Why should Santa Cruz support Cuban Healthcare?
By SARAH RINGLER
<Graph from the World Health Organization, Sept. 3, 2020 via Alliance for Global Justice
A resolution is currently before the Santa Cruz City Council that calls for supporting and working together with Cuba to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. Our county, through the guidance of Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel of the Santa Cruz County Health Department, has already shown that we know how to work together effectively locally. As of Sept. 8, we have already moved in a positive direction from the purple tier to the red tier.
In the early days of the rising pandemic, Cuba showed their ability to work cooperatively when they made their medical teams available to countries around the world. Cuban doctors and healthcare workers have shown up in over 40 countries across five continents including Togo, Andorra, Italy, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, South Africa, Mexico and all over the Caribbean. They assisted Covid-19 sufferers, offered lab tests and helped countries to set up effective hospital protocols, according to Reuter’s Sarah Marsh and John Zodzi, Sept. 14 article “Cuba punches above weight with ‘white coat army’ during pandemic.” Over 32,000 Cuban medics have been deployed globally.
Resolution Promoting Medical and Scientific Collaboration Between the City of Santa Cruz and Cuba to Address the COVID-19 Pandemic
1) That the Santa Cruz City Council encourage the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency to explore collaborations with Cuba to jointly face the COVID-19 pandemic, including initiating knowledge transfers about Cuba’s highly successful public health prevention methods, methods for preventing infection of health workers, and innovative treatments now being used in China and elsewhere.
2) That the Santa Cruz City Council supports the lifting of restrictions on the Cuban COVID-19 treatment Interferon Alfa 2b, opening a path for it to enter clinical trials.
3) That the Santa Cruz City Council urges the U.S. Congress and the President to lift restrictions on access to Cuban medical expertise in order to more effectively combat the COVID-19 pandemic by suspending US economic and travel sanctions against Cuba.
4) That the Santa Cruz City Council calls on the federal government to cease ongoing measures that deter Cuba from importing medical equipment and medicines to confront COVID-19, and cease attempts to stop other countries from accepting Cuban medical brigades and assistance.
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ENTERTAINMENT
Local Issues - Local Artists
By SARAH RINGLER
Is the Library-Garage a nowhere land? Listen to "Nowhere Plan," an enjoyable remake of John Lennon and Paul McCartney's "Nowhere Land." Great lyrics and wonderful art by Russell Brutsché (see drawing above); recorded and edited by Chris Sherertz.
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“Help! Help! I’m being repressed! Come see the violence inherent in the system! Violence inherent in the system!” – Dennis in Monty Python and the Holy Grail
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Sarah's County Covid-19 Report
By SARAH RINGLER
The Santa Cruz County Health Department regularly releases data on the current status of Covid-19 in the county. As of Sept. 24, there were 2,319 cases that tested positive, an 7% increase from Sept. 17. Nine people have died.
To get tested without a doctor’s request, call 1-888-634-1123 or go online at https://lhi.care/covidtesting. The testing clinic is at at Ramsay Park in Watsonville. Other testing sites that may have restricted access can be found here.
To visit the website for the Santa Cruz County Health Department:
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Known cases tested positive by age/% of population:
19 and under - 16%/25%
20-34 - 32%/22%
35-44 - 16%/12%
45-64 - 26%/27%
65 or older - 10%/15%
Under investigation - .4%
Tested positive by ethnicity/% of population:
Multi-Race - 1%/3%
White - 18%/58%
Latinx - 63%/34%
Black - .4%/1%
Asian - 1%/4%
Other - 2%/.4%
Unknown - 15%
Tested positive by gender/% of population:
Female - 52%/50%
Male - 48%/50%
Other - 0%
Unknown - 0%
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Weekly increases in positive tests:
June 12-19 - 7%
June 19-26 - 23%
June 26 to July 3 - 22%
July 3-9 - 23%
July 9-16 - 40%
July 16-23 - 20%
July 23-30 - 27%
July 30-Aug. 6 - 13%
Aug. 6-13- 12%
Aug.14-20 - 16%
Aug.20-28 - 10%
Aug. 28-Sept. 3 - 10%
Sept. 3-10 - 6%
Sept. 10-17- 8%
Sept. 17-24 - 7%
Tested positive by region/% of population:
Mid-county - 18%/12%
North county - 16%/60%
South county - 62%/29%
Under investigation - 4%
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