A deal for Merck’s COVID-19 pill to be made and sold cheaply in poor nations has been reached with Medicines Patent Pool, a United Nations-backed nonprofit organization. The royalty-free license means that companies in 105 countries, mostly in Africa and Asia, can sublicense the formulation for the antiviral pill molnupiravir and start making it, the… read on > read on >
Anti-vaxxers felt their suspicions confirmed when former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell died from COVID-19 complications in mid-October despite being fully vaccinated. But Powell, 84, was being treated for blood cancer at the time of his death, and a new study reports that the COVID vaccines are producing little to no protection for some… read on > read on >
Severely immunocompromised people may require a fourth mRNA coronavirus shot, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. The agency didn’t provide an official recommendation about a fourth shot in its updated guidelines, but did say that people should talk to their doctors to determine if one is necessary, CNN reported. In August, the… read on > read on >
Routine face mask ventilation during an operation doesn’t increase the surgical team’s risk of coronavirus infection, according to a new study. Face mask ventilation is typically used for surgical patients under general anesthesia. However, its designation as an “aerosol-generating procedure” by the World Health Organization has altered operating room procedures and efficiency during the COVID-19… read on > read on >
Black American women with low levels of vitamin D have higher odds of developing colon cancer, according to a new research that echoes previous findings in white women. Researchers used a vitamin D prediction model for nearly 50,000 participants in the Black Women’s Health Study and concluded that those with predicted levels in the bottom… read on > read on >
You’re driving down the highway when a tornado warning is issued over your car radio. Is it safe to follow widespread advice and seek shelter under an overpass? While the U.S. National Weather Service warns that the wind from a tornado can accelerate as it flows under the overpass, creating a wind tunnel effect, a… read on > read on >
People who’ve lost their ability to smell and taste due to COVID-19 have significant struggles, but they can find ways to cope with their situation, a new study shows. One of the most common side effects of COVID-19 is the loss of the sense of smell, which severely affects the sense of taste. This can… read on > read on >
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 27 2021Midlife vision problems could increase women’s risk of depression, new research suggests. Rates of eye problems and depression rise during midlife, but knowledge about how vision affects depression at that time has been limited. The new study identified a significant link between impaired vision and development of depression. “Given that the combination… read on > read on >
A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel voted Tuesday to recommend emergency use of a smaller dose of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine for children aged 5 to 11, advancing plans to offer the shots to 28 million young kids across the United States. The vote was nearly unanimous at 17-0, with one abstention, and the… read on > read on >
One-third of Americans are struggling to make basic decisions due to ongoing stress about the pandemic, and younger adults and parents are having the most difficulty of all, a new survey reveals. “The pandemic has imposed a regimen of constant risk assessment upon many. Each day brings an onslaught of choices with an ever-changing context,… read on > read on >
