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 >

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 >

Moderna Inc. announced Monday that its COVID-19 vaccine booster shot significantly increased antibodies against the Omicron variant. “The dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases from the Omicron variant is concerning to all. However, these data showing that the currently authorized Moderna COVID-19 booster can boost neutralizing antibody levels 37-fold higher than pre-boost levels are reassuring,” Moderna…  read on >  read on >

MONDAY, Dec. 20, 2021 ( HealthDay News) — As coronavirus cases start to surge once again across the United States, President Joe Biden will address the nation about the Omicron variant on Tuesday. “Building off his Winter Plan, the President will announce new steps the Administration is taking to help communities in need of assistance,…  read on >  read on >

Kids with autism have low levels of a protein that quiets overactive brain cells, which may explain why so many have epilepsy, according to a new study. Because the protein can be detected in cerebrospinal fluid, it may have promise as a marker to diagnose autism and as a potential treatment target for the epilepsy…  read on >  read on >

Unvaccinated students exposed to COVID-19 can remain in the classroom as long as they’re regularly tested for the virus at school, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. The CDC pointed to two new studies from California and Illinois as evidence that school districts can employ a “test-to-stay” policy to keep kids…  read on >  read on >

Two doses of a pediatric Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine failed to spur an adequate immune response in children aged 2 to 5, the companies announced Friday. That’s a setback for parents hoping to get their youngest children immunized against the new coronavirus as soon as possible. The pediatric trials used a 3 microgram (mcg) dose of…  read on >  read on >