With tens of millions of Americans now vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of August, so-called “breakthrough” cases are bound to occur. But there’s reassuring news from new data: Most such cases are mild and those leading to hospitalization are exceedingly rare. Overall, the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention… read on > read on >
All Lifestyle:
Getting Your First COVID Shot Can Boost Mental Health: Study
When you got your first COVID-19 jab, did you breathe a sigh of relief? If so, you’re not alone. U.S. adults who got the vaccine between December 2020 and March 2021 experienced a 4% reduction in their risk of being mildly depressed and a 15% drop in their risk of severe depression, researchers reported Sept.… read on > read on >
Average COVID Hospitalization Is 150 Times More Expensive Than Vaccination
While the cost of administering COVID-19 vaccines is nominal – and free to consumers in the United States – the cost of paying for hospitalizations for people who’ve contracted the virus is dramatically higher. The average financial cost of hospitalization for a COVID-19 patient insured by Medicare – at $21,752 – is about 145 times… read on > read on >
Health Savings Accounts Used Least by People Who Need Them Most: Poll
FRIDAY, Sept. 10, 2021 (HealthDay News) – Tax-free health savings accounts can make it easier for Americans to pay for future health expenses, but most older adults aren’t using them. A new poll by Michigan Medicine-University of Michigan found that while nearly 1 in 5 people weren’t confident that they could afford their health costs,… read on > read on >
It’s a Win-Win When a Child With Autism Gets a Shelter Cat
Parents of a child with autism might wonder if a pet cat would be a good fit for the family. Now, research suggests both children with autism and cats benefit when a feline joins the household. Gretchen Carlisle, a research scientist at the Missouri University Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction, in Columbia, Mo., and her… read on > read on >
Black Americans, Mexican Americans Develop Diabetes Earlier in Life
Black Americans and Mexican Americans typically develop type 2 diabetes up to seven years earlier than their white counterparts, a new study finds. In all, more than 25% of adults in the two groups reported being diagnosed with diabetes before age 40, and 20% didn’t know they had the disease. Researchers said the findings highlight… read on > read on >
Sen. Amy Klobuchar Treated for Breast Cancer
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar revealed Thursday that she’s been treated for early-stage breast cancer, including surgery to remove a lump and radiation therapy. The 61-year-old Minnesota Democrat said in a statement posted on social media that Mayo Clinic doctors found worrying signs during a routine mammogram in February, including “small white spots called calcifications.” A… read on > read on >
Could Cheaper, Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids Finally Be Here?
Until now, folks suffering from hearing loss typically have had to fork out thousands of dollars for a device that could be adjusted only by a professional audiologist. No wonder that only one-quarter of the nearly 29 million U.S. adults who could benefit from a hearing aid have actually tried one, according to the U.S.… read on > read on >
Would More Free Time Really Make You Happier?
Many people feel their to-do list is overloaded, but there is also such a thing as too much free time, a new study suggests. In a series of studies, researchers found that having either too little or too much free time seemed to drain people’s sense of well-being. It’s no surprise that constantly feeling pressed… read on > read on >
Biden to Strengthen Push for Vaccine Mandates in New COVID Plan
President Joe Biden is slated to announce an ambitious six-point plan to double down on a resurgent COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, including more pressure on government, business and schools to implement vaccine mandates, news sources report. A speech outlining the new plan is scheduled for 5 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, The New York… read on > read on >