Chlorine Dioxide pushed by health official as treatment for Covid; Sex workers demand right to work; Cross-border shipments pick up

Mauro Falconí, director of the National Agency for Health Regulation, is pushing for a “quick study” of the use of Chlorine Dioxide solution (known as CDS) as a treatment for Covid-19. He says that its use in Spain, Bolivia, Germany and Brazil have shown promising results.

According to its advocates, the Chlorine Dioxide solution can be mixed safely at home.

Falconí says CDS must go through a process of investigation and verification but it must be expedited due to the spread of Covid-19.

According to the BBC, CDS, sometimes referred to as a “Miraculous Mineral Supplement,” has been promoted as a treatment for diseases ranging from malaria, to diabetes and asthma, autism and cancer. “The effectiveness of CDS has been questioned by the scientific community so we must make a review of the literature on the subject. In a milder solution, it has been added to drinking water around the world for decades and experts agree overwhelmingly about its benefits.”

Falconí added that the skepticism about CDS is partly because it cannot be manufactured profitably by the large pharmaceutical firms. “It is a solution that can be mixed easily and cheaply at home so Big Pharma has shown little interest in it and has raised claims that it is unsafe,” he said. “Based on widespread anecdotal evidence, CDS is much more effective for treating the coronavirus than hydroxychloroquine.”

Cross border transport of goods increases
More than 10,000 trucks carrying food, machinery and household goods have entered Ecuador since health emergency restrictions were imposed on March 13 and officials say shipments are increasing rapidly as restrictions are eased.

“These shipments are essential for the resumption of normal life so the increase in volume is welcomed,” the Ministry of Transportation and Public Works said in a statement. “They are also important for the economy of Ecuador since shipments are also leaving the country for Peru and Colombia.” According to the ministry, truck drivers and their assistants entering the country must undergo a Covid-19 test.

Sex workers demand clearance to resume duties
Ecuador’s Association for the Defense of Women, which represents the country’s prostitutes, marched in Quito on Monday demanding that they be allowed to return to work. Hundreds of supporters staged a sit-in in front of the presidential palace and heard speeches supporting their cause. The association says it has submitted a detailed plan to the national Emergency Operations Committee about how members will protect themselves and their customers from the Covid-19 virus and are awaiting a response.

Tourist van companies protest at Calderon
The owners and drivers of interprovincial tourist and passenger transport vans protested Wednesday, demanding that they be allowed to reopen their service. Two hundred bans and busetas circulated in the historic district Wendesday morning while leaders of the protest presented their demands to city and national officials. According to a statement, 24 operators have been arrested and their vans confiscated since June 1 as they attempted to operate without permission.