Breastfeeding moms can rest easier: New research finds no evidence their milk transmits the virus that causes COVID-19 to their babies. “Breast milk is an invaluable source of nutrition to infants,” said lead author Dr. Paul Krogstad of the University of California, Los Angeles. “In our study, we found no evidence that breast milk from…  read on >  read on >

Big surprise bills for any colonoscopy done after a positive result from a stool-based screening test will be prevented under new federal rules, a group of U.S. medical organizations say. On Jan. 10, the Biden administration issued guidance requiring private insurers to cover such colonoscopies. The guidance expands on the requirement that plans provide the…  read on >  read on >

It’s too soon to determine whether Omicron’s rapid spread will turn a pandemic virus into an endemic disease, America’s top infectious disease expert says. That “would only be the case if we don’t get another variant that eludes the immune response to the prior variant,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said this week during the Davos Agenda,…  read on >  read on >

If you vape and catch COVID-19, you may feel a whole lot worse than people who come down with the virus but don’t use electronic cigarettes, researchers say. When compared to folks with COVID-19 who didn’t use e-cigarettes, those who did were more likely to report chest pain, chills, headaches, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea…  read on >  read on >

People who believe their bodies and minds will break down with age may be creating a self-fulfilling prophecy, a recent study suggests. Researchers found that older adults with a dim outlook on aging tended to report more physical health symptoms on days when they were stressed out than on less stressful days. In contrast, people…  read on >  read on >

As a record number of American kids are being hospitalized with COVID-19, a new study helps clarify which ones are at the highest risk for serious complications. The study tracked over 3,200 children and teenagers who landed in an emergency room with COVID-19 symptoms and tested positive. It found that older kids — between the…  read on >  read on >

Before getting their first dose of a COVID vaccine, many Americans were nervous about how they would react to the shot, but new research shows that fears of side effects may actually make side effects more likely. To investigate this so-called “nocebo” effect in people receiving COVID-19 vaccines, researchers analyzed data from 12 clinical trials…  read on >  read on >