Older people who live near or downwind of fracking sites have an increased risk of premature death, likely due to airborne contaminants from the sites, according to a new study. “There is an urgent need to understand the causal link between living near or downwind of [unconventional oil and gas development] and adverse health effects,”… read on > read on >
Most gene variants that have been labeled “pathogenic” may make only a small difference in a person’s risk of actually developing disease, a new study suggests. Scouring genetic data on more than 72,000 individuals, researchers found that most of the gene variants believed to contribute to disease actually have a minor impact: On average, those… read on > read on >
In response to claims that a man was denied a heart transplant because he refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19, Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston said Wednesday that its transplant policies mirror those used across the United States. In a crowdfunding appeal for 31-year-old D.J. Ferguson, a father of two, his family said the… read on > read on >
An initial surge in antibody levels against the Omicron variant after a booster dose of the Moderna COVID vaccine wanes within six months, but the antibodies remained effective against it in lab tests, a new study finds. Researchers analyzed antibody levels in volunteers who received the booster after two doses of the Moderna mRNA vaccine.… read on > read on >
A “stealthier” version of the Omicron variant that has been spotted in the United States and dozens of other countries is being closely monitored by health officials and scientists. The variant, called BA.2, has genetic traits that make it somewhat more difficult to detect, and some experts fear it may also be more contagious than… read on > read on >
Moderna Inc. announced Wednesday that it has launched a trial that will study the power of a redesigned booster shot — one that hones in on the highly contagious Omicron variant. The news comes just one day after Pfizer announced that it has started testing its own Omicron-specific shot. In announcing its trial, Moderna also… read on > read on >
They’ve gotten some media headlines recently, but potential menstrual changes associated with getting a COVID vaccine are typically minor and temporary, two new international studies confirm. That’s great news for women, said an expert in fertility and reproductive health. “The studies coming from the UK, US and Norway provide us with significance reassurance that the… read on > read on >
U.S. hospitals continue to reel from the pressure posed by the ongoing pandemic, facing critical workforce shortages and rising labor costs that amount to a “national emergency,” hospital executives say. Nearly 1,400 hospitals — 31% of the nation’s total — are on the verge of critical staffing shortages, according to the American Hospital Association (AHA).… read on > read on >
People hospitalized for COVID-19 are not necessarily out of the woods once they’re discharged: Many land in the hospital again in the months afterward, a large U.K. study finds. The researchers found that in the 10 months after leaving the hospital, COVID-19 patients were more than twice as likely to be hospitalized or die, compared… read on > read on >
The Biden Administration on Tuesday withdrew an emergency COVID-19 vaccine-or-test mandate for workers at large companies following the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling against the requirement. The mandate, which required businesses with 100 or more staff to ensure their employees were either vaccinated or were tested weekly and wore masks, will no longer be in… read on > read on >
