Tag: health

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Amplify to launch clear residing ETF, DTOX, monitoring surroundings and well being

Amplify to launch clean living ETF, DTOX, tracking environment and health

The enthusiasm for clean living doesn’t stop with Corporate America.

The trend has now crept into the exchange-traded fund market, where Amplify ETFs – the company behind popular themed funds like the Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF (CNBS) and the Amplify Transformational Data Sharing ETF (BLOK) – have now applied for an ETF focused on clean Life.

If the index-based fund is approved, it will be launched later this year under the ticker DTOX, Amplify founder and CEO Christian Magoon told CNBC’s “ETF Edge” this week.

DTOX will “track buildings and infrastructure, health, beauty, food, hospitality, energy and transportation companies that make products that are either better for the environment or better for the human body,” Magoon said in an interview Monday .

It sounds broad-based, but Amplify has proposed fairly strict rules for its holdings.

“They must have about 80% of their sales in these rooms,” said Magoon.

“It’s really one way of capitalizing on this trend that people want to be cleaner in terms of their footprint, health and environment,” he said. “We believe this is a trend that will continue for a while. We believe that companies that focus on it and get most of their revenue from it have a chance to produce alpha.”

While there are clean energy, health and wellness ETFs, DTOX would be the first to reflect both themes.

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5 Well being Care Jobs on the Rise

5 Health Care Jobs on the Rise

This article is part of our new series on the Future of Healthcare, which examines changes in the medical field.

Department of Labor economists estimate that US health care employment will grow 15 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations, creating about 2.4 million new jobs over that period.

The health and welfare sector is expected to create the most new jobs, with six of the top ten fastest growing occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Driving Expected Growth: Caring for the Aging Baby Boom Population; longer lifetime; and continued growth in the number of patients with chronic diseases.

A recent report from McKinsey & Company also expects the greatest growth in labor demand through 2030 for health workers, technicians, wellness professionals and health professionals.

As the world adapts to the coronavirus pandemic, that number could increase further as “demand for healthcare and STEM workers may grow faster than before the pandemic, reflecting increased awareness of health.” it in the report.

The fastest growing healthcare professions include physician assistants, nurses (an employment growth rate of 52 percent is projected from 2019 to 2029; the fastest in the field) and occupational therapy assistants.

LinkedIn researchers analyzed demanded jobs sparked by the shock of the pandemic to compile a list of 15 “jobs on the rise”. LinkedIn’s data scientists examined over 15,000 job titles to identify the positions that have grown the most compared to 2019, Andrew Seaman, senior editor, job search and careers at LinkedIn News, said in an interview. “While some of these healthcare positions have been in demand, the pandemic has exacerbated this. Since 2019, hiring for healthcare jobs has increased more than 34 percent. “

Here five healthcare jobs are on the rise.

Overall nurse employment growth is projected to exceed 50 percent from 2019 to 2029. According to a forecast by the Ministry of Labor, the increase is mainly due to the increasing importance of preventive care and the demand for health services from an aging population.

According to the BLS, registered nursing – a related but distinct profession that includes separate state licenses and in some cases degrees – is among the top occupations in terms of employment growth from 2019 to 2029, although it is an understaffed field . The BLS estimates that 11 million additional nurses will be needed to avoid another shortage.

Registered nurses, who are also required to have a nursing license, can legally prescribe medication and are more flexible than nurses in diagnosing and treating illnesses. Average salaries also differ: in May 2020, the median annual wage for registered nurses was $ 75,330, according to the BLS; The median annual nurse wage over the same period was $ 111,680.

Nurses are licensed in all states and the District of Columbia. Certifications include those from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the American Nurses Credentialing Center, and the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board.

Overall employment of home health and personal care workers is expected to increase 34 percent from 2019 to 2029, according to the Department of Labor. The aging baby boom generation and the growing older population are the main reasons for the increase.

Home health and personal care aides represent the sixth fastest growing employment in the country, according to the Department of Labor, but pay is low at around $ 12.15 an hour, or $ 25,280 a year.

President Biden’s American employment plan to expand home and community care currently contains few details, but calls for addressing the low wages in the industry and “makes significant investments in the infrastructure of our care economy by first creating new and better jobs for the industry become caregivers, ”according to the White House fact sheet.

Updated

April 14, 2021, 5:50 a.m. ET

There is a great need for paid workers in private homes, assisted living communities, memory centers for people with dementia, hospice facilities and nursing homes. While the work, often booked through a home care agency, is well worth it, it can be mentally and physically demanding. There are part-time positions in institutions or hospices for assisted living. Short term training courses are usually provided by nurses for those who work for an agency or an in-house facility.

There is usually formal training and a proficiency test to work for certified home health or hospice agencies that receive reimbursement from Medicare or Medicaid. The requirements vary from state to state. Some employers may require certified nursing assistant certification, and criminal background review is standard. CPR training and a driver’s license are also helpful.

Job offers are usually advertised by local care institutions. There are some great networks for the care of job seekers. Based outside of San Francisco, CareLinx works like an online matchmaking website for families. The network, which began in 2011, operates nationwide with over 500,000 professional caregivers, from certified nurses to registered nurses.

According to the Department of Labor, the number of substance abuse, behavioral and mental health advisors is expected to increase by 25 percent from 2019 to 2029, further fueling current growth.

“According to our listing data, jobs in the mental health sector have increased by 28 percent since 2019,” said Sara Sutton, managing director and founder of the FlexJobs job board. “Jobs like behavioral health care managers, risk mitigation managers, social workers, and case managers fall under this category. With regard to therapy orders in particular, the board recorded an increase of a whopping 56 percent in 2020. Titles include therapist, psychologist, counselor, and psychiatrist. “

LinkedIn data shows that the number of mental health workers increased nearly 24 percent year over year. Fast growing positions include behavioral therapists, psychiatrists, and psychotherapists. Most of these roles require an associate degree or higher and training in areas such as child play therapy, mindfulness, and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Educational requirements vary, but most positions require at least a bachelor’s degree. All states require licensing of mental health counselors after completing postgraduate clinical work under the supervision of a licensed counselor.

Wages vary, but according to Payscale.com, the salary of a mental health consultant ranges from $ 31,000 to $ 64,000 a year. The median annual wage for substance abuse, behavioral and mental health counselors was $ 47,660 as of May 2020, according to the BLS

Massage therapist employment is expected to increase by 21 percent over the next decade, according to the Department of Labor. Demand is likely to increase as more healthcare providers understand the benefits of massage and these services become part of treatment plans.

This is a job that lends itself well to a home business where clients come into a therapist’s in-house studio. A growing specialty is geriatric massage therapy, a gentle massage for older adults that focuses on blood circulation and relaxation. The core work is to evaluate the client’s medical history and offer treatments based on the client’s needs.

Most states and the District of Columbia regulate massage therapy and require a license or certification after completing an accredited training program of 500 hours or more of study and experience, although standards and requirements vary widely by state or other jurisdiction. A high school diploma or equivalent is usually required for admission to a massage therapy program. The average annual wage for massage therapists was $ 43,620 as of May 2020, according to the BLS

Respiratory therapists treat patients with heart and lung problems such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and sleep apnea. They perform diagnostic tests for lung capacity, perform breathing treatments, document the patient’s progress, and speak to doctors and surgeons.

According to the BLS, the employment of respiratory therapists is expected to increase 19 percent from 2019 to 2029

Respiratory therapists usually require an associate degree, but some have a bachelor’s degree in respiratory therapy. Respiratory therapists are licensed in all states except Alaska. Requirements vary by state. The American Association for Respiratory Care has a job board.

Educational courses are offered by colleges and universities, professional engineering institutes, and the U.S. military. Completion of a program accredited by the Commission for Airway Care Accreditation may be required to obtain a license.

The license requirements vary depending on the state. Most states pass a state or professional certification exam. For specific government requirements, contact the government health authority. The National Board for Respiratory Care is the primary certification body and offers two levels of certification: certified respiratory therapist and registered respiratory therapist. The median annual wage for respiratory therapists in May 2020 was $ 62,810, according to the BLS

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Health

Germany well being minister requires lockdown, considers Russian vaccine

Coronavirus anniversary: Europe's slow vaccine rollout

On Tuesday, January 12, 2021, a health care worker will take care of a Covid 19 patient in the intensive care unit of the Robert Bosch Hospital in Stuttgart. Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that Germany would face tough lockdown measures until the end of March if the authorities do not contain a rapidly spreading variant of the coronavirus.

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

LONDON – Germany got one step closer to the nationwide lockdown on Friday when Chancellor Angela Merkel sought to standardize the restrictions across the various states.

“The Infection Protection Act is being changed to give the state the necessary power,” said a government spokesman in Berlin on Friday.

The law update is expected to be approved by lawmakers next week, and a lockdown could be imposed shortly thereafter.

Earlier on Friday, German health officials said they were concerned about the rising coronavirus infections in the country and said a nationwide lockdown was needed to end the ongoing third wave.

Germany has faced high rates of Covid infection since last October, and despite an improvement in February, the number of new cases has increased since the end of March.

“Many citizens recognize the need to break this wave with additional measures, and the majority are in favor of stricter rules. A lockdown is needed to break the current wave,” said German Health Minister Jens Spahn at a press conference on Friday.

This third wave of the coronavirus is putting pressure on the country’s health system at a time when regional and federal governments are arguing over what to do.

“The number of intensive care patients is increasing far too quickly. Doctors and nurses have been under constant stress for months and rightly sound the alarm,” said Spahn.

“We have to break the third wave as quickly as possible. That means: reduce contacts and reduce mobility. This is the only way to prevent further increases.”

The country reported over 30,000 new Covid cases on Wednesday and around 26,000 on Thursday.

German officials disagreed on the right approach to dealing with emerging cases, while citizens were frustrated with the different regimes between different regions.

Federal Finance Minister Olaf Scholz told CNBC earlier this week: “If we could come to similar measures in all locations, this would help a lot and make it more understandable.”

The German health authorities are pushing for an increase in vaccinations in the country, which has already paid off. On Thursday, the daily vaccination count approached 720,000 compared to around 317,000 a week ago, according to the Ministry of Health.

“I think we’re going to a situation where by the end of this month it will be 4 to 5 million doses a week,” Scholz told CNBC.

Sputnik V.

At the press conference on Friday, the Minister of Health confirmed that, according to Reuters, contract negotiations are currently taking place for the purchase of the Sputnik V vaccine developed in Russia. Spahn added that there is still a question mark over whether these vaccines would be available in the coming months.

The European Medicines Agency started evaluating the Russian shot in early March and will decide whether to recommend it for use in the 27 EU member states. Although the regulator is using an urgent method to verify the effectiveness of Sputnik V, it is unclear when final approval could come.

German authorities previously announced they would consider using the Russian vaccine if the EMA concluded that the shot was effective in preventing the Covid-19 virus.

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Covid circumstances overwhelm Michigan well being system, Gov. Whitmer urges residents to remain dwelling

Covid cases overwhelm Michigan health system, Gov. Whitmer urges residents to stay home

In this file photo dated February 24, 2021, provided by Michigan Governor’s Office, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, the state is addressing during a speech in Lansing, Michigan. Governor Whitmer signed at least $ 2.5 billion in COVID-19 relief spending Tuesday. March 9, 2021, while she vetoed $ 650 million after the Michigan Republicans failed to negotiate with her and tied other aids to laws that would have curtailed her government’s power to impose pandemic restrictions.

Michigan Governor’s Office via AP

Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer has urged high schools to temporarily suspend face-to-face learning and residents to limit their activities as a surge in Covid-19 cases overwhelms the state’s public health system.

The governor also urged schools to voluntarily suspend youth sports games and practices, and residents to avoid in-person meals for the next two weeks.

“To be very clear, it is not about orders, mandates or requirements,” said Whitmer at a press conference on Friday. “A year later we all know what works and it has to be a team effort. We have to do this together. Life depends on it.”

Covid-19 infections have spiked across the state in recent weeks, approaching the state’s November pandemic high of 7,226 new cases a day averaging over the past week – a 23% increase from the previous week, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

The state health department is currently tracking 991 Covid outbreaks across Michigan, said the state’s chief medical executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, at the press conference.

“Because we see so many cases each day, our public health system is overwhelmed. We cannot get information on many cases, nor identify their close contacts. We don’t know where all cases or outbreaks are, and what we know is likely one Counting, “said Khaldun.

Whitmer and Khaldun urged all Michiganders to wear masks, maintain social distance, wash their hands, stay home and get vaccinated.

The rise in the coronavirus in Michigan is due to the fact that the highly infectious variant B.1.1.7, identified for the first time in Great Britain, has become the most common Covid strain in the USA

There were 291 outbreaks in the state between January and March that came from youth sports teams alone and that involved at least 1,091 people, Khaldun said.

“The numbers show that young people are not impervious to this virus as we’ve seen many cases in teenagers and young adult Michiganders,” Whitmer said.

State health officials recorded 58 outbreaks in restaurants and retail stores in the past week alone, Khaldun said.

“Just because something is open doesn’t mean it’s safe or that you should,” Khaldun said. “Indoor dining is one of the riskiest things to do in this pandemic.”

Whitmer also called on the federal government to develop a vaccination program to use Covid-19 vaccine doses at hotspots.

“Today it’s Michigan and the Midwest, tomorrow it could be another part of our country,” said Whitmer.

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Nationwide Guard urges U.S. to comply with well being measures as army races to vaccinate inhabitants

National Guard urges U.S. to follow health measures as military races to vaccinate population

US Air Force Tech. Sgt.Nathan Korta, medical technician with the Joint Task Force Steelhead Mobile Vaccination Team, delivers the COVID-19 vaccine to a resident of Orcas Island, March 2, 2021, Orcas Island, Wash.

Senior Airman Mckenzie Airhart | US Air National Guard

WASHINGTON – National Guard leaders on Thursday urged people in the US to continue to adhere to Covid-19 containment measures as the military races to vaccinate the population.

“We look forward to following that [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] Science that tells us what it is smart to do to keep protecting the civilian population around us, “Col. Russell Kohl, commander of the Missouri National Guard’s 131st Medical Group, told CNBC when asked about concerns from more states pass relaxing leadership.

“You will still see us socially distancing ourselves, you will still see us in masks and we will try to encourage as many people as possible to get the vaccine because I think this is really a multi-step process for We are overcoming this pandemic and returning to any kind of normalcy to the extent that there will be such a thing as normality as opposed to a new normal, “Kohl added.

Kohl’s comments came after California – the most populous state in the country – announced this week that it would lift most of its Covid-related restrictions by June 15. Over the past month, a number of states relaxed restrictions to varying degrees.

“We are the instruments of national power, not the decision-makers, and what the elected leaders do at the national, local and state levels is their decision,” Brig told the US Army. General Adam Flasch, Director of Joint Staff for the Maryland National Guard and dual status commander for the Title 10 active troops.

“But there is good solid science behind masks and social distancing and hand washing to deny the virus or vector until we can be vaccinated,” Flasch added.

The National Guard has mobilized 2,250 vaccines in more than 1,000 locations to deliver the coronavirus vaccines to Americans. The service said earlier this week it had reached a milestone by firing 6 million shots to the public.

Federal health officials recently warned that the U.S. is still in a battle against the coronavirus, even as vaccine production spikes and record-breaking vaccine doses are given.

The Chief Medical Officer of the White House, Dr. Anthony Fauci, warned Monday that Americans should continue to take public health measures as the warmer summer months approach.

“You may remember a little over a year ago when we were looking for summer to save ourselves from waves. It was actually the opposite,” Fauci said at a coronavirus briefing.

“We saw some significant waves over the summer. I think we shouldn’t even think about relying on the weather to get rid of whatever we’re in right now,” he added.

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Is ‘Femtech’ the Subsequent Huge Factor in Well being Care?

Is ‘Femtech’ the Next Big Thing in Health Care?

With Clue, women can do just that with a few taps on their smartphone. Today the company is highly competitive in the area of ​​period and fertility tracking. Many other women-specific tools have hit the market. Elvie, a London-based company, has launched a portable breast pump and pelvic exercise trainer and app that both use smart technology. Another part of Femtech, known as “Menotech”, aims to improve the lifestyle of women going through menopause and provide access to telemedicine and information and data that women can access.

Recognition…Note

Finally, there are medical device companies that focus on cancer that affects women, such as: B. Cervical cancer and breast cancer.

According to the World Health Organization, cervical cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer in women around the world. In 2018 there were about 570,000 women and 311,000 died. The WHO announced in November a program to completely eradicate the disease by 2030.

MobileODT, a Tel Aviv-based start-up, uses smartphones and artificial intelligence to check for cervical cancer. A smart colposcope – a portable imaging device one and a half times the size of a smartphone – is used to photograph a woman’s cervix from about a meter away. The image is then transmitted to the cloud via a smartphone, where artificial intelligence is used to identify normal or abnormal cervical findings.

A diagnosis is provided in about 60 seconds – compared to the weeks it takes to get the results of a standard smear (which extends to months in developing countries). In addition to this screening, doctors still use smear tests.

The technology was recently used to screen 9,000 women over a three-month period in the Dominican Republic as part of a government-led campaign, the company announced last month. Another 50,000 women are expected to be screened over the next six months.

Leon Boston, the South African-born executive director of MobileODT, said the privately held company is selling in about 20 different countries, including the US, India, South Korea and Brazil, and is embarking on a fundraising round to build on seed capital of US $ 24 million Dollar.

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Fauci warns towards enjoyable public well being measures as summer time approaches

Fauci warns against relaxing public health measures as summer approaches

Jose Rivera with wife Stephanie Rivera watches their nieces and nephews Ariel, Sophia, and Ignacio Arminta, then visits Santa Monica Pier while people take advantage of the warm weather during the COVID-19 spring break in Southern California on Monday. Santa Monica Pier and Boardwalk on Monday, March 29, 2021 in Santa Monia, CA.

Al Seib | Los Angeles Times | Getty Images

WASHINGTON – The White House Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anthony Fauci, warned Monday that Americans should remain vigilant and comply with public health measures as the warmer summer months approach.

“You may remember a little over a year ago when we were looking for summer to save ourselves from waves. It was actually the opposite,” Fauci said during a coronavirus briefing at the White House.

“We saw some significant waves over the summer. I think we shouldn’t even think about relying on the weather to get rid of whatever we’re in right now,” he added.

Fauci also said Monday that Americans should continue to receive both doses of the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines, despite a recent study suggesting that only one dose might be enough.

Fauci previously warned that the nation is still fighting the coronavirus despite the Biden government ramping up vaccine production and continuing to deliver record numbers of vaccine doses.

“When I hear myself completely withdrawing from public health measures and stop saying masks, nothing like that, it’s a risky proposition,” Fauci said during an interview with Meet the Press last month.

“Don’t spike the ball on the 5-yard line. Wait until you get to the end zone. We’re not in the end zone yet,” he said, adding that early public health withdrawals are adding to the pandemic could extend.

Similarly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that Americans continue to refrain from travel due to coronavirus cases across the country.

“We know we have a growing number of cases right now. I would speak out against general travel altogether,” said CDC director Rochelle Walensky last week. “We do not currently recommend travel, especially for those who have not been vaccinated,” she added.

Over the past month, a number of states across the country have relaxed restrictions to varying degrees.

The Arizona governor ended capacity restrictions on businesses but said they must continue to need masks. Texas also announced a return to full capacity companies, but dropped its mask mandate. The Alabama governor said the state will lift its mask mandate after April 9. South Carolina lifted the state’s mask mandate in government buildings, but recommended that restaurants continue to require face coverings.

In California, theme parks, outdoor sports, and live stadium events can restart on April 1st with reduced capacity and mandatory masks.

Mississippi also announced last week that companies could operate at full capacity and dropped the state’s mask mandate.

Last month, in his first prime-time address, President Joe Biden urged Americans to continue to keep a clear eye on the disease through public health measures. Biden also set a goal for Americans to gather in small groups to celebrate July Fourth.

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AstraZeneca Covid vaccine will likely be Thailand’s ‘principal’ shot: Well being minister

AstraZeneca Covid vaccine will be Thailand's 'principal' shot: Health minister

A health worker holds a box of the AstraZeneneca vaccine at the Bamrasnaradura Institute for Infectious Diseases in Nonthaburi Province on the outskirts of Bangkok.

Chaiwat subprasome | SOPA pictures | LightRocket via Getty Images

The coronavirus shot developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University will be Thailand’s “main vaccine” as the country seeks to revitalize its crucial tourism sector, the Thai health minister told CNBC on Monday.

Renewed safety concerns over the AstraZeneca-Oxford shot led countries such as Germany and the Netherlands to stop using the vaccine for those under the age of 60.

Before these final steps, several countries – including Thailand – suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine after blood clots were reported in some people who received the shot. However, many lifted their suspension after the World Health Organization announced that a review of the available data found that the vaccine’s benefits outweigh the risks.

In Thailand, more than 150,000 people have been vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine and the percentage of people who experienced side effects is considered “very low,” said Anutin Charnvirakul, the country’s deputy prime minister and health minister.

Anutin told CNBC’s Street Signs Asia that Thailand is waiting for further deliveries of the vaccine from AstraZeneca, which are expected to take place in June. In addition to the AstraZeneca vaccine, Thailand is also using one developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech, the minister said.

Almost 250,000 people have received Covid vaccines in Thailand since late February, Anutin said.

Attracting foreign visitors

Compared to many countries around the world, Thailand has reported relatively few Covid cases and deaths. Official data showed the country had confirmed more than 29,000 infections and 95 deaths as of Sunday.

However, the tourism-dependent economy was hit hard, shrinking 6.1% year over year in 2020 as countries restricted travel to avoid the spread of Covid-19, according to the Office of the National Council for Economic and Social Development to slow down.

Thailand is stepping up efforts to restart its tourism industry, including introducing vaccines in “significant” numbers in popular destinations like Phuket and Koh Samui, Anutin said.

“We want to make sure that our people are safe, that is our top priority. Once our people are safe, we believe that our guests, namely tourists or business people, would definitely come to visit our country,” he said Minister.

To attract visitors, Thailand has cut the quarantine period for foreigners entering the country from this month. The country is also striving to waive quarantine requirements for vaccinated foreign visitors to its largest holiday island, Phuket.

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Science Performs the Lengthy Recreation. However Folks Have Psychological Well being Points Now.

Science Plays the Long Game. But People Have Mental Health Issues Now.

When assessing government-funded research projects – presumably a cleaner company – I re-asked the questions that people in crises keep asking me. Is this study useful in any way to my son or sister? Or, more generously, given the pace of research, could this work possibly be useful to someone at some point in their life?

The answer was almost always no. Again, this does not mean that the tools and technical understanding of brain biology have not been further developed. It’s just that these advances didn’t affect mental health in one way or another.

Don’t take my word for it. In his upcoming book, Recovery: Healing the Mental Health Care Crisis in America, Dr. Thomas Insel, former director of the National Institute of Mental Health: “The scientific advances in our field have been breathtaking, but as we studied risk factors for suicide, the death rate had increased by 33 percent. As we identified the neuroanatomy of addiction, deaths from overdose had tripled. While we were mapping the genes for schizophrenia, people with the disease were still chronically unemployed and died 20 years earlier. “

And it continues to this day. Government agencies like the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Mental Health Institute continue to double up, pouring huge sums of taxpayers’ money into biological research to someday find a neural signature or “blood test” for possible psychiatric diagnoses, perhaps someday in the Future useful – while people are in crisis now.

I’ve written about some of these studies. For example, the National Institutes of Health is conducting a $ 300 million study of brain imaging in 10,000+ young children with so many interacting variables for experience and development that it is difficult to pinpoint the study’s main goals. The agency also has a $ 50 million project underway to try to understand the myriad, cascading, and sometimes random, processes that occur during neural development and that could underlie some mental health issues.

This kind of great scientific effort is well-intentioned, but the payoffs are indeed uncertain. The late Scott Lilienfeld, big-budget psychologist and skeptic of brain research, had his own terminology for these types of projects. “They are either fishing expeditions or Hail Marys,” he would say. “Make your choice.” When people drown, they care less about the genetics of breathing than they are about a lifesaver.

In 1973, well-known microbiologist Norton Zinder took over a committee that considered the National Cancer Institute’s grants to study viruses. He concluded that the program had become a “gravy train” for a small group of preferred scientists and recommended that their support be cut in half. A tough, Zinder-like review of current behavioral research spending, I suspect, would result in equally sharp cuts.

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Italy Pushes Again as Well being Care Employees Shun Covid Vaccines

Italy Pushes Back as Health Care Workers Shun Covid Vaccines

ROM – Giulio Macciò tested negative for the coronavirus and spent weeks receiving treatment for emphysema – and a nurse who refused to be vaccinated – in a locked hospital under the care of doctors and pulmonologists. He died unexpectedly on March 11th. A post-mortem swab found he had contracted the virus, as did 14 other patients and the unvaccinated nurse who had spent her shifts in its midst.

“It makes no sense for a person whose job it is to cure the sick to give them Covid and kill them,” said Massimiliano Macciò, the son of Mr Macciò, who made a complaint against the San Martino Hospital in the northern Italian city Genoa submitted. He believes the nurse, one of an estimated 400 who refused to be vaccinated against Covid-19 in the hospital, infected his father, who died unvaccinated at the age of 79.

As vaccination adoption accelerates, businesses everywhere are grappling with whether or not they can require their employees to be vaccinated, raising sensitive ethical, constitutional and privacy issues in Europe and the US. However, this dilemma becomes even more urgent when the person is your health worker.

In Italy, the original Western Front in the war on Covid, a rash of outbreaks in hospitals where medical workers have chosen not to be vaccinated, has raised fears that their attitudes pose a threat to public health. It has also sparked a strong response from an Italian government struggling to get vaccinations on track.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Mario Draghi tested the legal limits of his government’s ability to address the problem by issuing a decree mandating vaccination of workers in health care facilities. It also allowed hospital employers, healthcare workers who refuse to suspend without pay.

Some legal analysts have stated that requiring health workers to be vaccinated with Covid-19 could violate Italian data protection laws and that dismissal or enforcement of unpaid leave based on a specific article protecting people who refuse health treatments could be unconstitutional.

However, recent court rulings have interpreted the law differently and Mr Draghi has made it clear that for a country that has suffered more than 100,000 Covid deaths, the security breach cannot be tolerated.

“It is absolutely not okay for unvaccinated workers to be in contact with the sick,” he said at a press conference last week as he announced his government’s intention to “intervene” if he was told by unvaccinated health workers was asked.

During much of the pandemic, nurses and doctors stood as national heroes, sacrificing their waking hours, their safety, and sometimes their lives to protect their compatriots. It shocked Italians that in some large hospitals, up to 15 percent of medical professionals, who were given preference over the elderly when vaccination was introduced, avoided vaccination.

“It’s really humiliating for the medical and health staff class to have to force people to vaccinate themselves,” said Roberto Burioni, a virologist at San Raffaele University in Milan.

He added that while it was extremely difficult to lay off workers in Italy, he hoped the decree would hurt the salaries of all vaccine skeptics, especially given the huge amount of data showing that the effectiveness of vaccines is worth the risk. He also feared that the high number of health professionals who refused to be vaccinated had worrisome consequences.

“Unfortunately, there is a large proportion of doctors who are profoundly ignorant,” said Burioni, who suggested that “the selection process to get people to graduate and then the medical license is not effective enough”.

While Italy’s populists, including the Five Star Movement and the League parties, have exploited vaccine skepticism for political gain in recent years, the country is not even considered the most vaccine skeptical in Europe, a dubious distinction normally accorded to France. Italy also got off to a quick start on vaccinations earlier in the year, precisely because the previous government gave priority to health professionals.

Updated

April 1, 2021, 11:02 p.m. ET

In January, Health Minister Roberto Speranza said on TV that Italy, like its European partners, believed that it was better to persuade people to vaccinate than to ask for it. “Those who have had to deal with the virus, our healthcare workers, are even more aware than the others,” he said. “I think readiness will be enough.”

But the Anti-Vax health workers hit a deep nerve.

In a nursing home outside Rome, almost all healthcare workers chose not to be vaccinated, and a group of three workers and 27 of the 36 elderly guests formed. Roberto Agresti, the owner of the house, feared the worst for her. “If we had a law that forced everyone to vaccinate, the virus would be over without us even realizing it,” he said.

In the southern city of Brindisi, the local health authority has initiated disciplinary proceedings against 12 health workers who have specifically refused to be vaccinated. It also examines why about 140 healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, pediatricians and specialists, have refused to accept the Pfizer vaccine.

“We don’t want to punish the workers – we need them,” said Giuseppe Pasqualone, who heads the local health department. “But the risk of infection is not only very high for them, but also for fragile patients.”

Officials at the San Martino Hospital, where Mr Macciò died, said it was not clear whether the unvaccinated nurse was the source of the cluster, but they admitted it was a problem.

Salvatore Giuffrida, the director of Europe’s fourth largest hospital, said he was in favor of mandatory vaccination as it would also ensure the health of medical workers and strengthen lines of defense if a brutal third wave spreads across northern Italy.

“We can’t afford not to have her at work,” he said. “The goal is not to lose soldiers during a war in a nation that complains that they have no health care workers.”

He estimated that 15 percent of his caregivers, about 400 nurses, were not vaccinated. Just removing these nurses from the wards or, as some have suggested, redirecting them to control panels would be “a cure worse than the disease,” he said, because it would result in a 250 bed reduction.

He and other directors said Italy’s strict data protection laws were preventing hospitals from knowing which doctors and nurses weren’t vaccinated.

Paolo Petralia, the general manager of Lavagna Hospital in Chiavari, the site of another outbreak this month, said 90 percent of his doctors had been vaccinated, along with about 80 percent of the nurses and helpers.

“You are protected by data protection laws,” he said, citing a statement recently made by the Italian Data Protection Agency that the vaccination status of health workers should be unknown. “But that right lasts until it doesn’t interfere with another person’s right,” Petralia said.

Some Italian dishes have agreed. In 2017, Italy mandated some vaccinations for children, including measles, and banned the unvaccinated from school – a decision backed by the Italian Constitutional Court because it also protected public health. In the northern city of Belluno, a court ruled in mid-March that a nursing home employing several health care workers who did not get vaccinated could force them to take paid leave.

Mr Macciò, whose father had died in Genoa, said it was pointless for the people in charge of caring for his father to harm him. He said he complained to the doctors who told him their hands were tied because the nurses were protected by privacy regulations.

But amid Italy’s frustration and the new decree, something seems to be changing. Mr Macciò said the police asked for his help in identifying the nurses he saw when he went to pick up his father’s belongings.

“I hope that something good will come of it,” he said of his father’s death. “These people should change jobs.”

Emma Bubola contributed to the coverage.