Dr. Brad Cotton enjoyed working on the front lines as an emergency room doctor. Yet in March, as the coronavirus pandemic burst through the doors at hospitals across the world, Cotton left that more dangerous work behind. “I left emergency medicine because that was much higher risk. I’m actually still working full time for urgent… read on >
Up to 7.7 million U.S. workers lost jobs with employer-sponsored health insurance during the coronavirus pandemic, and 6.9 million of their dependents also lost coverage, a new study finds. Workers in manufacturing, retail, accommodation and food services were especially hard-hit by job losses, but unequally impacted by losses in insurance coverage. Manufacturing accounted for 12%… read on >
Black and Asian COVID-19 patients are more likely than white patients to have severe illness, a new British study finds. Researchers analyzed data from more than 1,800 adult COVID-19 patients admitted to King’s College Hospital in London between March 1 and June 2. Patients who were Black or of mixed ethnicity were three times more… read on >
A second coronavirus vaccine trial was paused on Monday after an unexplained illness surfaced in one of the trial’s volunteers. Johnson & Johnson, which only began a phase 3 trial of its vaccine last month, did not offer any more details on the illness and did not say whether the sick participant had received the… read on >
COVID-19 symptoms can last a long time in pregnant women, researchers say. The new study included 594 pregnant women (average age 31) across the United States who tested positive for the new coronavirus but were not hospitalized. Nearly one-third were health care workers. On average, the women were about 24 weeks’ pregnant when they joined… read on >
Hours after President Donald Trump held a rally on the White House lawn for hundreds of supporters, his doctor said he is “no longer considered a transmission risk to others.” In a memo released Saturday night, White House physician Dr. Sean Conley said he was sharing information about the status of Trump’s coronavirus infection with… read on >
Even as the nation’s top infectious diseases expert said Friday that the White House experienced a “superspreader” event in the Rose Garden last month, President Donald Trump announced he will hold his first public event at the White House since testing positive for the coronavirus a week ago. The Saturday event, which will have Trump… read on >
The truly scary thing about Halloween this year is that it’s occurring during a pandemic, but there are safe ways to celebrate, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says. Suggestions include: virtual costume parties; physically distant, outdoor costume parades; Halloween-themed craft making; movie nights at home; decorating pumpkins; and making favorite treats. “Many kids look… read on >
Learning to play a musical instrument helps fine-tune kids’ brains, researchers say. In a new study, 40 children (aged 10 to 13) performed memory and attention tasks while their brain activity was monitored with functional MRI. This type of imaging scan detects small changes in blood flow within the brain. Twenty of the children played… read on >
The so-called love hormone, oxytocin, may be worth investigating as a treatment for COVID-19, a new study suggests. One of the most serious complications of infection with the new coronavirus is a “cytokine storm,” in which the body attacks its own tissues. There are currently no U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments for COVID-19, which… read on >
