Just one dose of the Pfizer or Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines significantly reduces the risk of hospitalization for COVID patients in their 80s with preexisting health conditions, a preliminary study shows. The findings are from AvonCAP, an ongoing surveillance project funded by Pfizer Inc. It gathers detailed information from two National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in Bristol,… read on > read on >
Lockdowns have you stressed? The American Dental Association (ADA) reports that more people are grinding their teeth as they try to cope with the pressures of the pandemic. An ADA Health Policy Institute survey of dentists found that 70% of respondents said they’ve seen an increase in the number of patients with teeth grinding and… read on > read on >
So, you had COVID-19 a few months back and you still can’t smell that first steaming cup of coffee in the morning. Is there anything you can do to hasten the return of that vital sense? Experts say there is, including “physical therapy” for your nose. “In most cases, smell loss is temporary, but it… read on > read on >
Fine particles in wildfire smoke pose a far greater threat to the lungs than similar particles in vehicle exhaust and other types of air pollution, researchers report. These fine particles — called PM2.5 — have a diameter about 1/20th the size of a human hair and can get into the respiratory tract, enter the bloodstream… read on > read on >
Giving homeless COVID-19 patients a free hotel room for their quarantine and recovery pays huge health dividends for the entire community, according to a new study out of San Francisco. Only 4% of homeless folks transferred from Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital to a participating hotel wound up back in the hospital with worsened COVID-19… read on > read on >
Americans love to have choices, and now there are three COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the United States. But infectious disease experts say that all three protect strongly against severe COVID-19, so there is only one criteria to use in deciding which vaccine is the best. “There is a single best vaccine. It’s the… read on > read on >
(Healthday News) — Coronavirus restrictions should not be lifted until the daily toll of new U.S. cases falls below 10,000, “and maybe even considerably less than that,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said Thursday. The last time the United States saw that low a number was almost a year ago. The daily case count hasn’t fallen below… read on > read on >
Readers pay attention when social media sites label an article as “unverified” or “suspicious,” a new study suggests. But how an article is presented — including author credentials and writing style — doesn’t affect readers’ views about its credibility. The findings show that big tech companies such as Facebook and Twitter have a responsibility to… read on > read on >
You might decide your frizzy locks aren’t so bad after all, given a new warning from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that most hair straightening/smoothing products release formaldehyde gas, a human carcinogen. Being exposed to formaldehyde for longer periods of time and at higher concentrations increases the health risks, according to the FDA. Formaldehyde… read on > read on >
Can money buy you happiness? Maybe not, but a new study suggests it’s linked to greater feelings of confidence and pride. Researchers analyzed five past studies that included a survey of more than 1.6 million people in 162 countries. They found that higher income predicted whether people felt good about themselves, including feelings of confidence,… read on > read on >
