Face masks are touted as a key tool in preventing the spread of COVID-19, and a new study offers more proof that they work. Florida researchers found face masks cut the distance that airborne pathogens such as the coronavirus can travel by more than half. The findings suggest that some COVID-19 social distancing guidelines could…  read on >  read on >

Transgender people get greater mental health benefits if they start gender-affirming hormone treatment when they’re teens instead of waiting until they’re adults, a new study finds. “This study is particularly relevant now because many state legislatures are introducing bills that would outlaw this kind of care for transgender youth,” said study lead author Dr. Jack…  read on >  read on >

Hands-on learning can be fun, and new research suggests that it works as well as more traditional teaching methods. Known as “guided play,” the technique involves educational activities that are gently steered by an adult but give kids the freedom to explore while learning. They include games that require children to read, write or use…  read on >  read on >

In a sign that the highly contagious Omicron variant is sparing no one, a new report shows that new COVID-19 cases among U.S. children spiked to a high of more than 580,000 for the week ending Jan. 6, a 78% increase from the week before. “Since many children remain unvaccinated — or are too young…  read on >  read on >

The record-breaking numbers surrounding the Omicron surge are dizzying, with so many Americans falling prey to the highly infectious COVID-19 variant. The United States reported more than 1.3 million COVID cases on Monday, the highest daily total recorded for any country in the world. The seven-day case average has tripled in two weeks, reaching more…  read on >  read on >

The Omicron surge may have peaked in Britain and could be about to do the same in the United States, experts report. That’s because the COVID-19 variant first detected in South Africa in mid-November is so contagious that the variant may already be running out of people to infect, the Associated Press reported. In Britain,…  read on >  read on >