Gangrene. Throat cancer. A newborn on a feeding tube. Gruesome warning images like those on cigarette packs do indeed scare smokers, but they should be combined with other anti-smoking measures, a new study finds. These kinds of graphic warning labels were approved by U.S. lawmakers in 2009, but implementation has been stalled until legal challenges… read on > read on >
Telemedicine may fall short when it comes to people with voice and speech disorders, researchers report. There was a significant rise in telemedicine use — health visits using computer, tablet or smartphone video conferencing — during the COVID-19 pandemic. And even though the pandemic “appears to be waning, telepractice popularity is here to stay,” said… read on > read on >
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 >
I think I’ve had COVID-19 already, so do I really need two doses of vaccine? It’s a question millions of people around the world are asking, and now a small, new study finds that people who know they were infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the past may need only one shot of the Pfizer vaccine to… read on > read on >
All 2.2 million health care workers and long-term care workers in California will now have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Sept. 30, the California Department of Public Health said Thursday. Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom said health care workers would have the choice of either getting vaccinated or undergoing weekly testing, but the… read on > read on >
Worried about low vaccination rates among the young as the new school year looms, the White House on Thursday unveiled a new initiative to get shots into the arms of more students. The push will include enlisting pediatricians to make COVID-19 vaccination part of back-to-school sports physicals and encouraging schools to host vaccination clinics. The… 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 >
