A number of COVID medications have proven their mettle against the “stealth” BA.2 Omicron variant in lab tests, but it’s not clear how effective they would be in real-world use, researchers report. Some evidence suggests that BA.2 can spread more quickly than the already highly contagious earlier BA.1 variant. In lab experiments using non-human primate… read on > read on >
If Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has left your children confused and frightened, there are several ways to help them feel more secure, a psychologist says. First and foremost: Talk to your kids, and be honest, said Christopher Lynch, director of Pediatric Behavioral Medicine for Goryeb Children’s Hospital in Morristown, N.J. Kids can often tell when… read on > read on >
This season’s flu shot offered virtually no protection against infection, a new government report shows. While this latest vaccine only cut the risk of getting a mild case of flu by 16%, the agency has noted that flu vaccines typically reduce the risk of illness by 40% to 60%. Still, the shot should offer some… read on > read on >
In a finding that suggests the new coronavirus did indeed jump species to cause the pandemic, a new study reports that pangolins seized from the illegal wildlife trade in Vietnam were carrying SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses. Previously, only pangolins confiscated in China had tested positive for such coronaviruses. The researchers tested 246 pangolins seized from the illegal… read on > read on >
Pfizer Inc. announced Tuesday that it has launched a Phase 2/3 clinical trial of its COVID antiviral pill known as Paxlovid in children ages 6-17. A news release from the company said the trial will assess the safety and efficacy of the drug in children with COVID symptoms and a confirmed infection who are not… read on > read on >
Kids who’ve suffered a concussion are at heightened risk of mental health issues in the aftermath, a large new study suggests. The researchers found that compared with their peers, children and teenagers with a past concussion were 39% more likely to be diagnosed with a mental health condition — including anxiety disorders, depression and behavioral… read on > read on >
School mask mandates helped protect students and staff last fall as the Delta variant spread, a new government report shows. Ironically, the finding arrived just as many U.S. school districts have dropped masking rules. In the study released Tuesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, researchers examined public school districts in Arkansas… read on > read on >
There are serious mental harms and high financial costs associated with so-called conversion therapy for LGBTQ people, researchers report. Conversion therapy attempts to make lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people “straight.” Its safety and effectiveness has been discredited in multiple prior studies. In the new analysis, researchers looked at data from 28 published studies… read on > read on >
Health and fitness apps are growing in popularity, but not among the people who might benefit most from them — seniors and people with chronic health conditions. Nearly two out of three American adults are living with a chronic health problem like heart disease, diabetes or asthma, a new HealthDay/Harris Poll survey found. Health apps… read on > read on >
Antidepressants don’t always help ease depression and anxiety in pregnant women and new moms, according to a new study. “This is the first longitudinal data to show that many pregnant women report depression and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum, despite their choice to continue treatment with antidepressants,” said senior author Dr. Katherine Wisner. She… read on > read on >
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