#FURFARMING

Coronavirus: Denmark imposes lockdowns amid mink covid fears

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14 hours ago

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image captionTeams in protective kit for the cull - usually mink are gassed with carbon monoxide

Danish authorities have said a lockdown will be introduced in some areas over a coronavirus mutation found in mink that can spread to humans.

The government has warned that the effectiveness of any future vaccine could be affected by the mutation.

Bars, restaurants, public transport and all public indoor sports will be closed in seven North Jutland municipalities.

The restrictions will come into effect from Friday and initially last until 3 December.

It comes soon after an announcement that Denmark would cull all its mink - as many as 17 million.

The Scandinavian country is the world's biggest producer of mink fur and its main export markets are China and Hong Kong. Culling began late last month, after many mink cases were detected.

On Thursday, the World Health Organization said mink appear to be "good reservoirs" of coronavirus. It also commended Denmark's "determination and courage" for going ahead with the culls, despite the economic impact it would bring.

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image captionThere are more than 1,000 mink farms in Denmark

Coronavirus cases have been detected in other farmed mink in the Netherlands and Spain since the pandemic began in Europe.

But cases are spreading fast in Denmark - 207 mink farms in Jutland are affected - and at least five cases of the new virus strain were found. Authorities said 12 people had been infected with the mutated strain.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said about half of the 783 human cases reported in north Denmark related to a strain of the virus that originated in the mink farms.

• Coronavirus: A hunt for the 'missing link' species

Under the new rules, gatherings of 10 or more people will be banned, and locals have been urged to stay within the affected municipalities and get tested.

At a press conference, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said: "Right now the eyes of the world are resting on us. I hope and believe that together we can solve the problems we face."

On Wednesday, Ms Frederiksen said the mutated virus had been found to weaken the body's ability to form antibodies, potentially making the current vaccines under development for Covid-19 ineffective.

Since the start of the pandemic Denmark has reported 52,265 human cases of Covid-19 and 733 deaths, data from Johns Hopkins University shows.

Spain culled 100,000 mink in July after cases were detected at a farm in Aragón province, and tens of thousands of the animals were slaughtered in the Netherlands following outbreaks on farms there.

Studies are under way to find out how and why mink have been able to catch and spread the infection.

Mink become infected through catching the virus from humans, the BBC's environment correspondent Helen Briggs reports.

But genetic detective work has shown that in a small number of cases, in the Netherlands and now Denmark, the virus seems to have passed the other way, from mink to humans, our correspondent adds.

CANADA HAS MINK FARMS 

IN QUEBEC AND ONTARIO 

More on this story

• Denmark to cull up to 17 million mink amid coronavirus fears

  Published

  18 hours ago

• Coronavirus: Spain orders culling of almost 100,000 mink

  Published

  17 July

• The furious debate over fur

  Published

  3 June 2018

• Coronavirus: Calls to shut down 'dirty fur trade'

  Published

  5 May

 

Extinction Rebellion hits out at Scotland's climate change citizen assembly

Published

16 hours ago

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• UK climate change protests

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Extinction Rebellion says it is withdrawing from Scotland's citizens' assembly on climate change days before their first meeting.

Scotland's Climate Assembly was set up to allow people to make recommendations on tackling climate change.

It is independent of government but the environmental campaign group say it is "increasingly controlled" by civil servants.

An assembly spokesman said they were disappointed by the group's decision.

He said Extinction Rebellion was invited to take part to ensure a "range of perspectives" and it has provided some "constructive oversight".

The Scottish government said it had no influence over the content of the assembly meetings.

• How well is Scotland tackling climate change?
• Why did Scotland set up a Citizens' Assembly?

What is a citizens' assembly?

The basic idea is for members of the public to be selected, much like a jury, to listen to evidence from all sides of the debate.

Then they make recommendations - in this case, on what Scotland should do to tackle climate change.

The idea is that this "direct democracy" will help to restore people's trust in the political process by involving ordinary people - rather than politicians, parties and other vested interests.

Scotland's Climate Assembly is due to hold its first meeting this weekend.

What do Extinction Rebellion want?

Extinction Rebellion (XR) campaigners want governments to declare a "climate and ecological emergency" and take immediate action to address climate change.

The group describes itself as an international "non-violent civil disobedience activist movement".

Recently 12 people were arrested when they staged a protest outside the Grangemouth oil refinery.

And last year police made 29 arrests after about 300 protesters blocked one of the main roads into Edinburgh's city centre.

The group say tough choices will have to be made to tackle climate change, and XR think they should be made by citizens' assemblies.

These gatherings are "crucial", so much so that the campaigners say they "cannot endorse one that is not good enough".

What do they say is the problem with the citizens' assembly?

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XR Scotland says it has decided to leave the assembly's stewarding group - which advises on the running of the assembly.

It has also withdrawn its endorsement of the citizens' assembly - saying it is "no longer a good enough response to the climate emergency".

This is because it says the assembly has been "blinkered" and therefore cannot come up with radical enough solutions to climate change.

XR claims the secretariat - responsible for organising and running the assembly - has "actively resisted" including views of certain experts "because of their association with XR".

Despite initially being open to the assembly setting its own ambitions the secretariat has started to insist that any recommendations are actionable by the Scottish government, XR claims.

And the civil servants seconded to the assembly use "government processes, ways of working and attitudes towards the scale of the crisis".

Its campaigners say they will now try to make a difference from outside the assembly.

What are the climate assembly and the government saying?

The climate assembly spokesman said they wanted to hear from a range of experts.

"We invited Extinction Rebellion to join our stewarding group in the spirit of transparency and to ensure a range of perspectives informed the assembly design," he said.

"They provided some constructive insight, and we are disappointed they have decided to leave.

"Our first commitment is always to our assembly members. We must ensure they hear balanced evidence from a range of experts that allows them to discuss and make recommendations on how Scotland should change to tackle the climate emergency in an effective and fair way."

A spokesman for the government said the assembly was independent and it had no influence over the content of its meetings.

"The assembly will be a crucial part of involving citizens in our transition to net zero," he added.

"Being a member will be both a privilege and a responsibility. People will be asked to learn from experts and each other; to deliberate and to be respectful of others' views in making recommendations that will impact almost every aspect of our future as we become a net-zero society."

Zinc-embedded polyamide fabrics are effective in absorbing and inactivating SARS-CoV-2

By Dr. Sanchari Sinha Dutta, Ph.D.Nov 4 2020

An international team of scientists has recently demonstrated that zinc-embedded polyamine fibers can effectively absorb and inactivate human respiratory viruses, including influenza A virus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Thus, a face mask or other personal protective equipment (PPE) made from this fiber is expected to provide better protection against viral transmission. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

Since the emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in late December 2019, the highly infectious SARS-CoV-2 virus has infected nearly 48 million people and claimed more than 1.22 million lives globally. Until the development of specific therapeutics or vaccines, proper implementation of non-pharmacological measures, such as wearing face masks or the use of other PPE, frequently washing/sanitizing hands, and movement restrictions, are believed to be the best possible way to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2.

Although face masks can protect the respiratory system from direct viral infection, viruses can remain active for hours on the PPE surface. In such circumstances, there is always a risk of further viral transmission if the PPE/face mask is not discarded appropriately after use.

In the current study, the scientists aimed to construct a special type of zinc-embedded fabric and determine its efficacy in absorbing and inactivating human respiratory viruses, such as influenza A virus and SARS-CoV-2. Several studies have shown that metals, such as copper and zinc, are effective in inactivating viruses. This is most likely because of metal ions' ability to trigger RNA hydrolysis, membrane disruption, or viral protein degradation.

Absorption and release of IAV and SARS-CoV-2 from fabrics. A) Photographs of cotton control, PA66 and polypropylene fabric samples. B) Schematic of the experimental procedure for exposing and isolating RNA virus from fabrics. C) Analysis of virus medium retention by fabrics per volume of input medium. Values were obtained by weighing each fabric before and after the addition of virus medium, and after removal of the virus medium. D) Analysis of virus medium retention by fabrics normalized by dry weight of each fabric. Values were obtained by weighing each fabric before and after the addition of virus medium, and after removal of the virus medium. E) Plaque assay of IAV present in virus medium after removal of the medium from each fabric. F) Quantitation of the amount of virus remaining on each fabric, normalized by the dry weight of each fabric. G) Effect of different tween-80 concentrations on IAV plaque assay read-out. H) Effect of 0.05% tween-80 in PBS on the amount of virus released from each fabric. I) Quantitation of IAV titers after absorption of the virus to the fabrics and washing of the fabrics with PBS or PBS containing different concentrations of tween-80. J) Quantitation of SARS-CoV-2 titers after absorption of the virus to the fabrics and washing of the fabrics with PBS or PBS containing different concentrations of tween-80. Error bars indicate standard deviation. Asterisk indicates pvalue, with * p<0.05, ** p<0.005, and ns p>0.05.
Current study design

The scientists tested the virus-absorbing ability of different fabrics, including cotton, polyamide 66, and polypropylene. Also, they checked whether zinc ions embedded in the fabrics are capable of inactivating viruses.
Important observations

The ability of fabrics to absorb viruses depends on many factors, such as hydrophobicity, breathability, and electrostaticity. To determine the correlation between moisture retention and virus absorption abilities of fabrics, the scientists sequentially applied liquid samples containing influenza A virus and SARS-CoV-2 to cotton, polyamide 66, and polypropylene. After 30 minutes of incubation, they checked the liquid retention and virus absorption ability of the fabrics. According to the study findings, cotton and polyamide fabrics retained more liquid and absorbed more viruses than the polypropylene fabric. However, in terms of removing the virus from the fabrics, cotton was found to be less favorable than polyamide fabrics. This indicates that face masks or PPE prepared from cotton or polyamide would be more effective in trapping respiratory viruses.

As an embedding metal, they chose zinc over copper because of the relatively higher zinc tendency to be ionized. This makes zinc rapidly available for reaction. For further experiments, they embedded zinc oxide in the polyamide 66 polymer and checked its ability to inactivate the influenza A virus and SARS-CoV-2. According to the study findings, zinc ions significantly reduced the viral titer by destabilizing viral surface proteins, such as hemagglutinin and spike protein. Furthermore, they observed that the maximum reduction in viral titer occurred between 30 seconds and 5 minutes of viral incubation with zinc-embedded polyamide fabric.

Notably, the scientists observed that the zinc-embedded polyamide fabric can effectively inactivate a wide range of viral loads and that the inactivation rate can beat the amount of infectious virus expelled by a cough.
The study significance

The study findings indicate that face masks or other PPE prepared from zinc-embedded polyamide fibers can provide better protection against highly infectious respiratory viruses, such as SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A virus. The study also suggests that cotton masks with higher virus-absorbing and lower virus-releasing abilities may actually increase the risk of viral infection if reused without proper washing. Similarly, polypropylene-based masks with lower virus absorption ability may accelerate viral transmission.
*Important Notice

bioRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.

Journal reference:
bioRxiv preprint server. 2020. Gopal V. Zinc-embedded fabrics inactivate SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A virus. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.02.365833v2


Written by
Dr. Sanchari Sinha Dutta is a science communicator who believes in spreading the power of science in every corner of the world. She has a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree and a Master's of Science (M.Sc.) in biology and human physiology. Following her Master's degree, Sanchari went on to study a Ph.D. in human physiology. She has authored more than 10 original research articles, all of which have been published in world renowned international journals.

Canada's top doctor now recommends three mask layers masks for COVID-19 protection
'This is an additional recommendation, just to add another layer of protection,' says Canada’s chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam

a day ago By: Sarah Grochowski

Photo: Face masks / Getty Images


The nation’s top doctor updated her non-medical mask recommendations Tuesday, saying they should now be made of at least three layers, one acting as a filter.

Canada’s chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, is stressing the importance of extra protection against COVID-19 as the country heads indoors for winter.

“We’re not necessarily saying throw out everything that you have,” Tam said during a news conference.

"This is an additional recommendation, just to add another layer of protection."

People currently using two-layered masks do not need to throw them in the trash but should purchase a disposable filter to insert between the layers, she said.

The fit is the most important thing, emphasized Tam.

This includes full coverage of the nose and mouth as well as comfort, breathability, and ideally, a nose pinch option.

Face coverings should be made of two layers of tightly-woven fabric like cotton or linen, plus a third layer of a filter-type material such as polypropylene, according to The Public Health Agency of Canada.

This article was originally published by Vancouver Is Awesome.

 RNC Promoted A Voter Fraud Hotline On Twitter

 And It Totally Backfired

Lee Moran

·Reporter, 

HuffPost

Fri, 6 November 2020,

The Republican National Committee on Wednesday promoted a voter fraud hotline on Twitter. But it was soon swamped with replies from people claiming to have reported President Donald Trump for election misconduct.

Trump has repeatedly attacked the democratic process and falsely declared premature victory over Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the 2020 election, even with four states yet to be called and votes still left to count. The president has also baselessly accused Democrats of “trying to steal” the White House.

“I reported a mad man on Twitter that is demanding we stop counting the votes, and is threatening lawsuits if we don’t,” one person replied to the RNC.

Added another: “The call is coming from inside the house.”

Related...

Bernie Sanders’ Accurate Prediction Of Donald Trump’s Election Night Playbook Goes Viral

BASF, partners put $4 billion India chemical complex on hold due to COVID-19

FILE PHOTO: Flags of the German chemical company BASF are pictured in Monheim

Thu, 5 November 2020

BERLIN (Reuters) - German chemicals maker BASF <BASFn.DE> said on Thursday that its plans to build a petrochemicals complex in India worth up to $4 billion (3.07 billion pounds) with partners had been put on hold due to the economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic.

BASF signed a memorandum of understanding with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Adani Group and Borealis AG in October 2019 to evaluate a collaboration to build the chemical site in Mundra, in India's Gujarat state.

"The global economic uncertainties caused by the pandemic have led the partners to review the timing for undertaking this investment," BASF said in a statement.

"Despite all attempts to optimize the scope and the configuration, the project has been put on hold."

BASF in April scaled back its investment budget as the coronavirus crisis hit automakers, the chemicals giant's biggest customers.

Profits in the chemicals industry react strongly to a downturn because of the industry's exposure to cyclical sectors such as carmakers, while massive overheads prevent swift cost cutting.

Under the India plan, the partners wanted to build a plant to produce propylene from propane gas to be supplied by ADNOC.

It would have been the first plant in the world to be fully powered by renewable energy and BASF's biggest investment so far in India.

BASF said the partners remained convinced that India was a good place to invest and had agreed to periodically explore market conditions and discuss any opportunity that might arise over time.

(Reporting by Caroline Copley and Ludwig Burger; Editing by Michelle Adair and Susan Fenton)

Bitcoin hits highest level since January 2018

amid post-election volatility

FILE PHOTO: Representations of virtual currency Bitcoin are seen in this picture illustration

Anna Irrera
Thu, 5 November 2020

LONDON (Reuters) - Bitcoin's <BTC=BTSP> price rose to more than $14,900 on Thursday, its highest level since January 2018, amid volatility caused by the U.S. election and investor hopes that more central bank stimulus to support economies hit by the COVID-19 pandemic will push up the value of digital assets.

The biggest cryptocurrency has surged more than 10% since the day of the presidential election, with Democrat Joe Biden edging closer to victory over President Donald Trump.

Bitcoin was last trading 5.4% higher at $14,930.

World tech stocks and bond markets also extended their rally on Thursday.

"Bitcoin is the big winner from the current macro environment" said Anthony Pompliano, a co-founder and partner at cryptocurrency investment firm Morgan Creek Digital Assets. "As we saw coming out of the 2008 liquidity crisis, inflation hedge assets do very well when the Fed steps in with QE."

The Bank of England added 150 billion pounds to its asset purchase programme on Thursday, and the Federal Reserve is expected to signal later that it will do whatever it can to help the U.S. economy.

Bitcoin has been on an upswing over the past few weeks, after digital payments company PayPal Holdings Inc <PYPL.O> announced it would enable purchases with virtual coins on its platform.

The news bolstered long-standing expectations that bitcoin and its rivals could become a more viable form of payment, a goal that has been elusive.

HOPES PINNED ON FURTHER PRICE INCREASES

Bitcoin investors and enthusiasts are also pinning their hopes of further price increases on more clarity from global financial regulators on rules for cryptocurrencies and increased adoption by mainstream finance firms.

"The once dismissed asset is now acknowledged by traditional finance," said Dave Chapman, a Hong Kong-based executive director at OSL, a cryptocurrency brokerage. "It's not going away, and it has now been afforded the regulatory clarity from regulators, globally."

Blistering rallies are not uncommon in cryptocurrencies, and are generally followed by equally steep crashes, with many experts at a loss to identify a clear cause for changes of direction.

The price of bitcoin soared to more than $20,000 in December 2017 and crashed 50% the following month.

"Bitcoin doesn't go up or down for macroeconomic reasons, like QE or real investor decisions," said David Gerard, a cryptocurrency expert and author of recent book on Facebook-led virtual coin Libra.

"The market is thin and manipulated, and every price change is fully explained by internal market issues."

(Reporting by Anna Irrera, Editing by Timothy Heritage)