Confronting the Upstream Causes of COVID-19 and Other Epidemics to Follow.
Int J Health Serv
; 51(1): 55-58, 2021 Jan.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-694786
ABSTRACT
The upstream causes of the COVID-19 pandemic have received little attention so far in public health and clinical medicine, as opposed to the downstream effects of mass morbidity and mortality. To resolve this pandemic and to prevent even more severe future pandemics, a focus on upstream causation is essential. Convincing evidence shows that this and every other important viral epidemic emerging in the recent past and predictably into the future comes from the same upstream causes capitalist agriculture, its destruction of natural habitat, and the industrial production of meat. International and national health organizations have obscured the upstream causes of emerging viral epidemics. These organizations have suffered cutbacks in public funding but have received increased support from international financial institutions and private philanthropies that emphasize the downstream effects rather than upstream causes of infectious diseases. Conflicts of interest also have impacted public health policies. A worldwide shift has begun toward peasant agricultural practices Research so far has shown that peasant agriculture is safer and more efficient than capitalist industrial agricultural practices. Without such a transformation of agriculture, even more devastating pandemics will result from the same upstream causes.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Communicable Diseases, Emerging
/
Pandemics
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Language:
English
Journal:
Int J Health Serv
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
0020731420946612
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