If you’re counting on a cloth mask to protect you from COVID-19, you may need to re-think that strategy, a new study shows. Researchers found that cloth face masks do little to fend off tiny airborne particles, while concluding that specialized N95 and similar masks do a much better job. “Masks are air filters, and… read on > read on >
Alexa can already play your favorite song or tell you whether it is going to rain, but soon you may also be able to tell the popular voice assistant to contact a doctor for health issues. The service from Amazon and telemedicine provider Teladoc Health will be available around the clock on Amazon’s Echo devices,… read on > read on >
Some portable tech devices equipped with powerful magnets can interfere with your heart implant’s ability to regulate dangerous irregular heart rhythms, a new study reports. Swiss researchers found that Apple AirPods Pro, the Microsoft Surface Pen and the Apple Pencil all can temporarily throw a pacemaker/defibrillator off if they are held too close to the… read on > read on >
Screening mammograms can lead to overdiagnosis of breast cancer, but a new study finds it happens less often than experts have thought. Researchers estimated that about 15% of breast cancers caught through routine mammography screening are overdiagnoses — meaning the tumors would never have caused harm if they had not been detected. The figure suggests… read on > read on >
Fresh data shows that Pfizer’s COVID vaccine is far less powerful at preventing infection among children ages 5 to 11 than teens, a finding that could leave some parents of younger children worried. The vaccine — the only one authorized for that age group in the United States — does prevent severe illness in young… read on > read on >
Minimum staffing levels will be a main feature of a major overhaul of U.S. nursing homes that President Joe Biden is expected to announce in his State of the Union speech Tuesday night. Staffing levels are considered a critical marker for nursing home quality, but the pandemic has left many facilities short of nurses, nursing… read on > read on >
E-cigarette and hookah water pipe users may be at greater risk than tobacco cigarette smokers for cancers of the nose, sinuses and throat, according to a new study. That’s because vapers and hookah users are more than twice as likely to exhale smoke through their nose as cigarette smokers, who typically exhale smoke through the… read on > read on >
Wanderlust has become a strong incentive for Americans to get COVID-19 vaccines, a new study finds. The bucket list beckons, and “many people consider travel an essential part of their lifestyle and a contributor to their sense of well-being,” said study lead author Dogan Gursoy, a professor in hospitality business management at Washington State University.… read on > read on >
Never mind what the calendar says — your plants will tell you when spring is here. And even in Northern regions, they’re leafing out earlier than ever in recent decades due to climate change. In a new study, researchers attribute the early greening to two key factors: warmer temperatures and fewer rainy days. “This contrasting… read on > read on >
Increased social media use may be causing more severe tics in young people, researchers find read on >
