Thanks to the Omicron surge this past winter, 3 in every 5 Americans have now been infected with COVID-19, a new government report shows. Once Omicron surfaced as the predominant variant in this country, the highest infection rates were seen among children and teens, and the upward shift was steep: Only 1 in 3 Americans… read on > read on >
It remains one of the most painful images of the pandemic: Families who were not allowed to be by their loved ones’ bedside as they waged a lonely battle against COVID in a hospital ICU, with some forced to say goodbye via a smartphone or tablet held by a compassionate nurse who didn’t want a… read on > read on >
It seemed a simple prospect — take a low-dose baby aspirin tablet once a day and reduce your risk of ever suffering a heart attack or stroke. But new science has shown it’s not that simple. Noting the drug’s risk of dangerous bleeding, the nation’s leading panel of preventive health experts has reversed course and… read on > read on >
TUESDAY, April 26, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — Olivia Lopez came home from school one day, walked into her mom’s office and announced: “I can’t smell.” It was November 2020, so then-13-year-old Olivia and her mom knew what this likely meant. A test confirmed she had COVID-19. In addition to a loss of smell… read on > read on >
Imagine a birth control pill a woman can take before having sex that prevents pregnancy for the next three to five days. This may become a reality, according to a small, new study. The traditional birth control pill is taken daily, while emergency contraceptive pills are taken after sex to prevent pregnancy from occurring, but… read on > read on >
Plans to nearly double the number of pharmacies and other locations that carry the antiviral pill Paxlovid for COVID-19 were announced Tuesday by the Biden administration. Demand for the drug has risen in recent weeks along with coronavirus cases, but many Americans have said they can’t find a doctor to prescribe the drug, or a… read on > read on >
If you think teen gun violence is not a pressing issue, a new study suggests otherwise. Researchers found the percentage of U.S. teenagers carrying handguns has risen by 41% over the past two decades — with notable increases seen among white teens from higher-income families. The researchers tracked handgun carriage among 12- to 17-year-olds between… read on > read on >
Seniors are often advised to take calcium supplements, but new research says the pills might significantly increase an aging person’s risk of heart valve problems that contribute to heart failure. People taking either calcium supplements alone or calcium with vitamin D had a higher risk of heart-related death or death from any cause compared with… read on > read on >
Are you vaccinated and wonder what your chances are of a breakthrough COVID-19 infection? A new study answers that question: Breakthrough COVID infections in fully vaccinated people are least likely to occur in those who’ve received an mRNA vaccine and who were infected with the coronavirus before vaccination. The study included more than 8 million… read on > read on >
If you’ve had COVID-19, there’s a good chance that at least one symptom will still be haunting you a year later, new research suggests. The researchers found that six in 10 people who’ve had COVID-19 still have at least one symptom after one year, and symptoms that don’t resolve after 15 weeks are likely to… read on > read on >
