It could be a bad flu season this year — and for a couple of years to come — in places in the United States where COVID-19 restrictions like social distancing and masking have been lifted, researchers warn. These sorts of measures caused flu cases to decline by more than 60% within the first 10…  read on >  read on >

Doctors who discuss COVID-19 in the media frequently face abuse and harassment, including threats of death or violence, a new report reveals. More than two-thirds of experts surveyed have experienced trolling or personal attacks after speaking about COVID-19 in media interviews, a worldwide survey of more than 300 scientists found. Further, a quarter said such…  read on >  read on >

Long-term symptoms of coronavirus infection, known as ‘long COVID,’ affects more than half of COVID-19 survivors, and health care systems should be prepared to treat them, researchers say. So far, 236 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with COVID-19, and many have had lingering physical and mental health problems for six months or longer. “The…  read on >  read on >

When you’re putting on a brave face to mask disappointment or shedding tears of joy, kids with autism are likely to misunderstand how you’re really feeling. That’s because they don’t use context to identify underlying emotions, according to a new study investigating whether kids with autism are able to tell when one emotion is concealing…  read on >  read on >

New research provides further proof that helmets are essential for young users of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and dirt bikes. Wearing a helmet significantly reduces their risk of moderate or severe head injuries in crashes, and also lowers their risk of death, the study found. “For neurosurgeons treating pediatric trauma patients, these findings are not at…  read on >  read on >

More kids swallowed small magnets and batteries in 2020 compared to previous years — a worrisome surge that dovetailed with pandemic stay-at-home orders. An analysis of data from more than 100 U.S. hospitals found that the number of kids 17 and younger who were treated for swallowing foreign objects remained about the same from 2017…  read on >  read on >

Free menstrual pads and tampons must be provided in restrooms at all California public schools and colleges starting in the 2022-2023 academic year. The bill, signed on Oct. 8 by Gov. Gavin Newsom, adds to a 2017 law requiring low-income schools in disadvantaged areas to provide students with free menstrual products, the Associated Press reported.…  read on >  read on >