The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the emergency use of Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot coronavirus vaccine, adding a third weapon to the arsenal the United States is building to battle the pandemic. The overall effectiveness of the J&J vaccine in protecting recipients against any case of COVID-19 (66%) is not as high as… read on > read on >
Don’t skip your breast cancer screening mammogram. This is the overarching message of an extended study of more than a half-million Swedish women. Those who missed even one recommended screening mammogram were more likely to die from breast cancer, the study found. The new findings — which appear March 2 in the journal Radiology —… read on > read on >
For Morgan Compton, 7, who has attended school remotely for nearly a year, the stress of the pandemic manifests itself in meltdowns. On one particular day, Morgan “threw a fit and decided to go upstairs,” said her mother, Tracy Compton. Hearing the sound of his daughter’s tears, Compton’s husband, John, who also works from home,… read on > read on >
(Healthday News) — The United States will stick with its plan to give millions of Americans two doses of the Pfizer and Moderna coronavirus vaccines, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Monday. The nation’s top infectious diseases expert told the Washington Post that shifting to a single-dose strategy for those two vaccines could leave people less protected,… read on > read on >
Young drivers who cruise down the highway with a cellphone in hand probably exhibit other risky behind-the-wheel behaviors, a new study suggests. Talking or texting on a smartphone while driving correlates with a whole range of dangerous driving practices for many young, novice drivers — from intoxicated driving to speeding, unsafely passing other vehicles or… read on > read on >
You’ve had a stroke and arrive at a hospital, but the stroke specialist is off-duty. Never fear: Telemedicine may help save your life. Especially during the COVID-19 crisis, so-called ‘telestroke’ services — where health workers use video to consult with a stroke specialist who could be miles away — is helping to lead to better… read on > read on >
If you’ve gone to the doctor for a urinary tract infection (UTI), chances are that you’ve been given the wrong antibiotic or a longer-than-necessary treatment plan. That’s even more likely if you live in a rural area, researchers say. A new study of private insurance claims data found that 47% of women were prescribed antibiotics… read on > read on >
(Healthday News) — The amount of COVID-19 testing being done in the United States has fallen by 30 percent in recent weeks, even though testing can curb the spread of coronavirus and spot new outbreaks quickly. From a high of nearly 14 million tests a week in early January, the pace fell to fewer than… read on > read on >
With U.S. deaths from COVID-19 passing the grim milestone of a half-million, a new study suggests that another 30,000-plus Americans have died due to pandemic-related unemployment. Using various data sources, researchers estimated that number of deaths between April 2020 and March 2021 could be attributed to pandemic-fueled job losses. And in a pattern that’s been… read on > read on >
Older Americans on a Medicare Advantage plan could face hospital bills of $1,000 or more if private insurers start charging out-of-pocket costs for lifesaving COVID-19 care, a new study warns. Cost data show that Medicare Advantage patients pay an average $987 out-of-pocket when they are hospitalized with the seasonal flu, and about 3% pay more… read on > read on >
