Virginia Terrell knew she wouldn’t be allowed visitors after she checked into the hospital with COVID-19 late last month, but being braced for that reality didn’t make her week-and-a-half stay any easier. “You get pretty lonely,” said Terrell, 59, who was treated at WakeMed and Duke Health hospitals in Raleigh, N.C. “It’s helpful knowing that… read on > read on >
Fully vaccinated people will likely need a COVID-19 booster shot within about a year, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert and Pfizer’s CEO said Wednesday. “We know that the vaccine durability of the efficacy lasts at least six months, and likely considerably more, but I think we will almost certainly require a booster sometime within… read on > read on >
COVID-19 caused nearly 1 million excess deaths in 29 wealthy nations in 2020, with the United States claiming the highest number, researchers report. Excess deaths refer to the number of deaths above what’s expected during a given time period. Overall, there were an estimated 979,000 excess deaths in the 29 countries last year. The five… read on > read on >
In a finding that offers the first evidence that the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is indeed protecting women from cervical cancer, new research shows cases in the United States have slowly but steadily declined over the last decade and a half. However, other HPV-related cancers like anal, rectal and oral tumors continue to increase, suggesting… read on > read on >
The fully vaccinated will soon be welcome to visit countries in the European Union, officials there announced Wednesday. The new measures for tourists and other travelers could take effect as early as next week, The New York Times reported. Visitors will be allowed into the bloc’s 27 member states if they’ve been fully immunized with… read on > read on >
A help in ‘ruff’ times: When it comes to coping with the stress of college life, new research shows that vulnerable students are far better served by therapy dogs than stress management courses. In the study, more than 300 students at Washington State University were randomly assigned to participate in one of three different types… read on > read on >
The actual number of U.S. children hospitalized due to COVID-19 may be lower than current figures suggest, a new study indicates. That’s because counts of hospitalized children who test positive for COVID-19 may include those who were admitted for other reasons and have no COVID symptoms, Stanford University School of Medicine researchers explained. Throughout the… read on > read on >
Women who develop diabetes in pregnancy don’t tend to make healthy diet or exercise changes to help fight it, a new study finds. That could have dire consequences: Gestational (pregnancy-related) diabetes raises the risks of high blood pressure in mothers, larger babies, cesarean delivery, low blood sugar in newborns, and development of chronic diabetes later… read on > read on >
When someone comes in for a new heart stent, it’s critical that the medical team doing the procedure knows several key facts about previous stents the patient has had. But fewer than half of patients receiving a stent were still carrying the stent card that has those details with them, a new study finds. Most… read on > read on >
A lot of people think of age 50 as the magic number for getting a first colonoscopy, but earlier is better, a prestigious U.S. expert panel now says. Based on evidence that younger people are being diagnosed with colon cancer and would benefit from screening, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is moving the… read on > read on >
