As more infectious coronavirus variants first detected in Britain and South Africa circulate globally, President Joe Biden plans to bar travel by non-citizens into the United States from South Africa. A White House official said Sunday that the South Africa travel ban would go into effect on Jan. 30 and that an existing ban would… read on > read on >
All Lifestyle:
Frustrations Mount for U.S. Seniors Seeking Access to COVID Vaccines
Irene Greenhalgh, 83, considers herself a pretty computer-savvy senior, but even she got lost in a maze of websites and e-mails trying to get an appointment for her COVID-19 vaccine. One health provider’s e-mail provided links to sites that were giving vaccinations, but the dates listed were a week old. A board of health’s website… read on > read on >
Study Casts Doubt on ‘Early Warning’ System for Kidney Patients
Electronic ‘early warning systems’ for kidney damage in hospital patients don’t improve outcomes, researchers say. These systems are meant to alert for acute kidney injury (AKI). AKI, a sudden decrease in the kidney’s filtration function, occurs in 15% of hospital patients and increases the risk of death 10-fold. The systems give an automated alert in… read on > read on >
Anxiety, Depression and Drinking: An Unhealthy Combo During the Pandemic
People with anxiety and depression are more likely to step up their drinking during the COVID-19 pandemic than those without these mental health issues, an online survey revealed. Alcohol use grew the most among young people, but older adults with anxiety and depression were about twice as likely to report increased drinking as older adults… read on > read on >
Women More Prone to Nighttime Cardiac Arrest Than Men
Going into cardiac arrest at night can be particularly deadly, and now new research suggests that it might strike women more than men. Sudden cardiac arrest is an electrical malfunction that causes the heart to stop beating. The survival rate for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is only 10%, the researchers said. “Dying suddenly during nighttime hours… read on > read on >
How Smoking Could Help Spur Breast Cancer’s Spread
Here’s one reason why past or current smoking may handicap you if you are battling breast cancer: New research suggests that nicotine promotes the spread of the disease to your lungs. Smoking is known to increase the risk that breast cancer will spread, which lowers the survival rate by one-third at diagnosis. But the role… read on > read on >
Men, Make Health Your Goal This Year
The new year is the ideal time to focus on your health and one expert has some tips, especially for men, for doing that. According to Dr. Kevin McVary, director of Loyola Medicine Men’s Health Center, in Maywood, Ill., “Men don’t always focus on their health and, in fact, men are less likely to see… read on > read on >
UK Prime Minister Says British COVID Variant May Be More Deadly
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Friday that a new, more infectious coronavirus variant first spotted in the United Kingdom late last year could also be more lethal. The new variant, which has since been found in numerous countries including the United States, was already known to be far more infectious than the original… read on > read on >
For Maximum Effectiveness, De-Stress and Get Healthy Before Your COVID Shot
Not many people have had the opportunity to get the COVID-19 vaccine yet. But while you wait your turn, there are some steps you can take to give the vaccine — whichever brand you get — a boost when it’s available to you. An Ohio State University review of 49 vaccine studies dating back 30… read on > read on >
Biden Warns of 500,000 COVID Deaths by February
As President Joe Biden began to enact key parts of his ambitious pandemic response plan on Thursday, he warned Americans that the coronavirus death toll in this country could top 500,000 by February. “Let me be very clear: Things are going to continue to get worse before they get better,” Biden said. “And let me… read on > read on >