COVID-19 death rates are significantly higher in U.S. counties that remain largely unvaccinated than in those where more people have gotten their shots, according to a new study. The findings add to evidence that vaccination among individuals can prevent infection and illness on a much larger scale, University of Oxford professor Christopher Dye wrote in… read on > read on >
(HealthDay News) – The European Union (EU) announced Wednesday that Europe is moving out of the emergency phase of the pandemic, and the EU will now focus on vaccination, surveillance and testing in preparation for a possible COVID surge next fall. “New variants can emerge and spread fast,” said EU President Ms. Ursula von der… read on > read on >
Frontline nurses were plagued by “moral distress” in the early days of the pandemic because they lacked the support to provide high-quality care, a new report reveals. Between May and September 2020, researchers interviewed 100 nurses across the United States who cared for COVID-19 patients. The nurses reported moral distress caused by knowing how to… read on > read on >
If you’re battling depression, the success of your treatment might be affected by your race, income, job status and education, a new study says. “If you’re going home to a wealthy neighborhood with highly educated parents or spouse, then you’re arguably in a much better environment for the treatment to be effective than if you’re… read on > read on >
Zoom meetings became the lifeblood of many workplaces during pandemic, but a new study points to a downside: They may limit employees’ capacity for creative thinking. In experiments with workers in several countries, researchers found two broad phenomenon: Coworkers tended to be less adept at generating creative ideas when they communicated by video, versus in-person.… read on > read on >
Smoking is said by some to be the hardest addiction to break, and certain people might benefit from brain stimulation to quit, French researchers suggest. Smokers who received noninvasive brain stimulation — using low-intensity electric or magnetic impulses — were twice as likely to go without cigarettes over three to six months as those who… read on > read on >
Pfizer Inc. announced Tuesday that it has asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve emergency use of its booster shot for children ages 5 to 11. The application hinges on a study of 140 children with no evidence of prior coronavirus infection. Their antibody levels against the original strain of the virus were… read on > read on >
Babies and toddlers who’ve been given antibiotics might have a less vigorous immune response to routine childhood vaccinations, new research warns. The study is the first to suggest that antibiotics might dampen youngsters’ ability to generate infection-fighting antibodies in response to vaccination. Experts cautioned that more research is necessary, and it’s not clear whether antibiotic… read on > read on >
People with sickle cell disease who take corticosteroids to treat asthma or inflammation may suffer severe pain and even need to be hospitalized, researchers report. This reaction to corticosteroids can be particularly severe among older people, women and patients not taking the drug hydroxyurea to treat their sickle cell symptoms. These were the most likely… read on > read on >
Folks who struggle with depression and substance use disorders often tend to be smokers, but a new study finds that smoking rates among these vulnerable Americans have fallen significantly. “This study shows us that at a population-level, reductions in tobacco use are achievable for people with psychiatric conditions, and smoking cessation should be prioritized along… read on > read on >
