The Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 are spreading rapidly in the United States, but it’s not yet clear if they’ll trigger a new wave of infections or a surge in hospitalizations and deaths, experts say. The subvariants now account for 13% of new coronavirus cases nationwide, compared with 7.5% a week ago and 1% in… read on > read on >
If you sleep with Fido or Fluffy, you’re in good company, a new survey shows. Nearly half of respondents to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) poll said they share their bed with a pet, and 46% of those people said they sleep better with their pet in the same bed. Only 19% said… read on > read on >
One year of testosterone therapy for men with low levels of the hormone does not appear to increase their risk for heart problems, British researchers found. “We were unable to find evidence … that testosterone increases risks of mortality or cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular [heart and/or stroke] events in the short- to medium-term in men with… read on > read on >
As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration weighs banning the sale of menthol cigarettes, a new study strengthens the tie between mint-flavored tobacco and teen smoking. According to the survey, adolescents who began smoking using menthols tended to smoke an average of nearly three days more during a 30-day period than their peers who took… read on > read on >
Even after vaccination, living with HIV ups the odds for COVID infection, new research shows. The study found that vaccinated people living with HIV have a 28% higher risk of developing a “breakthrough” COVID infection compared to those who don’t have the AIDS-causing virus. That’s the bad news. But there’s good news, too: The overall… read on > read on >
Moderna announced Wednesday that its updated COVID-19 booster shot does a better job at thwarting the Omicron variant than the original version does. “We are thrilled to share the preliminary data analysis on mRNA-1273.214, which is the second demonstration of superiority of our bivalent booster platform against variants of concern and represents an innovation in… read on > read on >
The mental health equivalent of 911 is about to launch across the United States, but a new study finds that many communities may not be prepared for it. Beginning July 16, a new 988 number will be available 24/7 for Americans dealing with a mental health crisis. It’s akin to 911, long used to get… read on > read on >
There is a “staggering” gap between the number of Americans who need care for anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions and those who can actually get it, a new survey shows. In all, 42% of U.S. adults who needed care in the previous 12 months did not get it because of costs and other… read on > read on >
A U.S. Food and Drug Administration vaccine advisory panel on Tuesday recommended that Novavax’s COVID-19 shots be added to the vaccine arsenal that Americans have at their disposal. Twenty-one panel members voted to approve the vaccine, while one person abstained. Next, the FDA will have to decide whether to authorize the shot for emergency use,… read on > read on >
The sharp political divide in the United States may also be creating a widening gap in death rates between those on opposing sides, new research suggests. For the study, researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) in Boston analyzed death rates and federal and state election data for all U.S. counties from 2001 to 2019.… read on > read on >
