6 chapters across the catalog
Despite the official termination of the national COVID emergency by President Biden, the TSA issued an emergency amendment extending vaccination requirements for non-citizens entering the U.S. until May 11th. The mandate requires airlines to verify proof of vaccination before passengers board flights to the United States. Critics point out that this administrative rule persists even as other pandemic-era restrictions have been lifted.
Doctors in China have reportedly been instructed to avoid listing COVID-19 as the cause of death on official certificates, attributing fatalities to underlying conditions like heart disease or asthma instead. This directive aims to keep official mortality numbers low during the current virus surge. The hosts also discuss the narrative shift in the West, where the new wave of variants is being blamed on China's "re-opening."
Mainstream media outlets issued synchronized warnings after Twitter, under Elon Musk's ownership, officially stopped enforcing its COVID-19 misinformation policy. News reports urged users to be "extra cautious" when seeking health information on the platform, reflecting a broader concern over the change in content moderation standards.
The New York Times publishes an article by David Leonhardt suggesting that COVID-19 policies must change as "reality changes." The hosts critique the phrasing that science is now a "conversation" rather than a fixed set of data-driven rules.
Dutch Mortality Data and Hospital Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell Policies
Scientists in the Netherlands are criticizing the government for withholding excess mortality data from independent investigators. Meanwhile, a "boots on the ground" report from a U.S. regional medical center describes an unofficial "don't-ask-don't-tell" policy regarding staff COVID-19 infections. Hospital management reportedly instructed symptomatic employees not to test so they could continue working due to staffing shortages.
Los Angeles public health officials are framing rising gun violence as a public health crisis exacerbated by COVID-related stressors. Shooting victim numbers in the city have increased significantly compared to 2020, leading to calls for "violence interventionists" to mediate between warring factions. Officials are also using the surge in violence to advocate for stricter gun control policies.
