Public health officials and government workers are trying everything they can to promote COVID-19 vaccination — advertisements, news releases, cash lotteries, and even incentives like free beer, joints or doughnuts in some places. But nothing sways a vaccine-hesitant person more than a word with a family member, friend or their own doctor, a new Kaiser… read on > read on >
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy on Thursday called on tech companies, health care workers, journalists and even ordinary Americans to do more to fight vaccine misinformation. In a 22-page advisory, Murthy wrote that false claims have prompted people to reject coronavirus vaccines, masks and social distancing, undermining efforts to end the coronavirus pandemic and… read on > read on >
Surging coronavirus cases have prompted Los Angeles County to once again require people to wear masks indoors, even if they’re vaccinated. The nation’s largest county has had more than 1,000 new cases each day for a week, with more than 400 hospitalizations, the Associated Press reported. The new mask order will take effect just before… read on > read on >
Pfizer Inc. has agreed to pay $345 million in a proposed settlement to resolve lawsuits over steep EpiPen price increases. EpiPens are auto-injectable devices that deliver the drug epinephrine for emergency treatment of a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. In 2016, a number of class-action lawsuits were filed against Pfizer and its subsidiaries Meridian Medical… read on > read on >
Fermented foods may seem like just another health fad, but a small trial suggests they can help strike a healthier balance in the body’s gut bacteria. In a study of 36 people, researchers found that those randomly assigned to eat plenty of fermented foods, such as yogurt, kimchi and kombucha, showed an increase in their… read on > read on >
Glaucoma is a leading cause of vision loss in older people, and early detection can bring better treatment. Now, researchers in Australia say their experimental genetic test for glaucoma can identify 15 times more people at high risk for the disease compared to a current genetic test. “Early diagnosis of glaucoma can lead to vision-saving… read on > read on >
There were academic, social and emotional consequences for U.S. high school students who attended classes remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, new research shows. The study included more than 6,500 students in Orange County Public Schools in Florida, who were surveyed in October 2020, when two-thirds were attending school remotely and one-third were attending in person.… read on > read on >
Language barriers and distrust of the health care system are among the reasons why many Black and Hispanic Americans are reluctant to get COVID-19 vaccines, a new study finds. The two groups — which have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic — have followed safety precautions such as mask use and testing, but are hesitant… read on > read on >
How long can some COVID symptoms linger? New research suggests that more than a quarter of adults who had COVID-19 in 2020 weren’t fully recovered six to eight months later. There’s growing evidence that COVID-19 can cause long-term physical and mental health problems. These cases — called long-haul COVID — are a growing issue for… read on > read on >
The heart benefits of cholesterol-lowering statins in people without heart disease far exceed the risks of any side effects, a new review finds. Statins are widely prescribed to people with heart disease, and recent guidelines recommend greater preventive use of the drugs even before heart issues are diagnosed. But it hasn’t been clear whether the… read on > read on >
