If you’re having eye problems, you may not know which type of specialist to consult. Here’s some help from experts who explain the roles of an optometrist, ophthalmologist, pediatric ophthalmologist, orthoptist and optician. Optometrists provide comprehensive eye care, including evaluations for glasses and contact lenses and common eye diseases. “They play a role in monitoring…  read on >  read on >

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly shortened life expectancy in the United States, especially among Black people and Hispanics, a new study says. With more than 336,000 COVID-19 deaths nationwide last year, researchers decided to examine the pandemic’s impact on life expectancy. The projection: Due to pandemic deaths, life expectancy at birth for Americans will shrink by…  read on >  read on >

If you’re trying to decide whether to have your child tested for COVID-19, talk with your pediatrician, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests. Children and teens with COVID-19 symptoms should be tested immediately. This is especially important if they’re going to school, playing sports or have in-person jobs, according to the academy. Testing is…  read on >  read on >

FRIDAY, Jan. 15, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — Experts have a simple answer for heart and stroke patients questioning whether they need a COVID-19 vaccination. That answer: yes. “People with all kinds of cardiovascular risk factors and disease should definitely get vaccinated to protect themselves and their families from COVID-19,” said Dr. Mitchell Elkind,…  read on >  read on >

Now that federal guidelines have expanded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to include people over 65 and those of all ages with underlying health conditions, drug stores say they are ready, willing and able to start giving the shots. There’s just one slight glitch: supply. But with two vaccines already available and others moving toward emergency use…  read on >  read on >

A combination of mask use, social distancing and routine testing would eliminate nearly all COVID-19 infections on U.S. college campuses, a new study claims. Using a computer model that simulated a semester of a mid-sized college (5,000 students and 1,000 faculty), researchers assessed the effectiveness and cost of 24 combinations of four common preventive strategies:…  read on >  read on >

The United States has far fewer flu cases than normal, and experts say it’s probably due to measures people are taking to protect themselves from COVID-19. Flu season usually peaks between December and February. Influenza typically causes about 45 million illnesses, 810,000 hospitalizations and 61,000 deaths in the United States each year, according to the…  read on >  read on >

After SARS-CoV-2 exposure, a 14-day quarantine is standard among university athletes. But shorter quarantines for these athletes, along with mid-quarantine testing, may improve their compliance without increasing the risk that they’ll infect others, a new study suggests. Researchers analyzed data from 620 U.S. college athletes who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 while in quarantine after exposure…  read on >  read on >