The debate over masks in schools intensified on Monday, as the U.S. Education Department launched a civil rights investigation into mask mandate bans in five states while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made good on his promise to slash funds to school districts that have defied his ban. Why a federal investigation? Such bans may restrict… read on > read on >
The pause in youth sports caused by the COVID-19 pandemic wound up shaking some budding athletes to their core, a new U.S. survey shows. More than 1 in 10 youth athletes ended up reconsidering their sports goals or aspirations as the pandemic closed stadiums and gyms. That included one-quarter of athletes in their later teens,… read on > read on >
The ability of COVID-19 vaccines to protect adults older than 75 against hospitalization appears to wane over time, but still remained 80% effective as of the end of July, new federal data shows. The same data indicates that vaccines continued to offer the same or nearly the same level of protection against hospitalization for people… read on > read on >
Algeria recently became the last country in the world to halt sales of highly toxic leaded gasoline, the U.N. Environment Agency (UNEP) said Monday. The agency said that marked the “official end” of the use of the fuel that’s been linked to a wide range of human health problems, the Associated Press reported. “The successful… read on > read on >
New research confirms the pandemic has not been good for the waistlines of children. During lockdowns, American kids gained more weight than before the pandemic, and the number who became obese also increased, researchers report. “This increased weight gain occurred in all youth between 5 and 17 years, but was particularly evident in children ages… read on > read on >
With Labor Day festivities approaching, you might want to think twice about that cocktail. Or at least you should avoid that second round, especially if you have a history of your heart beating irregularly. A new study appears to confirm the existence of “holiday heart syndrome” — a higher risk of atrial fibrillation (a-fib), after… read on > read on >
Monoclonal antibody infusions can help prevent severe COVID-19, but the best protection is to get vaccinated, experts say. Antibodies are made by the immune system to fight infections. “The problem is that our immune system takes two to three weeks to make good antibodies,” said Dr. Turner Overton, co-director of the Alabama Vaccine Research Clinic… read on > read on >
You caught a case of COVID-19 and then you got your first dose of a vaccine. Maybe you now think you are protected from coronavirus infections in the future. Think again: New research shows that prior COVID-19 infection alone doesn’t guarantee a high level of antibodies against the coronavirus or a strong response after just… read on > read on >
A high amount of coronavirus in the lungs is a major contributor to death in COVID-19 patients, new research shows. The findings challenge previous theories that simultaneous infections such as pneumonia or an overreaction of the body’s immune system are significant factors in COVID-19 deaths, the researchers noted. To come to that conclusion, the investigators… read on > read on >
Many parts of the United States saw a significant drop in breast cancer screening of older low-income women during the COVID-19 pandemic, new research shows. The analysis of data from 32 community health centers that serve low-income people found that breast cancer screening for 50- to 74-year-old women dropped 8% between July 2019 and July… read on > read on >
