Black Doctor Heads Organization that Named Virus COVID-19
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the man who is currently taking the lead as Director General at WHO (World Health Organization). Dr. Tedros is an Ethiopian health scholar and microbiologist with first-hand experience in research, operations, and leadership in emergency responses to epidemics.
He became Director General of WHO in July 2017 and is the first Black person to ever serve in this role. He has formally served as both the Minister of Health and Minister of Foreign Affairs in Ethiopia.
Immediately after taking office at WHO, Dr. Tedros outlined five key priorities for the agency: universal health coverage; health emergencies; women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health; health impacts of climate and environmental change; and a transformed WHO.
When the coronavirus global pandemic began in December 2019, Dr. Tedros and his team were the ones who named the virus COVID-19 and immediately began helping build countries’ capacity to prepare and respond. He has been credited with providing accurate information to fight the epidemic, training and mobilizing health workers, and accelerating research and development.
Dr. Tedros has also been credited with bringing together scientists, public health decision-makers, medical journalists, technology and social media platforms and civil society to help share reliable information, while reducing misinformation, rumors and myths about COVID-19.
Student Makes History as Princeton University’s First Ever Black Valedictorian in 274 Years
National – In April 2020, Nicholas Johnson, who belongs to the 2020 class of Princeton University, made history after he became the first African American student to ever be named valedictorian in the school’s history. According to the University’s School of Engineering and Applied Science, he is also the first valedictorian in the department’s 21-year history.
Johnson was a dedicated student that majored in operations research and financial engineering. He served as a writing fellow at Princeton’s Writing Center, a residential college adviser for Whitman College, and even worked as a software engineer at Google’s California headquarters during his senior year. Also his academic interests gave him the opportunity to take cultural —immersion trips to Peru, Hong Kong, and the UK.
His senior thesis, “Sequential Stochastic Network Structure Optimization with Applications to Addressing Canada’s Obesity Epidemic,” focuses on developing high-performance, efficient algorithms to solve a network-based optimization problem that models a community-based preventative health intervention designed to curb the prevalence of obesity in Canada.
“My favorite memories of my time at Princeton are memories of time spent with close friends and classmates engaging in stimulating discussions — often late at night — about our beliefs, the cultures and environments in which we were raised, the state of the world, and how we plan on contributing positively to it in our own unique way,” Johnson said.
He also announced that he plans to earn a Ph.D. at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), where he plans to pursue certificates in statistics and machine learning, applied and computational mathematics, and applications of computing.
Exercise may help reduce risk of deadly COVID-19 complication: ARDS
Zhen Yan
Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine,
University of Virginia
Scientists are constantly revealing newly discovered benefits of exercise. In experiments over the past 10 years, my research has found that exercise can help with a respiratory problem known as ARDS.
ARDS is a type of respiratory failure characterized by rapid onset of widespread inflammation in the lungs that prevents oxygen from reaching the organs. It has been reported in many COVID-19 patients.
I am an exercise physiologist with training in medicine. More than 30 years ago, I gave up my career in general surgery in China and came to the U.S. to pursue a basic research career in molecular exercise physiology, as I was intrigued by the superb health benefits of regular exercise.
Most recently I’ve been thinking about the potential impact of regular exercise in preventing this deadly complication of COVID-19. I have not done any experiments specifically around COVID-19, but my work with mice may inform other researchers exploring ways to protect people that suffer from ARDS.
What is ARDS?
A cause of death for 3%-17% of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 is ARDS. COVID-19 patients with this dismal clinical complication have a mortality rate of greater than 50%.
Specifically, ARDS can occur when viral infection of the cells in the lungs activates the immune system and attracts white blood cells to travel through the bloodstream to the lung tissue to fight off the viral infection.
However, when too many white blood cells appear in the lung tissue at once, it can cause lung tissue damage. This is because they produce too much of damaging molecules called free radicals which break proteins, the cell membrane and DNA.
As a consequence, the blood vessels in the lung become leaky, causing accumulation of the fluid in the lung tissue, and the air sacs of the lung fill up with fluid. This prevents those same air sacs, called alveoli, from filling with air, blocking oxygen in the air from getting into the blood. Patients die of oxygen deprivation.
The cells that line our blood vessels are flat-shaped endothelial cells. One early step in this complicated ARDS disease process is the lining of the blood vessel becomes sticky to white blood cells by making sticky proteins on the cell surface, a phenomenon called endothelial cell activation.
This triggers a vicious cycle; the greater endothelial cell activation, the more free radicals the white blood cells release. This in turn destroys the endothelial cells, making the blood vessel leak more and damages lung tissue.
An exercise-induced antioxidant in our body
More than 10 years ago, I started to study the protective role of exercise-induced antioxidant enzymes against loss of muscle size. My research has shown that endurance exercise promotes production of an antioxidant called extracellular superoxide dismutase (EcSOD) that breaks down the free radical superoxide outside of the cells.
EcSOD is the only antioxidant enzyme that is secreted into the blood that reaches other vital organs and binds to the endothelial cells and other cells through a unique binding structure of the enzyme. This makes EcSOD unlike any supplemental antioxidant pill or food rich in antioxidants that we may consume. An oral antioxidant, once absorbed into the blood, does not target a given organ to provide protection, while EcSOD sticks to specific organs.
When I first saw the evidence of increased EcSOD in skeletal muscle by aerobic exercise training, I was inspired to do an experiment in which I tested whether just increasing the amount of this enzyme through genetic engineering, instead of naturally through exercise, would provide protection from various diseases in which free radicals are known to play important roles, such as muscle atrophy and heart failure.
EcSOD in protection against ARDS
I engineered a mouse that produced more EcSOD in skeletal muscle than would the typical mouse to mimic the effects of aerobic exercise training. We obtained clear evidence that these mice were protected from muscle atrophy and diabetes-induced heart failure.
I then artificially triggered ARDS in mice by injecting mice with a chemical produced by bacteria that are known to cause this condition. To my pleasant surprise, genetically engineered mice with higher concentrations of EcSOD in their blood were far more likely to survive the severe ARDS and multiple organ failure compared with a dismal mortality in the typical mice. This mimics the situation in intensive care where more than 80% of the patients die when they suffer from the failure of multiple organs, including ARDS.
I then confirmed that indeed it was the EcSOD in the genetically engineered mice that provided the protection. When I performed an experiment in which a genetically engineered mouse shared blood with a normal mouse following a surgical procedure called parabiosis, or I took blood from a mouse with high EcSOD and transfused it into a normal mouse suffering from ARDS, the normal mouse had reduced severity of ARDS and clinical blood markers of multiple organ failure. Using various biochemical and imaging technologies, we saw the evidence of reduced endothelial cell activation and reduced protein, cell membrane and DNA damage caused by free radicals in the lung tissue.
Learn from exercise
These studies have provided proof-of-principle evidence that delivery of the EcSOD gene or protein to elevate the amount of EcSOD in the blood and vital organs may be an effective intervention for protection of the lungs and other vital organs against damages caused by ARDS and multiple organ failure.
My findings in mice may inspire other researchers to come up with innovative ways to prevent and treat the deadly complication of COVID-19.
For example, future studies may identify the exercise type, intensity and duration to optimally increase EcSOD levels in the lungs and other vital organs in humans to build up the defense against deadly complications of COVID-19 or other disease conditions. Of course, the findings may inspire research to foster pharmacological, protein and or gene therapies to treat COVID-19 patients with ARDS.
The EcSOD antioxidant story is just one of many about the health benefits of exercise. I believe we can learn from exercise to develop effective therapies to treat ARDS caused by COVID-19 and other disease conditions. (Source: The Conversation)
The Potato Chip Was Invented by a Black Man Named George Crum
There are a few stories about the invention of the potato chip, but the most reliable ones all center around George Crum, a famous Black chef in the 19th century who served the wealthiest Americans and eventually opened his own wildly successful restaurant.
Born George Speck around the year 1824 to a Native-American mother and A African American father, he worked as a hunter and guide in upper New York state. During this time, his reputation as a cook earned him a position at Moon’s Lake House Restaurant on Saratoga Lake, where wealthy New England patrons built their summer camps. He became famous for his unique specialties with venison and wild game, and he was encouraged to continue experimenting in the kitchen.
The Potato Chip
No one is certain about exactly how the potato chip was invented; some claim it was Crum’s sister, working at the same restaurant. Either way, Crum’s experimentation led to the refinement and popularization of chips, which became a local and eventually a regional draw from all New England.
His Own Restaurant
His wealthy customers included the ultra-rich Cornelius Vanderbilt, who mistakenly called him “Crum” instead of Speck, which George strategically embraced. He used his success there to open his own restaurant in 1860 called Crum’s, with very high-demand – and high-priced – cuisine.
Despite his wealthy clientele, he played no favorites and was expressly egalitarian with his food, making the rich wait their turn behind anyone in front of them. Crum served as an inspiration for numerous young Black men and women to explore their skills and creativity.
Jogging in America with my Black son!
My son’s an avid jogger. For him, circling the track in a nearby park enough times to reach his 4-5-mile daily goal is no big deal. Shucks, his jogging regimen was enough motivation for me to join him on that track; not as a jogger but, okay, as a 2 mile “fast walker.” Thus, I’d not given more than a passing thought on the inherent dangers of “jogging while Black” until the Ahmaud Arbery story went viral.
“That could have been my son,” was the disconcerting thought – and rage – that unsettled my mind as I watched that sickening video and heard those gunshots that snuffed out that young man’s life.
So in search for the proverbial “shoulder to cry on,” I called my friend Troy in Texas, an unabashed free thinker, writer and doting father of two; a daughter who is an outstanding track performer and an adolescent son who is gradually coming into his own as a budding athlete.
“The killing of the jogger in Georgia had quite an emotional impact on my daughter,” Troy began. “You see, my son was jogging behind her the other day when he fell way behind. It took a while for her to locate him and when she finally got home, she broke down in tears when she thought about her brother being gunned down while jogging like that young man in Georgia.”
Now before I could call others to commiserate with, a national publication came out with a riveting piece, “Running while Black.” It begins, “For many black runners, the killing and its aftermath have shed light on simmering fears of being attacked or racially profiled while running, an anxiety largely undiscussed in the wider running community, but one that is now causing runners of color to think even harder about the decisions they have to make when they go out for a jog.”
“A runner who lives in Atlanta said he feels safe on running trails and paths of his city, but if he runs through more residential and predominantly white neighborhoods, he makes sure to wear brightly colored clothing and sneakers so people can easily identify him as a runner. He intentionally makes additional noise if he sees someone approaching, yelling “hello” or “excuse me” long before it would be necessary, or laughing loudly if he is running with someone else to signal that he is a friendly presence.”
“The killing brought to life what another runner said she faces during a split second of pause — “Is it worth it?” — when she steps outside to go running. The Olympic gold medalist said the activity that has brought her immense joy and professional success is paired with fear. She expressed a similar subconscious protocol, one that’s long been routine. She flashes a smile to passers-by; asks how they are doing and says something about the weather. “I go out of my way to make sure they know I come in peace,” she said.
Further complicating matters is the strong recommendation to don masks.
“What if I catch somebody off guard?” said a Washington D.C. runner where residents have been asked to wear masks when in public. “What are they going to think? It’s not uncommon for black and brown bodies to be looked at as dangerous, and now you see a figure coming at you quickly and they are wearing a face mask.”
Now my burning question to America is this: We African Americans represent 33% of the total US population, yet 60% of COVID-19 related deaths. We’re still the last hired, first fired and vastly overrepresented in the prison system. We still at the bottom of the totem pole in housing, medical care and education.
And before the ink is dried on this piece, more Black lives will likely be snuffed out because they just happen to be in the “wrong place at the wrong time!”
As you finish reading this narrative, understand that we’re weary and running out of answers. So please tell us what are we to do Georgia… what are we to do America?
“Alabama’s gotten me so upset.
Tennessee made me lose my rest.
And everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam.
Alabama’s gotten me so upset.
Tennessee made me lose my rest.
And everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam.”
”Mississippi Goddam,” Nina Simon
© Terry Howard is an award-winning writer and storyteller. He is also a contributing writer with the Chattanooga News Chronicle, The American Diversity Report, The Douglas County Sentinel The Atlanta Business Journal, The Echo World, co-founder of the “26 Tiny Paint Brushes” writers’ guild, and recipient of the 2019 Dr. Martin Luther King Leadership Award. He can be reached at wwhoward3@gmail.com
Tennessee Black Caucus calls for end to providing Covid-19 status to law enforcement
NASHVILLE—The Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators called on the Lee Administration and the Department of Health to end the practice of sharing the names and addresses of Tennesseans who have tested positive for COVID-19 with law enforcement officials.
In response, the Governor has promised to work with the caucus and look into how the process could be altered. The practice was first reported Friday by the Tennessee Lookout news organization and was later picked up by media across the state. Last month, the Lee Administration sent letters to Tennessee law enforcement officials to provide the personal information to their departments once they have entered into a MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the state.
The Administration said the data is being made available so first responders would have the opportunity to protect themselves if they were called to an address where an infected person resides. However, Chairman Hardaway of Memphis says the information could actually have a “chilling effect” that keeps those already distrustful of the government from taking the COVID-19 test and possibly accelerate the spread of the disease: “Our membership has heard from many in the African-American community who are concerned by this release of personal data without their knowledge, as well as many in the Hispanic community who fear possible other uses of the information.
People feel their constitutional right to privacy is being violated without any warning. There are better ways to protect our first responders while, at the same time, giving proper notification to the citizens involved.”
TBCSL Vice-Chair Rick Staples of Knoxville added: “More thought needs to be given to the effect these practices could have on the many varied communities across Tennessee. That’s why it’s so important to have diverse representation at the table when these issues are being discussed so decisions aren’t being made that could possibly do more harm than good and possibly set us back in terms of much needed testing.”
Chairman Hardaway said the Governor has promised to work with the Black Caucus this week to find solutions to the issues and that he is “encouraged” by the quick response from the Lee Administration.
Grassroots group claims Hamilton County inmates at risk for deadly COVID-19 outbreak
The grassroots group Concerned Citizens for Justice is worried that the Hamilton County Jail and the Silverdale Detention Center are at risk for an outbreak of the deadly coronavirus.
With this in mind, they’re seeking the help of the Hamilton County sheriff and other elected officials.
“We cannot wait for the virus to spread and infect incarcerated people,” Concerned Citizens for Justice leaders said in a statement. “Local authorities must act immediately. We demand transparency around the process of releasing people to reduce the spread of COVID-19, specifically for pre-trial, juvenile and ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) detainees, persons with compromised or vulnerable health conditions, the elderly, and those incarcerated solely for a drug charge.”
n the wake of COVID-19 outbreaks at multiple prisons across the state, Gov. Bill Lee last week initiated mass testing for all Tennessee Department of Corrections staff and the inmates in their care.
A look at state documents reveal just how quickly COVID-19 has spread at prisons.
In March, the state only tested 22 inmates, none of them tested positive.
But by the end of April, the state had tested 5,800 inmates, mostly at the Bledsoe County and Trousdale Turner facilities. Nearly one-third of the inmates who were tested were positive for COVID-19. Many of those who test positive for coronavirus are asymptomatic.
The Chronicle contacted the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department. Our questions were answered by HCSO spokesperson Matt Lea.
Chronicle: A grassroots group, Concerned Citizens for Justice, claims the Hamilton County Jail and Silverdale Detention Center are at risk for a COVID19 outbreak. What is being done at these facilities to mitigate this risk?
Lea: HCSO Corrections personnel are closely following medical guidelines pertaining to COVID-19 prevention set forth by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), our local Hamilton County Health Department, and Erlanger Medical personnel (our in-house contracted medical personnel). This includes monitoring the temperature of personnel and inmates as well as isolating new inmates until they can be tested prior to being placed in general population.
Chronicle: Are these facilities fully following CDC coronavirus guidelines and protocols, as far as supplying hand sanitizer, masks, etc.?
Lea: HCSO Corrections personnel provide masks to every inmate at intake/booking. However, we cannot force an inmate to use it. Some inmates have simply chosen to not use a mask. The hand sanitizer on hand is alcohol based, so we will not provide it to the inmate population. Based on the guidance we have received from health officials, we highly encourage inmates to wash hands more frequently than usual. In addition, staff continue to monitor the temperature of personnel and inmates as well as isolating new inmates until they can be tested prior to being placed in general population. HCSO Corrections personnel are closely following medical guidelines pertaining to COVID-19 prevention set forth by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), our local Hamilton County Health Department, and Erlanger Medical personnel (our in-house contracted medical personnel).
Chronicle: Have any inmates, detainees or staff been tested for coronavirus at the Hamilton County Jail and Silverdale Detention Center since April 30, 2020? If so, have any of those tested come back positive?
Lea: The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office has concluded COVID-19 testing on all corrections personnel and inmates in the Hamilton County Jail last week on April 30th. The results of said tests were 100% negative. Since then, eight personnel and inmates have been tested. Those results also returned back negative.
HCSO Corrections personnel are working with the Hamilton County Health Department and CoreCivic to establish needed resources and a plan to test inmates and personnel. No tests have been conducted at Silverdale Detention Facility at this time to our knowledge.
Chronicle: Have there been any coronavirus tests done at the Hamilton County Jail and Silverdale Detention Center after April 30, 2020, with the test results still pending? And if so, how many?
Lea: No test results are pending.
Chronicle: Are there any inmates, detainees or staff at the Hamilton County Jail and Silverdale Detention Center who have not been tested for the coronavirus?
Lea: Any arrestee who booked into the Hamilton County Jail after April 30th at 5 p.m. has not been tested. Staff who are out for medical, military, or suspended duty have not been tested through our resources. Testing has not been conducted at the Silverdale Detention Facility at this time.
Chronicle: Is it true that there are currently instances of 12–and even up to 30–people confined to a cell within Hamilton County Jail, depending on the floor in which they are incarcerated?
Lea: There are several floors in the Hamilton County Jail that utilize a mass holding style design meaning there are 16 bunks (32 beds) laid out in rows to accommodate inmates in a large open area. There are individual cells that are designed to accommodate one inmate while there are others that can hold 6 or 12 inmates depending on the design. The first floor of the jail is utilized for intake and booking. It also contains a temporary holding area for inmates to be housed while they are waiting to be processed or until room can be made available for them upstairs in the primary areas of the jail. This area is also used to allow arrestees to sober up prior to booking or to temporarily hold mentally ill consumers.
Currently, due to COVID-19, there are times where there can be an increased amount of people being held in this area due to the fact we are isolating inmates there while we review their symptoms and potentially await testing. This is to ensure we do not release people with COVID-19 into the jail. Our goal, as long as we can secure enough testing kits routinely from the Health Department, is to test new arrestees who will not bond out of the jail directly and will be held for periods of time longer than 7-10 days. Those being kept in this area do have access to sleeping mats in order to sleep along with shower and restroom facilities.
Chronicle: How is the asymptomatic COVID-19 inmate who recently transferred from Bledsoe County Regional Prison on April 14 doing? I understand that this person was retested, and the test result came back negative. Is this innate still housed at the Hamilton County Jail. If so, is the person in isolation?
Lea: The asymptomatic inmate recently transferred from Bledsoe County Regional Prison on April 14th who tested positive for COVID-19 was retested and the test result came back negative. He remains in the population based on classification.
Hamilton County Schools Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson announces formation of School Reopening Task Force
Hamilton County Schools Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson on Tuesday announced the formation of a School Reopening Task Force to begin plans for children to return to school.
During a 12:30 p.m. press conference in the board room at the central office of Hamilton County Schools, Dr. Johnson announced the two member team of Keith Fogleman, chief talent officer for Hamilton County Schools, and Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) William T. Brooks, director, Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) for Hamilton County Schools.
Lt. Col. Brooks and Fogleman will work with staff, parents, students, business leaders, health professionals, and the community to formulate the plan for schools reopening and children once again learning in the classrooms.
They expect to have a plan ready by the end of June, or early July, to give everyone a month to prepare.
“We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us,” Task Force Co-Chair Lt. Col. Brooks said. “But we’re going to stay focused on the task at hand, and that’s to reopen the schools.”
Dr. Johnson said there will be four main areas of focus as plans are developed to make the reopening of schools in August as safe as possible for students and faculty.
“The Task Force will seek to minimize risks to public health, address impacts on student learning and well-being, recognize the importance of the local public school to the community, and they will seek to optimize operational readiness,” he explained.
Lt. Colonel Brooks is from Chattanooga and has held a variety of command and staff positions in his career. He served as the senior Army instructor at Chattanooga Central High School, a professor of Military Science at Grambling State University with a partnership at Louisiana Tech University and the University of Louisiana at Monroe for Army ROTC.
Fogleman has almost 40 years of experience in human resources and labor relations, predominantly in the electric utility industry. As an experienced human resource leader and strategic business partner, he has been responsible for the development and implementation of strategic human resource programs in the functional areas of labor relations, compensation and benefits, workforce planning, talent management, leadership development and succession planning.
“Lieutenant Colonel William Brooks and Keith Fogleman are uniquely qualified to lead the effort to plan a safe return of children, teachers, and staff to our schools,” said Dr. Johnson.
“The Task Force will take what we have learned as our teachers and students have responded remarkably during this COVID-19 pandemic, and reimagine every aspect of what we do to be an even better school district when we are able to provide a safe return to classrooms across Hamilton County. The fall will bring unique challenges and we will work closely with public health officials at the local, state and national level and defer to their expertise in the reopening process.”
Weekly Opening Status Update from Mayor Berke
Dear friends,
Protecting public health and revamping the economy are not mutually exclusive — in fact, they’re one and the same. Workers won’t work and customers won’t shop if they’re afraid of getting sick.
That’s why the City of Chattanooga is committed to doing everything we can to help all business owners and employees transition back to work in the safest way possible. The City has partnered with the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce and local industry representatives on a set of webinars that will walk through appropriate and realistic guidelines for getting open — and staying open — safely.
Over the last week, the City has hosted webinars about reopening various industry sectors such as restaurants, gyms, child care centers, retail, and barbershops. On Friday, May 15 at 1:00 p.m., we’ll host a special one for churches and houses of worship. You can register, find resources, or previous webinars at cha.city/covidreopen.
While we are happy to help support our local businesses during this time, it’s important to remember we are still very much in the middle of this pandemic. We cannot expect our economy to bounce back if residents are still concerned about their safety and well-being. More community testing and contact tracing is vital. In the coming weeks, several local organizations have stepped up to expand COVID-19 testing in our community:
- The Hamilton County Health Department conducts free drive-thru testing on weekday mornings from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. at 7460 Bonnyshire Drive. No appointment is needed. Call (423) 209-8383 for more information.
- Clinica Medicos offers free COVID-19 testing seven days per week at their location. You will need an appointment, so please call (423) 760-4000 for more information and to schedule your test.
- Cempa Community Care, in partnership with Alleo Health System, and LifeSpring Pediatrics will offer free walk-up or drive-through testing at their mobile clinic. The clinic will be parked at the Bethlehem Center on Wednesday, May 13, the Avondale YFD Center on Wednesday, May 20 from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m and New Hope Baptist Church on Wednesday, May 27 from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. For more information, please call (423) 207-5831 or email info@cempa.org
Confirmed COVID-19 cases are rising and as businesses begin to reopen we expect to see an increase in numbers. While we were fortunate to enforce and implement social distancing practices early on, which we believe helped keep our confirmed cases low, you are still responsible for keeping you and your family safe.
Please remember:
- Stay home if you can, especially if you are in a high-risk category.
- Wear a mask if you must be in public.
- Maintain six feet of distance between you and other people.
- Wash your hands and disinfect surfaces regularly.
- Do not gather in large groups.
Thank you for all you do to keep our community safe.
Andy
Mayor Andy Berke