.

Issued in response to the spread of the new coronavirus, the governor’s March 20 order declared the cannabis industry among those business considered “essential,” allowing cultivation centers and dispensaries to remain open.

Both recreational and medical sales were included in an effort to ensure adequate cannabis supply for medical patients during the pandemic, according to IDFPR. A slightly modified stay-at-home order has been extended until May 30.

Ahead of the stay-at-home order, the state regulatory agency loosened rules to allow curbside sales to medical marijuana patients. Those rules have also been extended through the end of May. Delivery and off-site sales remains prohibited, and the new rules do not apply to recreational sales.

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“Our top priority is to ensure consumers are safe when they go to a dispensary to purchase cannabis,” Toi Hutchinson, Pritzker’s senior advisor for cannabis control, said in a statement. “The steps we’ve taken to increase social distancing at dispensaries are accomplishing that, while also enabling this new industry to continue to grow.”

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Related:
Cannabis Industry Deemed ‘Essential’ During Coronavirus
First-Month Marijuana Sales Generate $10.5 Million In Taxes
Nearly $40 Million In Legal Weed Sold In First Month
Recreational Marijuana Sales Stay High In March Despite Coronavirus

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One day before the end of the month, Pritzker signed an executive order delaying the issuance of up to 75 new licenses for recreational cannabis dispensaries. The licenses would have been the first in Illinois not to have been limited to businesses that already operate existing medical marijuana dispensaries. They were also to include the first licenses that considered social equity applicants for approval.

The Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, which passed last year and legalized the retail sale of marijuana in the state, includes a May 1 deadline for state regulators to begin issuing new licenses. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pritzker’s executive order suspends the deadline until the end of his ongoing disaster proclamations or until IDFPR officials announce a new date.

Hutchinson said the administration still hopes to develop a legal cannabis industry that reflects the state’s population.

“We recognize that countless entrepreneurs were looking forward to May 1 and the next step it represented for Illinois’ adult use cannabis industry,” Hutchinson said last week. “However, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused delays in the application review process. This executive order will help ensure that we continue to build out this industry in a deliberate and equity-centric manner.”

The month of April includes the most prominent date in cannabis culture — the 20th of the month, or 4/20. Many dispensaries offered sales or other promotions to mark the 420 holiday. Due to the coronavirus, marijuana enthusiasts were unable to hold large public gatherings to mark the first such event since the state legalized cannabis.

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Total amount of pre-tax sales of adult-use cannabis for the first four months after the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act took effect in Illinois. Figures do not include medical sales or taxes collected.

Items Sold IL Residents Out-Of-State Total Sales Jan. 972,045 $30,611,632.22 $8,636,208.61 $39,247,840.83 Feb. 831,600 $25,615,371 $9,189,701.01 $34,805,072.01 March 812,203 $27,096,931.23 $8,805,611.99 $35,902,543.22 April 818,954 $29,735,650.41 $7,524,847.47 $37,260,497.89

VIRGINIA — Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam issued a “stay-at-home” order Monday as cases of the new coronavirus topped 1,000.

The stay-at-home order calls for residents to stay home except to obtain food and other essential services, obtain medical care, travel to and from work, take care of other persons or care for animals, visit a relative, travel to and from an educational institution, volunteer with a group providing charitable or social services, or exercise outdoors with social distancing.

“To date, this has been a suggestion to Virginians,” Northam said. “Today it’s an order.”

The order is in effect from Monday until June 10, unless changed or rescinded by another executive order.

Northam said at a Monday news conference that most people were complying with the state’s guidance, but just last weekend officials saw packed beaches and recreational areas. Under the order, beaches in Virginia are closed to visitors except for exercise and fishing. Private campgrounds must close for short-term stays, and higher education institutions must halt in-person classes and instruction.

Northam also asked out-of-state travelers to self-quarantine for 14 days, particularly those from areas hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak.

“It is clear that more people need to hear this basic message: Stay at home,” Northam said.

Last week, Northam issued an executive order banning gatherings of more than 10 people, violation of which is a class 1 misdemeanor. The order also closed nonessential recreation and entertainment businesses, ordered restaurants to operate with takeout and delivery only, and allowed businesses considered essential to operate with regular hours. K-12 schools were ordered to close for the rest of the academic year. This order is in effect through April 23.

Northam said people can continue to visit golf courses, but clubhouses are closed. Enforcement of the governor’s executive can take place if more than 10 people congregate in one place.

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As of Monday, the Virginia Department of Health reported 1,020 COVID-19 cases and 25 deaths. Of the total cases, 136 people are hospitalized. The Fairfax Health District continues to report the most cases — 224. The next largest numbers are 86 in Arlington County, 79 in Prince William County, 73 in James City County and 61 in Loudoun County. The state health department’s website does not show data on recovered patients; that data could be available depending on the capabilities of local health departments.

Northam expects the number of cases to continue increasing. Preliminary Virginia Department of Health data shows the largest number of cases appeared on dates in mid- and late March. These dates reflect the time a patient’s symptoms began or when the case report was received by the state health department. As of Monday, 99 cases appeared March 17, followed by 88 on March 18, 73 on March 23, 71 on March 24, 70 on March 19, and 67 on March 16. These numbers could change as more cases are reported.

“What we’re seeing now is the result of how people interacted two or three weeks ago,” Northam said. “What we will see a few weeks from now will be determined by how people behave today and in the following days. We need everyone to be patient with social distancing. It will take time to show results.”

Northam said following the order can help preserve hospital capacity. Virginia has approximately 18,500 hospital beds, including about 2,000 intensive care unit beds.

The state anticipates the need for more hospital beds, and some hospitals have started preparations. Mary Washington Healthcare in Fredericksburg established a field hospital, Virginia Commonwealth University is using student dorms for COVID-19 patients not needing ICU care, and Lonesome Pine Hospital in Wise County is a COVID-19 facility for acute care patients.

The state has been working with the Army Corps of Engineers to identify possible sites for emergency hospital bed capacity. A recommendation is expected in a matter of days, Northam said.

The state is not yet able to test everyone who seeks it, according to Dr. Denise Toney, director of the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services. She cited nationwide supply chain shortages, which impact state, hospital and private laboratory testing capabilities.

On Monday, Virginia is seeking federal major disaster status, which would provide more disaster-related unemployment support, legal services, food assistance and more. Virginia’s food bank network can now provide emergency food assistance to anyone in need of food, regardless of income. More information is available at vafoodbanks.org.

The Port of Virginia in Norfolk is open and prioritizing shipments of personal protective equipment. Virginia businesses are asked to donate or sell personal protective equipment through an online form.

Northam says over 1,600 volunteers have applied to the Virginia Medical Reserve Corps since Wednesday. More volunteers are needed to apply at www.vdh.virginia.gov/mrc.

Northam’s new stay-at-home order came the same day that Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan issued a similar order. Maryland’s order takes effect at 8 p.m. Monday. The order allows people to go out for essential jobs and tasks such as obtaining food and medical care, and to go out for walks.

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Les ventes de nombreux médicaments sur ordonnance, notamment les vaccins, ont continué à chuter depuis le début du confinement, selon une étude de l’Agence du médicament et de l’Assurance maladie, qui confirme la baisse des recours aux professionnels de santé pour les soins non liés au coronavirus.

Le nombre de vaccins délivrés en pharmacie a reculé entre 15% et 78% au cours des cinq premières semaines du

confinement, par rapport aux ventes réalisées à la même période en 2018 et 2019, “entraînant possiblement une prise de retard dans le calendrier vaccinal“, s’inquiète cette étude publiée lundi, qui confirme le recul déjà observé après deux semaines de confinement.Pour le seul vaccin hexavalent (

diphtérie,

tétanos,

poliomyélite,

coqueluche,

méningite à Haemophilus influenzae de type B,

hépatite B), cela équivaut à 77.000 nourrissons non vaccinés, estime l’étude.De façon générale, tous les “médicaments dont l’administration nécessite le recours à un professionnel de santé” confirment leur “effondrement“: injections contre la dégénérescence de la rétine (-40%),

stérilets hormonaux (-68%), produits destinés aux IRM et scanners (-67% et -66%) ou aux

coloscopies (-82%).”Les examens non pratiqués, indispensables pour diagnostiquer

certains cancers ou maladies graves, pourraient entraîner des retards de prise en charge“, avertissent les deux organismes.La consommation d’

antibiotiques baisse aussi nettement (-40%), particulièrement chez les enfants, ajoute l’étude, qui y voit “un possible effet de l’arrêt de la circulation” des agents infectieux hors

nouveau coronavirus, en raison de la

fermeture des crèches et des établissements scolaires.Elle note aussi “une moindre prise en charge pour la c

ontraception d’urgence et la

procréation médicalement assistée“.En revanche, la CNAM et l’ANSM font état d’un “retour vers une consommation normalisée” au cours de la semaine du 13 au 19 avril pour les traitements de maladies chroniques.Ces derniers avaient enregistré un “phénomène de stockage” au début du confinement avec “une consommation supérieure de 15% à 30%” pour les

antihypertenseurs, les

antidiabétiques, les

antidépresseurs ou encore les

antiépileptiques, suivis par une “sous-consommation” au cours de la semaine du 6 au 12 avril.Plus directement en lien avec l’

épidémie de coronavirus, les délivrances de

corticoïdes oraux et d’

anti-inflammatoires non stéroïdiens comme l’

ibuprofène restent en forte baisse (jusqu’à 75%), “probablement en lien avec la mise en garde” des autorités sanitaires concernant “un risque potentiel d’

aggravation du Covid-19″ en cas de consommation de ce type de médicaments.Les annonces médiatiques d’un potentiel effet de la

chloroquine et de l’

hydroxychloroquine pour combattre le Covid ont au contraire fait bondir la consommation de cet antipaludéen et de son dérivé, avant que l’ANSM n’en restreigne la prescription fin mars.L’étude estime “à environ 41.000 le nombre de personnes supplémentaires ayant acquis sur ordonnance” ces traitements au cours des cinq premières semaines du confinement.

Une nouvelle étude chinoise rapporte la découverte de nouvelles mutations du Sars Cov2 dont certains souches plus fortes en charge virale serait plus présentes en Europe.

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1. Des mutations qui risque de rendent difficile la découverte d’un vaccin efficace

Les nouvelles données concernant le Covid-19 ne cessent d’évoluer de jour en jour. Des nouveaux symptômes se rajoutent, le type de personnes qu’il touche, les organes qu’il affecte aussi. Les chercheurs et professionnels de santé avancent à tâtons et en apprennent au compte goutte. C’est maintenant son pouvoir pathogène qui aurait évolué.  Les mutations mineures annoncées jusque là seraient maintenant plus importante, selon une étude publiée le 14 avril 2020, une équipe de scientifiques chinois de l’université de Zhejiang. Dans ce rapport, le groupe d’étude a mené des tests sur 11 patients. 30 mutations du Sars-Cov2 ont été identifiées, dont 19 nouvelles. Quelles conséquences ces mutations peuvent elles avoir sur l’incidence du virus? Des mutations qui risque de rendent difficile la découverte d’un vaccin efficace “Notre étude montre que le génome du Sars-Cov2 subit actuellement des mutations et que ces dernières ont la possibilité d’impacter son potentiel pathogène et  viral”, explique les auteurs de l’étude. Certaines souches seraient donc plus fortes que d’autres. Dans le rapport, les chercheurs expliquent que certaines souches auraient 270 fois plus de charge virale que les souches les moins fortes. Les différentes formes de souches seraient plus présentes que d’autres en fonction de la zone géographique. Les souches seraient plus virulentes en Europe et Chine que celles qui circulent actuellement aux Etats-Unis, selon le rapport. La charge virale c’est l’intensité de la présence du virus. Elle affecte le pouvoir contagieux du virus ce qui le rend indirectement plus dangereux. Quant à une incidence directe sur sa virulence une fois le patient infecté, les études ne sont pas encore prononcées. L’échantillon de patients utilisé reste encore une fois très faible, car les recherches débutent seulement et certains facteurs manquent à l’appel pour cette étude qui permet malgré tout de nourrir les pistes. Au-delà de la sévérité du virus, les auteurs de l’étude souhaitent souligner que les différentes formes de souches qui semblent évoluer rapidement risquent de rendre plus difficile la découverte d’un

vaccin efficace ainsi que

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