Experts are warning that the upcoming flu season could be severe as social distancing measures are relaxed across the United States, but a new survey finds that 6 in 10 Americans may delay or skip a flu shot. However, it also found that 98% of those who got a flu shot last season do plan… read on > read on >
All Lifestyle:
Men, Women Behaved Differently During Pandemic Lockdowns
How do men and women respond to a crisis? A look at their behavior during the first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 offers a clue: Women flocked to their phones for long conversations with a few trusted contacts. Men, chafing at being cooped up, headed out and about as soon as they could, European researchers report.… read on > read on >
Many Older Americans Who Should Be Checking Blood Pressure at Home Aren’t: Poll
If you are over 50 and you have high blood pressure or a health condition for which blood pressure control is essential, at-home blood pressure checks can avert medical emergencies. The trouble is that too few of these people actually perform them, a new survey reveals. “This poll shows that we have more work to… read on > read on >
Study Confirms Rise in Child Abuse During COVID Pandemic
FRIDAY, Oct. 8, 2021 (HealthDay News)– Physical abuse of school-aged kids tripled during the early months of the pandemic when widespread stay-at-home orders were in effect, a new study finds. Exactly what triggered the surge is not fully understood, but other studies have also reported similar upticks in child abuse. A pediatrician who was not… read on > read on >
Stimulants Like Ritalin May Be Gateway Drugs for College Students
Use of stimulants among college students was once thought to be a problem among high achievers seeking energy and focus to study. Not so, according to new research that links misuse of these so-called “study drugs” to binge drinking and marijuana use. The stereotype of students bumming a prescription medication like Adderall or Ritalin to… read on > read on >
Air and Noise Pollution May Make You Vulnerable to Heart Failure
Years of exposure to air pollution and traffic noise could make you more vulnerable to heart failure, a new study warns. “We found that long-term exposure to specific air pollutants and road traffic noise increased the risk of incident heart failure, especially for former smokers or people with hypertension, so preventive and educational measures are… read on > read on >
Picky Eating, Social Phobia Often Linked in College Students
Parents frazzled by their little ones’ finicky food choices often sigh in exasperation, thinking: “They’ll grow out of it by college.” Maybe not, suggests a new study from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Some young people continue their picky eating into early adulthood, often restricting their diets to 10 foods or even fewer. Such… read on > read on >
Pfizer Seeks FDA Emergency Approval for COVID Vaccine in Younger Kids
Pfizer Inc. announced Thursday that it has asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency approval for its coronavirus vaccine to be given to children between the ages of 5 and 11. “We’re committed to working with the FDA with the ultimate goal of helping protect children against this serious public health threat,” the… read on > read on >
Japanese Scientists Discover New Disease Carried by Ticks
Scientists in Japan have discovered yet another tick-borne virus that can make people sick. The Yezo virus is transmitted by tick bites, and triggers fever and a reduction in blood platelets and white blood cells. “At least seven people have been infected with this new virus in Japan since 2014, but, so far, no deaths… read on > read on >
Studies Show Power of Pfizer Vaccine Starts to Wane After Two Months
THURSDAY, Oct. 7Two new studies confirm that the immunity offered by two doses of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine drops off after about two months, although protection against severe disease, hospitalization and death holds strong. The reports, from Israel and Qatar, add to evidence that suggests even fully vaccinated people need to continue to guard against COVID-19… read on > read on >