Two COVID-19 vaccines appear to work well against a rapidly spreading coronavirus variant that arose in California, but less effective against a variant that first emerged in South Africa, researchers report. “The good news is the California variant does not appear to be a problem for our current vaccines,” said study author David Montefiori, director… read on > read on >
COVID-19 death rates are significantly higher among Black American women than among white men, according to a new study, suggesting that race is a factor in survival differences between men and women. Researchers analyzed COVID death rates in Michigan and Georgia, the only states reporting data by age, race and sex. “This analysis complicates the… read on > read on >
Could banning menthol cigarettes be key to lowering smoking rates overall? New research suggests it’s possible, after finding that a ban on menthol cigarettes in Canada was linked to a large increase in the number of smokers who quit. The impact of the menthol ban in Canada suggests that a similar ban in the United… read on > read on >
In a discovery that shows carpal tunnel syndrome doesn’t strike just office workers, researchers report that people who work in construction or manufacturing have a higher risk of carpal tunnel syndrome than those with desk jobs. Why the higher rates of injury among manual laborers? Investigators found such work requires lifting, gripping and forceful wrist… read on > read on >
Are you the type to linger over a meal, or do you tend to eat quickly without giving it much thought? New research confirms that you’re better off going the slow route, because fast eaters tend to consume more and be more vulnerable to gaining weight and becoming obese. And it uncovers a new wrinkle:… read on > read on >
Two people in the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine trial developed Guillain-Barré syndrome, but it’s highly doubtful the vaccine is to blame, according to a just-published case study. Although both people were in the same trial, one was given the vaccine and the other was given a placebo of saline solution. “That strengthens the possibility… read on > read on >
In findings that bode well for the full reopening of schools across America, a new government survey shows that nearly 80 percent of school employees and child care workers have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine. Released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday, the latest figures came… read on > read on >
COVID-19 is so contagious that even a single breach of social distancing measures can have far-reaching consequences. A case in point: An explosion of new COVID-19 cases traced to five people who joined in on a bar’s opening night in rural Illinois in February. Four of the five who attended the crowded gathering (the bar’s… read on > read on >
Doctors are seeing such cases around the world: About a third of COVID-19 patients go on to develop “long-haul” neurological or psychiatric conditions months after being infected, new research shows. The findings suggest a link between COVID-19 and a higher risk for later mental health and neurological disorders, researchers report. The new analysis of data… read on > read on >
It probably won’t show up on any real estate listing, but making your home in a place with many different kinds of birds and plants may be good for you. That’s the upshot of a German study that showed people who live in areas with greater biodiversity have better mental health than those in areas… read on > read on >
