The Omicron variant is spreading rapidly in the United States and could trigger a huge wave of COVID infections as early as January, federal health officials said Tuesday. In just one week there was a sevenfold spike in the highly contagious variant’s presence across the nation, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and… read on > read on >
“Medicare For All” gets tossed around a lot by advocates of universal health coverage, but a new study finds that today’s Medicare is far from free for seniors and people with disabilities. Instead, a large number of beneficiaries are sliding into medical debt and delaying needed health care due to financial holes in the system,… read on > read on >
The deadly tornadoes that devastated communities in multiple states this past weekend have destroyed many homes and left others without power. But if people turn to generators to manage in the aftermath, they should use caution, the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) warns. Portable generators can expose users to increased risk of carbon monoxide… read on > read on >
When it comes to fending off new viruses, baby has Mom and Dad beat. An infant’s immune system is better than an adult’s at combating new viruses, researchers say. Compared to adults, babies get a lot of viral respiratory infections, but babies are dealing with these viruses for the first time, study author Donna Farber… read on > read on >
Here’s a social distancing strategy that really worked in the early days of the pandemic: New research shows that providing hotel rooms to homeless people at high risk for severe COVID-19 significantly lowered their chance of infection. In early April 2020, the city of Chicago made 200 rooms at a hotel available to homeless people… read on > read on >
When someone says “I need a drink,” it’s usually because they’ve had a rough day. Now, new research suggests that stress is more likely to trigger heavy drinking in women than in men. “Some people can intend to have one or two alcoholic beverages and stop drinking, but other people just keep going,” said study… read on > read on >
Is air pollution a bigger health threat to minorities? Apparently so, claims a new U.S. study that finds while air pollution levels have fallen in recent decades, people of color still have more exposure to dirty air than white Americans do. Air pollution is linked to a range of health conditions, including heart disease, cancer… read on > read on >
COVID-19 vaccination provides far less protection to people with multiple myeloma than to survivors of other types of cancer, new research shows. The findings highlight the need for multiple myeloma patients “to be especially careful — to take social distancing seriously and utilize masking — even if they’ve been vaccinated,” said study senior author Dr.… read on > read on >
People with depression symptoms might find some help from online programs or smartphone apps — but the human component remains key, a new research review suggests. Not everyone with depression can readily get to face-to-face therapy — whether due to time, distance, money or stigma. But smartphones are nearly universal, and thousands of apps promise… read on > read on >
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