Researchers who say they have discovered what causes kids to have “chalky teeth” predict it could lead to new ways to fight it and cut cavities by half. One in five children have chalky teeth — visible as discolored enamel spots — which can cause severe toothache and decay, sometimes resulting in abscesses, extractions and…  read on >  read on >

President Joe Biden plans to announce his latest battle plan for fighting the formidable Omicron variant on Tuesday, with measures to include distributing 500 million free rapid COVID tests to the public, opening new federal testing sites, sending out hundreds of federal vaccinators, and providing 1,000 military medical personnel to bolster beleaguered hospitals. The measures,…  read on >  read on >

In record time, the Omicron variant has become the dominant variant in the United States, accounting for 73% of new infections last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday. That rate suggests that there were more than 650,000 Omicron infections in the United States last week, the Associated Press reported. CDC…  read on >  read on >

Far from terrorizing people as they did in “Jaws,” sharks may offer humanity hope in fending off future coronavirus outbreaks, new research suggests. That’s because their immune systems have unique antibody-like proteins called VNARs that can prevent the SARS-COV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 and its variants from infecting human cells, the researchers said. The findings…  read on >  read on >

There is no increased risk of mental health problems in teens and young adults who were conceived through in-vitro fertilization (IVF), Swedish researchers report. Although those born after assisted reproductive techniques did have a slightly higher risk of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), it owed to parental background factors, they said. Since 1978, more than 9 million…  read on >  read on >

There’s a very low risk of heart inflammation after getting the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, according to a new study that adds to previous research supporting the safety of the shots. The two mRNA vaccines had been linked in some studies with an increased risk of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and myopericarditis…  read on >  read on >

At least 48 passengers and crew members on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas — the world’s largest cruise ship — have tested positive for COVID-19 and have been quarantined, the company said Monday. Of the 48 people who tested positive during the sailing, 98% were fully vaccinated. That’s not surprising, since the overall vaccination…  read on >  read on >