UNDERSTANDING COVID-19
AND “ZOONOTIC” PANDEMICS

In a vegan world, Covid-19 - the Coronavirus behind the current global pandemic, that is leading to lock-downs of entire cities, tragic deaths, fear and insecurity, political turmoil and disruption of the world economy - as well as other looming zoonotic-related diseases - would not be the huge threat it is right now.

As people begin to grapple with learning, many for the first time, about zoonotic disease, we find ourselves suddenly in the middle of a crisis that spans the world, struggling with a new understanding of how we affect each other, and new comprehension of how quickly the entire world can shift. The first thing to do in such a crisis is take care of family, self, and community, and there are many heroic people who have risen to the immediate challenges, from brave medical first responders to brilliant scientists and dedicated, selfless community volunteers. Our hearts are with all who are struggling and suffering as a result of this situation.

But what makes this current situation all the more tragic is: scientists have actually been sounding the alarm about what is happening now for decades. It is a troubling inconvenient truth to be faced up ahead, but Covid-19 did not need to happen. This is a devastating way for society at large to wake up to the stark realities of zoonotic viruses.

Because of Covid-19, there must now be a bold, rising conversation
about what the source and root cause of this pandemic really is:
farming and eating animals, destruction of wild areas,
displacement of wildlife and how zoonotic diseases manifest -
and how these things work together to create a dangerous potential.

In addition to this current pandemic, zoonotic diseases already kill approximately 2.2 million people each year… but you never hear this presented by local and political leadership as if it is urgent or important - - until now. This current frightening situation will hopefully serve as a wake-up call to humanity, that we must address a very real growing problem. Once we solve and get through this current pandemic, we must continue to listen: scientists have been saying for years that there are many others waiting on the horizon. We must start respecting nature and animals and understand our biosphere.

In a vegan world, where we leave animals alone and stop manipulating them - stop altering our entire biosphere and landscape for animal agriculture, and stop eating animals and their excretions - there is drastically reduced risk of zoonotic pandemics (if any). There would be little-to-no Covid-19 virus risk. In a vegan world, we also feed the world’s hungry using land more wisely, and we clean our water and our air dramatically. Not in the least, we end the unconscionable suffering of billions of animals per year which is the basis of veganism. In coming weeks, we are going to add more and more educational resources to this page… but here are some links to articles, podcasts and educational resources to help you learn more.

Together we can make this a safer, kinder, more just world. HUDSON VALLEY VEGFEST has been dedicated to increasing vegan awareness in this region, and fostering real change. We feel more committed than ever in this current crisis, to continue our work bringing important education and accessible vegan learning opportunities to Hudson Valley citizens - - opportunities that will help us all become wiser, more fully informed stewards of this beautiful planet and the world we share.

In addition to the links below, please check out our sister site created in collaboration with NY Farm Animal Save:
www.PandemicFreeWorld.com

And stay tuned here to added links and resources.

We wish you strength, love and support through this challenging time in our collective history.

Rebecca Moore
Founder, Hudson Valley Vegfest

LINKS:

First, understand that this is nothing new: a Coronavirus that jumped from bats to humans was identified in 2015 by scientists at NC University:
https://healthtalk.unchealthcare.org/new-sars-like-virus-can-jump-directly-from-bats-to-humans-no-treatment-available/amp/?__twitter_impression=true&fbclid=IwAR3IjPHPPTqrEwsYuX7xZIF6sgZwbd5BsmqN45chzGPyyVGUGVtxSUm6K8g

CNN.com Article - Bats are not to Blame for Coronavirus; Humans Are:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/19/health/coronavirus-human-actions-intl/index.html?fbclid=IwAR2WnWUyv1tegWPGxxRDHpFzz3NQhRpH7yaqhASODQzWurCHcNlWfUx2xBI

The Independent Article - We Should Start Thinking about the Next One:
https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/coronavirus-uk-pandemics-environmentalists-warning-a9413996.html?fbclid=IwAR1rlf-5ei8a2tKCAaHk_X0kKZKVJ4S8TGio4e_SQMmPxth4M3wSpBzRhH8

Commondreams.org - Food Safety Groups Warn of Looming Zoonotic Pandemic, Blast USDA’s New Slaughter Plant Regulation:
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/04/06/food-safety-groups-warn-looming-zoonotic-pandemic-blast-usdas-new-slaughter-plant?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR3rfUZfMHxYqzbroGRvtJoRU6AC2Qt1JbGHfX_9JpedIjGc8L5T4gshwI4

FreeFromHarm article: Why are We Ignoring the Root Cause of Pandemics:
https://freefromharm.org/animal-products-and-culture/why-are-we-ignoring-the-root-cause-of-this-pandemic?fbclid=IwAR0dhNlWvsVM0SFwyvhIfHIpiY8hh94IybhKw7lqJQLQL0XPXTNIDampqrM

Live Science - 13 Animal-to-Human Diseases kill 2.2 million people each year:
https://www.livescience.com/21426-global-zoonoses-diseases-hotspots.html?fbclid=IwAR2HxzypHTj8w5dLG_FtPj32pBcj1s2XDqbqH2mIjHr99DURJWuAmnWbf-E

New York Daily News Article - Let’s Socially Distance Ourselves from Animals:
https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-oped-lets-socially-distance-ourselves-from-animals-20200401-g5y54vkza5c65pthg5uukdirae-story.html?fbclid=IwAR3GYkgqXDofKx9IGG6HCscwNn1in-llwLdv59tI0pjOr62C5iBcjTNIx-c


The Guardian Article - Nature is Sending us a Message says UN Environment Chief:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/25/coronavirus-nature-is-sending-us-a-message-says-un-environment-chief?fbclid=IwAR2JXMMZU6GMr9JQefxZnxnnk7DR3dS1rdH3nKFRinaefCj2lazaBKkLb3w


Center for Food Safety - New Swine Rules So Dangerous They Could Spur Another Zoonotic Pandemic:
https://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/press-releases/5975/new-swine-rules-so-dangerous-they-could-spur-another-zoonotic-pandemic?fbclid=IwAR15mdu3qEdfwn0ZMmsEbR9QdG0Gw-XHvSEpSmcPqTt_xvVYKna3OCFog-U



The Guardian Article - Human Impact on Wildlife to Blame for Spread of Viruses, Study Says:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/08/human-impact-on-wildlife-to-blame-for-spread-of-viruses-says-study-aoe?fbclid=IwAR15PzjayQEEzbxZ4ebe-ZGtaH59qggbG3AkMNyUTtApnau9YI3vHBccU-0

Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics - Stopping Animal Abuse will Prevent Future Pandemics:
https://www.oxfordanimalethics.com/2020/03/press-release-stopping-animal-abuse-will-prevent-future-pandemics-says-leading-scientist/?fbclid=IwAR0kjDTqZBMYaiwXeDtJlyieWWss4P2vZnuZ4yYGeAPNrev5zioSmB21hnc

VOX.com Article: -The story we tell about pandemics casts us as victims of nature. It’s the other way around:
https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2020/3/31/21199917/coronavirus-covid-19-animals-pandemic-environment-climate-biodiversity?fbclid=IwAR1CYsCutmOyKSkv0kfFyWa9M0KzyHZZJFkXiyCrkql2-BK-KawCOFScgn8

LA Times Op-ed Article - Covid-19 Shows Us What We’re Doing to Animals is Killing Us Too:
https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-04-02/coronavirus-pandemics-animals-habitat-ecology

National Institute of Health Article on Zoonotic Pandemic Threats (2014):
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4230840/?fbclid=IwAR0UNXXykFZuOkcsgljNgmTgpFTzQaHF3skzu5PzfWQh_2uP0u1b8APoDps

Infection Control Today Article (2018) - World Zoonoses Day; Most Emerging Infectious Diseases from Animals:
https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/infectious-diseases-conditions/world-zoonoses-day-most-emerging-infectious-diseases-originate?fbclid=IwAR0wrBABwfm_OHKF6jP1os3GDSFrUmYUdy0sYR_NmNMButYo8Qg5bFjdTak

Financial Tribune Article (2016) - 75% of All New Human Diseases Zoonotic:
https://financialtribune.com/articles/people/47931/75-of-all-new-human-diseases-zoonotic?fbclid=IwAR2URgbOA2_IDVOG9vAPd0DINyBAFr8NrRMIcXRKqfQvAJF009coSTny_Wo

The Hill Article (2020) - We have No One to Blame for the Coronavirus But Ourselves:
https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/491293-we-have-no-one-to-blame-for-the-coronavirus-but-ourselves?fbclid=IwAR329ehr09Gn3pZviu8Yz8xtuRXuY-Rh1ThQzAciQxh29Uv1FMk9kZKjTuU#.XotLR0QJAvt.facebook

Time Article - Want to Stop the Next Pandemic? Start Protecting Wildlife Habitats:
https://time.com/5817363/wildlife-habitats-disease-pandemics/?fbclid=IwAR3pUryAQiaNUMbb2kZVAMSdBeek2GEBZ4pAkfIARxuiueW1M9VBaR4bj_A



Citizentruth.org - Factory Farms Create the Perfect Condtions for Viral Infections like Covid-19:
https://citizentruth.org/factory-farms-create-the-perfect-conditions-to-spread-viral-infections-like-covid-19/?fbclid=IwAR1U8f-7jm2q17iLSZCL-iJRg0vEjNypuXE5hnnLbimEZSFi2RvUxdv545c



Forks Over Knives - Zoonotic Diseases, Superbugs, and Animal Agriculture:
https://www.forksoverknives.com/wellness/coronavirus-e-coli-zoonotic-influenza-animal-agriculture-spawns-infectious-diseases/#gs.2ylqpz

South China Morning Post - Coronavirus: One Virus Caused Covid-19. Scientists Say More Are In Waiting:
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3078669/one-virus-caused-covid-19-scientists-say-thousands-more-are-waiting?fbclid=IwAR1qA5SfClrevXBiMzFDgN0dNy588nqD1C4SSfYf7ZH_80nZWNUVSytrlIY

Sierra Club - Blame it on the Farm, Too (How Intensive Agriculture Helps Viruses and Bacteria Leap From Other Species to Humans):
https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/blame-it-farm-covid-coronavirus-agricuture-coronavirus-covid-19?fbclid=IwAR3VGlGWDlZoCbdHstUCJIO2iDg7xtIGGRCAWnnDWw14hA8ELRzxeQWe6hk#.Xozm9qbcOPI.facebook

LiveKindly Article - What the Health Director’s New Film Linking Covid-19 to Factory Farming:
https://www.livekindly.co/coronavirus-factory-farming-film/?fbclid=IwAR0T0tpuxS2HwMhc8BjSHZn3E-n4qjTUdSmG_xRbyHag0vITZMmd13ENBZU

The Guardian Article - Is Factory Farming to Blame for Corona Virus?
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/28/is-factory-farming-to-blame-for-coronavirus?fbclid=IwAR1bPq4_YIvfB-f3Mtqub2QSzsurn8FB30x15Nth03zequzCoSwDpyny1lo

Live Kindly Article - Coronavirus Could Force Slaughterhouses to Shut:
https://www.livekindly.co/coronavirus-could-force-mass-slaughterhouse-closures/?fbclid=IwAR1e3DlB5r37p5IMM3DBKXUaS5-QTeOC6fm6t40pO8o1Ts4KRsN6BQ37abs

Sentient Media article - A Palate for Pestilence:
https://sentientmedia.org/ominous-links-between-covid-19-and-industrial-animal-farming/?fbclid=IwAR3gl3BKQhdiIdf6t4Ghfc8ascjU61EJSi9xioQV-wMW1gUtpLZc29LkHtw



The Independent U.K.: From Coronavirus to Antibiotics - the way we use animals still risks spreading disease:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-antibiotics-wild-animals-wildlife-china-wuhan-bat-pangolin-a9407261.html?fbclid=IwAR07TRIQ9NGTOfymzXyjgKVsZE_BFTo7gd6e66BopHvsZ9zvIPhXhi4-CLg

Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine (PCRM) - Doctors Urge Surgeon General to Shut Down Live Animal Markets:
https://www.pcrm.org/news/news-releases/doctors-urge-surgeon-general-shut-down-us-live-animal-markets?fbclid=IwAR3pSXyhhMjNIhIZHXyf6K9f2K8ICXX0QOTPNnrGhxgRowWQKiE4QZl2fEo



The Lancet Article (from 2012!) - Prediction and Prevention of the Next Zoonosis Pandemic:
https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(12)61684-5.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3WwXgxnnzKuSbQn07-wwk-2gqyWdFiSRB36IgF1_J-j_I6SybPGYmRoC0

CNN.com Article - The Covid-19 culprit is us, not pangolins
https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/03/27/opinions/pangolin-coronavirus-pandemic-breiman/index.html?fbclid=IwAR0ddsGFhbCsOGIZmnIW_SftGTAwN2-AgK6shZWiml3LULY1rXzRtOA7vB0

Slate.com Article - We Should Re-think Our Destructive Relationship with the Natural World:
https://slate.com/technology/2020/04/jane-goodall-coronavirus-species.html?fbclid=IwAR3uMczrP-mOCwAznyHv8gDYIMqsSC1FUWSOvbcRZWMQ-cWp2tjzYWUO2BQ

All-Creatures.org Article - Amid Covid-19 Outbreak, activists rally to close slaughterhouses in NYC:
https://www.all-creatures.org/articles2/mdi-COVID-19-85-markets-nyc.html?fbclid=IwAR0uck1VwaLcrbwegUpKWcSv91F4vVhCoSrIkjjUhNp_qiIa4L93BNI4VSw

Sentient Media Article - Coronavirus Should Make You Reconsider Eating Meat:
https://sentientmedia.org/coronavirus-should-make-you-reconsider-eating-meat/?fbclid=IwAR2qfxGb1Hwu_sYoBlL874kSvqflGW22bcJAfBKHSuT7oHohISFGEyPJ1jE

The Guardian Article - Is our Destruction of Nature Responsible for Covid-19?:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/18/tip-of-the-iceberg-is-our-destruction-of-nature-responsible-for-covid-19-aoe?fbclid=IwAR2lH0emMNSVNigYMuO4ecd7DLGOIWTgBISbYRolrYMWPyRRV_h8hWW8_2w

The NY Times Article (2020): Germany Confirms Case of H5N8 Bird Flu in Poultry Farm:
https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2020/03/16/world/europe/16reuters-birdflu-germany.html?fbclid=IwAR1esumcXFG7SsbZcjwQgJl3OlVtlBIBRRegOu3YoEP2hv2bwVB9GCVtcDQ

The Exam Room Podcast by The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLvOMPRvhGM&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR2HTILmGu7TWztldyDPXCGA-jcaBf9kie1piCDN-Vnt2wkFHH39jsLDgaM

Dr. Klaper (Video) on the Covid-19 Pandemic - Advice to get through Challenging Times:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAewU4-rWVk&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR25Dj3yQzCV2IHPfQd_JJM7Ib12rnziCxBK-qLaBRmeZ49OCVtP3MwqMFE

Live Kindly (Video) - This Doctor Has Been Warning About Pandemics for a Decade:
https://www.livekindly.co/dr-michael-greger-warning-pandemics-decade/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dr-michael-greger-warning-pandemics-decade&fbclid=IwAR27n6XWlGiNu7booa8UsaUxWAZiQVz8uk69cP3AAX3m_JWlKoT8QorgG-I



Euronews - The Best Way to Prevent Future Pandemics like Coronavirus? Stop Eating Meat and Go Vegan:
https://www.euronews.com/2020/04/01/the-best-way-prevent-future-pandemics-like-coronavirus-stop-eating-meat-and-go-vegan-view?utm_source=news.google.com&utm_campaign=feeds_bcs_editorschoice&utm_medium=referral&fbclid=IwAR2sfPb5wTIqiVK7NLBKJ4fLRv57F7kp4S3Uap2UgxrJ7mHNVFz6bLhCs64

Sentient Media Article - To Reduce the Risk of Pandemics, We Must Ban Factory Farming Now:
https://sentientmedia.org/to-reduce-the-risk-of-pandemics-we-must-ban-factory-farms-now/?fbclid=IwAR3snAmox2ikdGnMUoQ4RuR-i9yz1-8M6XS5ikOzR_dfa9xo4oUCIMV_3SA

Slashgear Article on recent Novovirus/Listeria Recall (March 2020):
https://www.slashgear.com/fda-reveals-berry-and-shrimp-recalls-over-norovirus-and-listeria-15613163/?fbclid=IwAR3lH59mbkZNrflCKuQNbHWp1u-DCMSsvZO_qtL74dK0QOSqjneR0opzDxQ

CNN Article on Listeria Outbreak March 2020: 
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/10/health/enoki-mushrooms-recall-listeria-deaths/index.html?fbclid=IwAR0aRaDT8hERQ2Ht-anYv7mlFnU8tjtv4YjLZR-iWoBhnub2Gp1ZEE2-b7c

The Maritime Executive Article: COVID-19: People, Livestock at Risk from Live Export, Says NGOs
https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/covid-19-people-livestock-at-risk-from-live-export?fbclid=IwAR0AjoFpFNfP7yN5FazCirPmF23hkR_DeuVW7WqV9xQ8kLxgPvKbBrYWQEo

PODCAST: Rich Roll interviewing Zach Bush, MD - “A Pandemic of Possibility”:
https://www.richroll.com/podcast/zach-bush-508/?fbclid=IwAR2YLdF76J49D-X-Yg0Nnk0la4dX8nWftPIiWr_lQWbnI5k_pUGPiqnB8Nk



NY Times Article - After the Pandemic, the Big Reset:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/10/opinion/coronavirus-political-reform.html?fbclid=IwAR0vJfX-SSwpih2-6FH8BLgh5oXqhd5RY1EaCEtNy0lkMayVukg9pEfbJMM

NY Times Article - Poultry Workers Death Highlights Spread of Coronavirus in Meat Plants:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/09/us/coronavirus-chicken-meat-processing-plants-immigrants.html?auth=login-email&fbclid=IwAR2R8Tx-YYGsnb0Pa55dT1wDatIludS2x80dIIuAv356ojOg8UXiveFiVk0&login=email

Sentient Media - The Best Defense Against the Next Pandemic: Your Fork:
https://sentientmedia.org/the-best-defense-against-the-next-pandemic-your-fork/?fbclid=IwAR0fYt19fxPN9ZJlRy-8z5gX6HSakh-VQ8rYXV3-eqhg5HtiNRkXU87K7N8