Children and teenagers vaccinated against the mumps virus have accounted for one-third of infections in recent years, a new U.S. government study finds. The reasons are unclear, and experts stressed that routine childhood vaccination remains the best weapon against mumps — a contagious infection that is usually mild, but can cause serious complications. After the… read on > read on >
College students are not bouncing back from the changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, a troubling new study finds. Researchers were surprised to find that one year after the start of the pandemic, college students were still less active and more at risk for depression even as social restrictions were lifted and many were… read on > read on >
President Joe Biden plans to announce a new round of measures to protect Americans against the spread of coronavirus variants on Thursday. The strategy will include making rapid at-home COVID-19 tests free for more people, extending rules on mask wearing on planes and other modes of transport, launching public awareness campaigns on vaccinations and booster… read on > read on >
Which coronavirus vaccine is best at beating COVID-19 — Moderna or Pfizer? New research hands that honor to Moderna: In what is billed as the first head-to-head comparison of the two shots, researchers analyzed the health records of nearly 440,000 U.S. veterans who received one of the two vaccines between early January 2021 and mid-May… read on > read on >
Quitting smoking is especially important during pregnancy, and now a new study suggests that when it comes to kicking the habit, cash may be just the incentive some women need. The study results suggest progressive financial rewards for smoking abstinence “could be implemented in the routine health care of pregnant smokers,” the French researchers said.… read on > read on >
The first confirmed U.S. case of the Omicron variant has been reported in California, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday. The patient was a traveler, apparently from the San Francisco area, who returned from South Africa on Nov. 22, the CDC said in a statement. The person, who was fully vaccinated,… read on > read on >
With HIV a continuing threat to women’s health, the World Health Organization (WHO) has approved the first long-acting device to protect women from sexually transmitted HIV. The device is a vaginal ring made of silicone elastomer, a flexible rubber-like material that makes it easy to insert and comfortable to use. The ring releases the antiretroviral… read on > read on >
Parents who want to read to their toddlers and give them a developmental boost ought to pick up a traditional paper book rather than an e-book on a tablet, a new study reports. Toddlers are more likely to interact with their parents when they’re sharing a paper children’s book rather than a tablet, University of… read on > read on >
Blows to the head are common among America’s kids, with close to 7% showing signs of a brain injury at some time in childhood, U.S. health officials report. Sports, falls and abuse are likely causes, experts say. Concussions and other head injuries are more common among white kids than Black or Hispanic kids. And prevalence… read on > read on >
Asthma is a tough disease for kids and their parents to manage well, but not keeping it under control may make these children up to six times more likely to wind up in the hospital with severe COVID-19, new research shows. With the cold and flu season about to kick in and COVID-19 rates climbing… read on > read on >
