More than 1.1 million American kids were diagnosed with COVID-19 during the week ending Jan. 20, new data show. That’s 17% higher than the 981,000 cases diagnosed the week before and double the number from two weeks before that. “As we approach the two-year anniversary of the pandemic, cases of COVID-19 among children and adolescents… read on > read on >
All Mommy:
More Proof That COVID Vaccines Won’t Harm Fertility
COVID-19 vaccines don’t affect the outcomes of in-vitro fertilization (IVF), according to a new study. It’s more evidence that the shots won’t harm fertility, researchers said. The results “will give people comfort to know that the COVID-19 vaccine does not affect their reproductive potential,” said senior study author Dr. Alan Copperman, director of reproductive endocrinology… read on > read on >
COVID Infection Unlikely From Hospital Surfaces: Study
Remember when everyone was disinfecting their groceries at the start of the pandemic, fearful that the new coronavirus could be spread simply by touching a surface on which the virus had landed? New research confirms that much of that cleaning was unnecessary because people are unlikely to get COVID-19 from contaminated surfaces. “Early on in… read on > read on >
Pandemic Especially Tough on Kids With ADHD
Living through the pandemic has not been easy for kids, but it has really thrown off children who have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), new research warns. Though they were not more likely to catch COVID-19, they were more likely to experience symptoms if they were infected. But the damage did not stop there: These children were… read on > read on >
Pfizer Begins Testing a COVID Vaccine Targeted to Omicron
Pfizer Inc. announced Tuesday that it has launched a trial that will compare its existing COVID-19 vaccine against a new version tailored to beat back the highly contagious Omicron variant. “While current research and real-world data show that boosters continue to provide a high level of protection against severe disease and hospitalization with Omicron, we… read on > read on >
Pandemic to Endemic: Is a New Normal Near?
It has begun to feel like a pandemic that will never end, but public health experts now say the Omicron variant may be ushering in a “new normal,” where COVID-19 becomes an endemic, but manageable, disease. “I do feel that we are moving into a transition phase in the pandemic, and I do think Omicron… read on > read on >
Vaccination Key to ‘Super Immunity’ Against COVID-19
Coronavirus infections before or after vaccination provide equal levels of increased immunity, and the key to this so-called “super immunity” is to be vaccinated, researchers report. “It makes no difference whether you get infected-and-then-vaccinated, or if you get vaccinated-and-then-a-breakthrough infection,” said study co-senior author Fikadu Tafesse. He is an assistant professor of molecular microbiology and… read on > read on >
3 Factors Helped Teens Stay Mentally Healthy During Pandemic
Support from family and friends, along with exercise and sufficient sleep, have helped protect teens’ mental health during the pandemic, new research shows. The study also found that teen girls have been more likely than boys to suffer mental distress during the pandemic. For the study, researchers analyzed data gathered from more than 3,000 participants,… read on > read on >
Omicron Shows Signs of Ebbing as U.S. Cases Fall, Hospitalizations Level Off
Weeks after Omicron began ravaging the United States, experts are now seeing statistical signs that suggest the wildly contagious variant might be losing steam. More states have now reported they have passed their peaks in new cases, and new cases have begun to drop nationally — daily average cases fell to around 690,000 yesterday, down… read on > read on >
Young Women at Higher Risk for Stroke Than Male Peers: Study
Strokes aren’t common among young people, but when they do happen, they strike more often in women than men, a new review finds. Of the nearly 800,000 Americans who suffer a stroke each year, 10% to 15% are adults age 45 or younger, according to the American Heart Association. The new research suggests that young… read on > read on >