TUESDAY, Aug. 3, 2021 (HealthDay News) – Your doctor walks into the exam room wearing a white coat. Or perhaps your physician has on a fleece or softshell jacket. Does it make a difference? Yes, according to a survey that sought public perceptions on doctor attire and professionalism in the United States. The lay public…  read on >  read on >

Americans who get their COVID-19 news and information solely from Facebook have much lower vaccination rates than the general population. That’s the takeaway from a new survey of nearly 20,700 people across the United States. The researchers asked them in June which of six sources they use for COVID-19 news and info. The six included:…  read on >  read on >

Text “nudges” about easy access to COVID-19 vaccines can increase vaccination rates, even among people hesitant to get a shot, a new study suggests. “We found that text messages stressing the accessibility of the vaccine — and that included ownership language, such as that the vaccine has just been made available to you and to…  read on >  read on >

Indiana University can mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for students and employees, a Chicago-based federal appeals court ruled Monday. The decision upheld an Indiana district court judge’s ruling that the school was acting reasonably “in pursuing public health and safety for its campus communities,” the Associated Press reported. The legal challenge to the university’s vaccination requirements was…  read on >  read on >

Booster COVID-19 shots will be offered to 32 million people in Britain starting early next month because of fears that the power of vaccines may be starting to wane. They’ll be offered to adults aged 50 and older and those with weakened immune systems, with the aim of protecting the most vulnerable from variants of…  read on >  read on >

All pregnant women should be vaccinated “without delay” against COVID-19, two leading groups of U.S. obstetric specialists recommend. That advice — from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) — is based on tens of thousands of cases over the past several months showing that vaccination during…  read on >  read on >

MONDAY, Aug. 2, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — A first heart attack is a serious, life-changing event, although most people now survive them. But a new study underscores the importance of doing everything possible to avoid another one. “It’s like taking another hit,” said Dr. Umesh Khot, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic in…  read on >  read on >