In some heartening news for the holidays, three new studies that combed through early data on the new Omicron variant suggest it does not cause severe disease as often as the Delta variant does. On the other hand, Omicron is so contagious that it will likely increase hospitalizations, and the unvaccinated still need to worry,… read on > read on >
When a child has severe health problems, the suffering often extends to the entire family, new research finds. Using data from a single health insurance provider, the study authors assessed nearly 7,000 children with life-threatening conditions and their families, and compared them to a control group of more than 18,600 children without a life-threatening condition… read on > read on >
Parents, think you have a good handle on how much time your teens are spending on social media? Don’t bet on it. New research suggests your best guesstimate is likely way off. Parents significantly underestimated their teens’ social media use — especially girls’ — during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the study showed.… read on > read on >
How do you prevent nearly 1 million cases of mouth and throat cancers in American men in this century? Find a way to reach an 80% HPV vaccination rate among adolescents, a new study suggests. HPV vaccination protects against the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is the leading cause of cancer in the oropharynx. It’s the… read on > read on >
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved the emergency use of Pfizer’s new antiviral pill Paxlovid in people who are at high risk for severe COVID-19. It’s the first approved treatment for COVID-19 meant to be taken at home. “Today’s authorization introduces the first treatment for COVID-19 that is in the form of… read on > read on >
The U.S. Army says it has developed a COVID-19 vaccine it believes could work against any and all coronavirus variants, including Omicron. Results from early human trials of the Spike Ferritin Nanoparticle (SpFN) COVID vaccine are expected by the end of the month, the Army added. Lab studies have already shown that the new vaccine… read on > read on >
Determining whether a young person with autism is ready to drive can be tricky for their health care providers. That’s the upshot of a new survey that included 78 pediatric physicians, psychologists and other providers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Half of the respondents said they routinely talk to teen patients about their transportation needs… read on > read on >
Of course kids make up the bulk of people at schools, but new evidence shows that requiring masks for adults working at schools greatly reduces the severity of COVID-19 outbreaks. In the study, the researchers found that children were most often the first identified cases in schools. However, outbreaks in schools were more severe when… read on > read on >
A new program to boost the supply of cancer medicines for children in low- and middle-income countries has been announced by the World Health Organization (WHO) and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The hospital is making a six-year, $200 million investment to launch the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines, which will provide… read on > read on >
President Joe Biden laid out a comprehensive plan on Tuesday to help Americans navigate a tough winter facing the Omicron variant, but he also made an impassioned plea for every eligible person to get vaccines and boosters. “For the folks who aren’t vaccinated, you may think you’re putting only yourself at risk, but your choice… read on > read on >
