Admit it, you’ve probably put off doctor visits whenever possible during the pandemic, and getting back on track with your health care is a daunting prospect. Never fear, says an expert who offers some advice on resuming in-person health care visits. The first step is to push aside any shame about falling behind on regular…  read on >  read on >

Spit and scan. That’s all you have to do, and in less than an hour, you can not only find out if you have COVID-19 but what variant you have, all without leaving your home. This is the hope and promise of a new saliva-based COVID-19 test that is currently under development. “Several at-home tests…  read on >  read on >

The Delta variant is proving just as infectious for children as for everyone else, with pediatric cases surging in some parts of the United States, pediatricians and children’s hospitals say. However, it’s not clear yet whether the variant is any harsher on kids compared to earlier COVID-19 strains, leading to more hospitalizations and brushes with…  read on >  read on >

Tougher steps to compel long-term care facilities, universities and other institutions to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations are being considered by the Biden administration. It’s looking at using federal regulatory powers and the threat of withholding federal funds from institutions to increase vaccination rates, according to people familiar with the early-stage discussions, the Washington Post reported. The…  read on >  read on >

Novavax said Thursday that it has applied for emergency use approval of its COVID-19 vaccine in India, Indonesia and the Philippines. Later this month, it will seek the World Health Organization review required to be in the COVAX global vaccine program, the Associated Press reported. The Novavax shot is easier to store and transport than…  read on >  read on >

There are many factors that affect your longevity after experiencing a heart attack. And now, new research finds that your neighborhood could play a key role in your long-term survival. The researchers found that patients in poorer neighborhoods had a lower chance of survival over five years, and that Black patients in those neighborhoods had…  read on >  read on >

It’s long been know that polluted can damage the heart and lungs, but new research finds that it’s bad for your brain, too. A long-term study by a Seattle team linked exposure to higher levels of fine particulate air pollution to an increased risk of dementia. “We found that an increase of 1 microgram per…  read on >  read on >