Herd immunity against COVID-19 is unlikely, and coping with the disease will likely hinge on vaccination, treatment and ensuring adequate hospital capacity, a new study conducted in Los Angeles County claims. With herd immunity, most people have antibodies from vaccination or prior infection, so a virus has fewer people to infect and stops spreading. Early… read on > read on >
Sharing food and smooching are two ways babies can suss out whom they can depend on to take care for them, a new study suggests. The tell-tale clue common to both is a surprising one: saliva. “Babies don’t know in advance which relationships are the close and morally obligating ones, so they have to have… read on > read on >
Some arthritis drugs may reduce the effectiveness of COVID vaccines, according to the Arthritis Foundation, which also offers advice on booster shots. Research is limited, but evidence suggests that disease-modifying drugs used for arthritis may reduce the response of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, according to the foundation. A small study of… read on > read on >
If you or someone you know has suffered a concussion, a medical evaluation is crucial, an expert says. A concussion is “a short-lived functional brain injury typically caused by a bump or blow to the head,” Cleveland Clinic concussion specialist Dr. Richard Figler said in a clinic news release. “A concussion sets off a chemical… read on > read on >
If the sound of a dental drill sends shivers up your spine, you’re likely in good company: Finnish researchers say that one of every two adults fear the dentist at least a little, while one in 10 are very afraid. But the researchers added that a local dentistry program has found a novel way to… read on > read on >
If you need more proof that a third shot of COVID vaccine is needed, new British research confirms that boosters can “neutralize” the virus’ Omicron variant. To arrive at that conclusion, they analyzed 620 blood samples from 364 health care workers and staff at the Francis Crick Institute and the National Institute for Health Research… read on > read on >
Who hasn’t started to watch a new drama series on TV, and suddenly realize that hours have slipped by as they binged on one episode after the next? Now, a new study suggests that too much binge-watching may raise the risk of life-threatening blood clots in the legs or lungs by 35%. “Prolonged TV viewing,… read on > read on >
Think your prior bout of COVID shields you enough from another encounter with the coronavirus? New research suggests that adding in vaccination is still your best bet. A combination of vaccination and prior infection offers the most optimal protection against infection with COVID-19, a new government study shows. Researchers analyzed data on infections in New… read on > read on >
Online grocery shopping has skyrocketed during the pandemic, but many websites are making it hard to find nutrition information on products, a new study shows. In the United States, packaged foods are required to have a nutrition facts label, ingredients list and warnings about common food allergens, displayed prominently and legibly. Based on the new… read on > read on >
As air pollution worsens, fruits, flowers and the creatures that pollinate them could pay a price. That’s the takeaway from British researchers who used special equipment to control levels of two common pollutants — diesel exhaust and ozone — in a field of black mustard plants, and then monitored pollinating insects over two summers. “We… read on > read on >
