The United States has far fewer flu cases than normal, and experts say it’s probably due to measures people are taking to protect themselves from COVID-19. Flu season usually peaks between December and February. Influenza typically causes about 45 million illnesses, 810,000 hospitalizations and 61,000 deaths in the United States each year, according to the… read on > read on >
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden’s target of 100 million COVID-19 vaccinations delivered within the first 100 days of his administration isn’t just a lofty goal, two members of his pandemic advisory board said Thursday. Rather, it’s a hard-nosed response to the daily toll that the coronavirus takes on American lives. “We understand the gravity of the… read on > read on >
When a heart attack begins, the time it takes until the blockage in a coronary artery is cleared is critical in preventing further damage to the heart, a new study warns. The amount of damage is directly related to how long it takes from the start of a heart attack to when patients receive an… read on > read on >
Folks who’ve gotten through a COVID-19 infection might naturally question whether they need to get a coronavirus vaccination when their turn comes. Experts say they really need the shot anyway, because even after having COVID they might be vulnerable to reinfection. “We’re encouraging people if they meet the other criteria to get immunized because we… read on > read on >
Mindfulness is all the rage when it comes to boosting mental health, but new research suggests that it may not help everyone equally. Practicing mindfulness meditation — which involves paying close attention to what you are feeling in the moment — may be better than doing nothing at all to improve anxiety, depression or lower… read on > read on >
Many Americans most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic don’t believe that racism is associated with poorer health, a nationwide poll shows. The ongoing poll of more than 4,000 lower- and middle-income Americans focuses on communities of color. “It really struck us that — despite the virus’s spread across the country to all types of communities… read on > read on >
As clinics closed for non-essential care and patients’ COVID-19 fears kept them from check-ups, the United States saw a steep drop in cancer screenings and diagnoses during the first peak of the pandemic, a new report finds. Researchers analyzed data on how many patients underwent cancer screening tests — procedures such as mammograms, colonoscopies, Pap… read on > read on >
Biomarkers in sperm may help identify men at risk of fathering children with autism, researchers say. For the study, investigators examined sperm epigenetics — the molecular processes that affect gene expression — in 13 men who fathered sons with autism and 13 who had children without the disorder. The American and Spanish researchers focused specifically… read on > read on >
One month after the United States began what has become a troubled rollout of a national COVID vaccination campaign, the effort is finally gathering real steam. Close to a million doses — over 951,000, to be more exact — made their way into the arms of Americans in the past 24 hours, the U.S. Centers… read on > read on >
When journalist Catherine Guthrie learned that she would need to have a mastectomy following a breast cancer diagnosis, she was shocked by what seemed like a cursory explanation from her surgeon about what would happen next. That included removing both of her breasts, adding implants, and moving a muscle from her back to her chest… read on > read on >
