Apparently, the EU seems to be more concerned about their image than ending the pandemic. Documents leaked to the Corporate Europe Observatory have revealed that EU member states rejected the waiving of COVID-19 patents, a move that is likely to delay vaccine deployment for 2 years in nearly 90 of the world’s poorest countries; instead, they dedicated time to matters along the lines of “whether a feta cheese has to come from Greece”. Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
