New research offers some reassuring news for parents of kids returning to school soon: The risk of acquiring COVID-19 on the school bus is very low when proper precautions are taken. With open windows, mandated masking and two kids per seat, there was no transmission of the new coronavirus linked to busing even during the…  read on >  read on >

Young soccer players have more head impacts during practices but experience more severe head impacts during games, a small, preliminary study shows. The findings could help devise ways to improve head impact safety in youth soccer, according to the researchers. “Headers are a fundamental component to the sport of soccer. Therefore, it is important to…  read on >  read on >

Accidental exposure to fentanyl pain patches is putting children’s lives at risk, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns. Fentanyl is a powerful opioid pain reliever; so powerful that fentanyl patches are typically only prescribed to patients who require round-the-clock, long-term pain relief, such as cancer patients. They’re generally replaced every three days. Kids can…  read on >  read on >

When you’re heading outdoors this summer, keep an eye out for ticks during and after your outing, health experts say. These common parasites can transmit Lyme disease, a potentially serious illness. Lyme disease is transmitted to people through the bite of an infected black-legged tick, also called a deer tick, explained Dr. Crystal Tank and…  read on >  read on >

This summer has brought dangerous, record-breaking heat to parts of the United States and Canada. The hot weather poses an extra challenge for pregnant women. Mothers-to-be need to stay cool to avoid heat exhaustion and its complications, according to an expert at Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston. “The summer is tough on pregnant women…  read on >  read on >

In a sign that vaccine-hesitant Americans are starting to worry about the rapid spread of the highly infectious Delta variant, vaccinations are beginning to rise in some states where COVID-19 cases are soaring, White House officials said Thursday. Coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients told reporters that several states with the highest proportions of new infections have…  read on >  read on >

COVID-19 outbreaks among unvaccinated NFL players could result in forfeited games and loss of pay, the league announced Thursday. The policy sends a strong message about COVID-19 vaccines and is likely to be followed by others in the United States, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases expert, told CBS News. The NFL has…  read on >  read on >