COVID-19 might be easing into a new status as a widely circulating and somewhat harsher version of the common cold, experts say — a virus that folks could contract repeatedly, even if they were recently infected. “[SARS-CoV-2] is destined to join four of its family members and become an endemic coronavirus that will repeatedly infect… read on > read on >
Americans with sickle cell disease who have private insurance face average out-of-pocket costs of $1,300 a year and a lifetime total of $44,000, new research reveals. That means that their out-of-pocket expenses are nearly four times higher compared to people without the inherited blood disorder, the new study found. “Identifying ways to reduce the burden… read on > read on >
If you have both asthma and seasonal allergies, there are ways to reduce the impacts of that double whammy, an expert says. People with asthma, a chronic lung condition, should try to control or prevent allergic outbreaks, said Dr. Miranda Curtiss, an assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine. Nasal… read on > read on >
Anyone who’s tried to sleep on a hot summer night knows how hard it is to nod off when the mercury is rising. So it’s no surprise that global warming is likely to cost people more and more shut-eye as temperatures around the world rise. By the end of this century, individuals could be subjected… read on > read on >
For many women, having it all may mean forgoing a decent night’s sleep. Women in the United States are less likely to get a good night’s sleep and more likely to report daytime sleepiness than men, a new survey shows. The online poll of more than 2,000 U.S. adults found that women are 1.5 times… read on > read on >
A panel of science advisers to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevent recommended on Thursday that a single booster dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine can be given to 5- to 11-year-olds. The move is expected be confirmed by a sign-off from CDC director Dr. Rochelle Wallensky, and follows on authorization from U.S.… read on > read on >
Two drugs are better than one when it comes to stopping asthma attacks in progress, a new clinical trial has found. The study, of more than 3,100 asthma patients, found that a two-drug “rescue” inhaler worked better than a standard inhaler in thwarting severe asthma exacerbations — helping some patients avoid trips to the hospital.… read on > read on >
U.S. hospitals are running low on contrast dye injected into patients undergoing enhanced X-rays, CT scans and MRIs. The fluid, which makes the routine but potentially life-saving scans readable, helps doctors identify clots in the heart and brain. The shortage is expected to last until at least June 30, the American Hospital Association (AHA) says.… read on > read on >
Folks often believe that video games rot a kid’s mind, but a new study argues the opposite could be true. Children actually might get a brain boost from playing hour after hour of video games, researchers report. American kids between 9 and 10 years of age who spent more time playing video games experienced a… read on > read on >
Many people who are overweight or obese avoid cancer screening for fear of stigma and judgment about their weight, British researchers report. In a review of 10 published studies, researchers found that many doctors around the world don’t look kindly on patients with obesity, an attitude that can affect treatment and screening for breast, cervical… read on > read on >
