Spaced-out seating in schools, virtual or outdoor religious services, and disposable menus, plates and utensils at restaurants are among U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention draft guidelines for reopening certain aspects of daily life during the coronavirus pandemic. Six categories are included in the document– child care programs; schools and day camps; communities of… read on >
The severity of COVID-19 illness may be influenced by what researchers call “cytokine storms.” In a new study, investigators assessed 522 COVID-19 patients, aged 5 days to 97 years, who were admitted to two hospitals in Wuhan, China, in December and January. The study also included a “control group” of 40 healthy people. Compared to… read on >
Hundreds of millions of Americans heeded recent government advice and rushed to wear cloth face masks, hoping they might prevent transmission of the new coronavirus. But there’s another option: The clear plastic face shield, already in use by many health care personnel. Now, a team of experts say face shields might replace masks as a… read on >
Fewer heart attack and stroke patients are seeking medical care since the coronavirus pandemic began and doctors are wondering why. It’s possible that during the pandemic, patients are ignoring symptoms that would otherwise worry them, doctors from Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles suggest. While investigators are trying to figure out what’s happening, Dr. Patrick Lyden, a… read on >
The coronavirus pandemic has led many older adults to postpone medical care, a new survey finds. The University of Chicago survey found that 55% of U.S. adults aged 70 and older experienced a disruption in their medical care during the first month of social distancing. Thirty-nine percent put off non-essential care and 32% delayed primary… read on >
Social distancing guidelines crafted by the federal government to stem the spread of coronavirus expire on Thursday, but President Donald Trump said Wednesday he has no intention of extending the measures. “They’ll be fading out, because now the governors are doing it,” Trump explained during a media briefing. More than half of the United States,… read on >
As the U.S. coronavirus case count climbed past 1 million and the death toll neared 60,000, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday that forces beleaguered meat processing plants to stay open so the country’s food supply isn’t threatened. The order used the Defense Production Act to classify meat processing as critical infrastructure,… read on >
COVID-19 might raise stroke risk in young and middle-aged adults, with virus-linked blood clots causing severe damage to their brains, doctors warn. Word has already spread that the novel coronavirus appears to increase clotting in some patients, experts say. Now, a series of five cases at the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City… read on >
Fear of exposure to COVID-19 appears to be exacting an unexpected toll on public health: Childhood vaccination rates have plummeted, leaving millions at risk for other life-threatening illnesses. “We’re seeing a general drop in pediatrician visits of 70% to 80% — and that’s very concerning,” said Dr. Sara Goza, president of the American Academy of… read on >
New research adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests men are far more vulnerable to severe COVID-19 than women are. Although both genders fall ill in the same numbers, men are 2.5 times more likely to get severe disease and die, the study from China showed. The finding comes as scientists in New… read on >
