Amid a surge in coronavirus cases fueled by the highly contagious Delta variant, a mask mandate for travelers and employees on U.S. airline flights and public transportation will be extended until Jan. 18, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said Tuesday. Airline industry representatives have been briefed about the extension and the TSA planned to…  read on >  read on >

Struggling with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a child is heart-breaking enough, but now new research confirms what many have long suspected: These patients will often continue to be plagued by ADHD symptoms as adults. Only about one in 10 kids with the disorder are likely to have a full and lasting remission of their symptoms,…  read on >  read on >

Here’s an unexpected silver lining to the pandemic: New research shows there was a decline in overall drinking and binge drinking among U.S. college freshmen during the early months of the new coronavirus’ spread across America. “We found that social factors, like social distancing and reductions in social support from friends, were associated with decreases…  read on >  read on >

There’s strong evidence that the steroid drug dexamethasone can significantly lower hospitalized patients’ risk of dying from COVID-19, but many who might benefit from it the most aren’t getting it. “Dexamethasone is a steroid that is used for the treatment of arthritis, inflammation and allergic reactions,” explained Hemalkumar Mehta, who studied its use in treating…  read on >  read on >

Twenty seconds. That’s how long you need to wash your hands to remove germs, a new physics study confirms. Typical hand-washing guidelines — including those from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — advise scrubbing your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds. To assess that recommendation, researchers used a mathematical model to…  read on >  read on >

The Biden administration plans to recommend that most Americans get a booster shot eight months after they received their second dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, as the highly infectious Delta variant marches across the country. Officials could announce the decision as early as this week, with third shots becoming available to…  read on >  read on >

Masks are now required for all visitors, employees and contractors inside U.S. National Park Service (NPS) facilities and in crowded outdoor spaces, the service said Monday. The mandate applies regardless of people’s vaccination status or community transmission levels, and will be in effect until further notice, Forbes reported. “At a time when visits to America’s…  read on >  read on >

While the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the United States has been dominating the news, an old viral enemy has been making a quieter comeback. In late spring, U.S. pediatric hospitals began reporting an unexpected rise in serious infections caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Unlike COVID-19, RSV is a long-established foe that normally emerges…  read on >  read on >