By Dr. Bill Honigman, PDA Healthcare Human Rights, Coordinator – Progressive Democrats of America

This week worldwide new cases of #COVID19 rose by a third less than last week’s rise, as did global deaths.  This is certainly welcome news as India, in particular, is now showing some stabilization in urban areas although still some increased incidence in their rural areas.  Also in India, due to its hot and humid climate, is now plagued by a complicating fungal infection impacting especially diabetics and other immunocompromised COVID19 victims, known as mucormycosis, or the Black Fungus.

This scourge can cause ghastly discolorations and disfigurations especially involving the face, adding to the dramatic affliction to individuals in this already Healthcare challenged part of the world where diabetes itself has a known prevalence of some 12% to 18% of the adult population of the country, and is known to some as “the diabetic capital of the world”.

Meanwhile India’s autocratic leader Narendra Modi is finally taking significant political heat especially for the delayed roll out of vaccines there. 

Here in the US, COVID19 new cases and deaths both increased somewhat week-over-week with the total cases increased by about 100,000 over last week’s change, and US COVID deaths actually tripled this week over last week’s to 9,463 for the week, compared to last week’s 3,669.  That’s an average now of 1,351 per day still dying of COVID19 here on our shores, and a remarkable 540 lives (about 2 crashed packed jetliners worth of lost souls) potentially that could be saved daily if we had a #SinglePayer expanded and improved #MedicareForAll (MFA) system in place to deal with this crisis.

And adding insult to Healthcare injury, now we hear that the Biden/Harris administration is giving up on all aspirations for Healthcare relief to be added to the upcoming budget proposals, including the promised lowering of premiums, drug prices, Medicare eligibility, let alone the now fabled promise of any kind of a Public Option, robust or otherwise.  All of this as concession to the power of a few recalcitrant US Senators and a mega-media fundamentalist message machine behind them that will keep us mired in this mess for who knows how long unless real leaders step forward.

What additional pressure can be applied to these recalcitrant Senators?  Or for that matter what leverage can be applied to all of the establishment Democrats and Republicans of any worth, at least to those who give any credence whatsoever to the oath that they took to advocate for the general welfare, insuring domestic tranquility, and providing for the common defense, which in this case is clearly against a microscopic global invader, likely brought on by rising global temperatures and which is itself a prognosticator of more existential global threats to come?

What critical discussions and awareness raising must we now do, those of us who will not sit idly by, to bring these ideas of the how, when, where, and what of Healthcare as a Human Right to the forefront, to foment the political movement and create the reality for resolution in this matter?

And to whom, within our various spheres of influence, must we reach out, proceed outside of our comfort zones, and engage with to necessarily have these discussions, and consequently move the necessary actions forward?

The possibilities and opportunities are limited only by our own initiative.

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