People with substance abuse disorders, depression and other mental health conditions may be at higher risk for COVID-19 — even when they are fully vaccinated, new research suggests. “Individuals with psychiatric disorders, and especially older adults with psychiatric disorders, may be particularly vulnerable to breakthrough infections,” said study author Kristen Nishimi, a postdoctoral fellow at… read on > read on >
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White House COVID Response Coordinator Says Adults Over 60 Should Get Second Booster
Americans who are over 60 should get a second COVID-19 booster shot, the White House’s new COVID-19 response coordinator recommended Sunday. Dr. Ashish Jha noted that data from Israel has found significantly reduced rates of infection and death among older individuals who received a fourth dose of a COVID vaccine. “The data out of Israel… read on > read on >
Does the Moderna Vaccine Best the Pfizer Shot?
Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine may have some slight advantages over the Pfizer shot, new research suggests. For the study, researchers tracked antibody levels in 234 people for 10 months after they received either the two-dose Pfizer (114 people) or Moderna (114 people) mRNA vaccines, or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson (6 people) shot, which uses a… read on > read on >
Health Care Workers Were At Highest COVID Risk in Workplace
U.S. health care workers were most likely to be infected with COVID-19 at work during the pandemic’s first year, according to a new study that challenges previous research suggesting their risk was highest off the job. Researchers said their findings could help guide efforts to better protect health care workers during future infectious disease outbreaks.… read on > read on >
Lead Exposure Harms Kids in Many Ways
New studies add to the extensive body of research showing the many risks that lead poses to youngsters. The association between lead exposure and children’s IQ is well-documented, but these University of Pennsylvania studies revealed how lead affects children’s stress responses and behavior. One study found a significant association between lead exposure in early childhood… read on > read on >
Humans Bear Blame for Red Tides
Red tide is a scourge of Southwest Florida, often littering beaches with dead fish and marine life and disrupting plans for boating and bathing. But Mother Nature isn’t entirely to blame for this blight. A new study confirms what some have long suspected — that human activity helps sustain and intensify naturally occurring red tide… read on > read on >
Who Are the New ‘Patient Influencers’ on Social Media?
Disability activist Gem Hubbard regularly shares her insights about life in a wheelchair with more than 75,000 Instagram followers, under the handle @wheelsnoheels_, and her YouTube videos boast more than 3.7 million hits. Hubbard, who hails from the U.K., is “increasingly known internationally for her work in furthering the horizons of people with and without… read on > read on >
Avoiding Diabetes May Include Avoiding Meat
Eating a healthy plant-based diet may help you head off type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests. Healthy plant-based foods include fruits, vegetables, nuts, coffee/tea, vegetable oils and legumes. Unhealthy plant-based foods include refined grains, fruit juices, potatoes, sugar-sweetened beverages, and sweets/desserts. “Our findings support the beneficial role of healthy plant-based diets in diabetes prevention… read on > read on >
Kids Think Farm Animals Deserve Same Treatment as Pets
Life would be much better for farm animals if children were in charge, a new British study suggests. Unlike adults, children believe farm animals should be treated the same as people and pets, and children are less likely to view eating animals as morally acceptable. The study included 479 people in England from three age… read on > read on >
Pfizer Says Its Booster Shot Bolsters Immune Response in Those Aged 5 to 11
Pfizer Inc. said Thursday that its booster shot raised levels of neutralizing antibodies against both the original coronavirus strain and the Omicron variant in children aged 5 to 11. They said in a statement that they would ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve the emergency use of a booster for this age… read on > read on >