Two widely used COVID-19 vaccines — Pfizer and Moderna — will likely remain powerfully protective against developing serious illness even if coronavirus variants somehow manage to infect vaccinated patients, new research suggests. Both vaccines are based on messenger RNA (mRNA) technology. And investigators say that, at least in theory, such technology can deploy multiple levels…  read on >  read on >

Giving birth during the coronavirus pandemic presents its own challenges, but the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) wants to reassure pregnant women that they need not panic. Instead, they “should be comforted to know that the hospital is a very safe place to have a baby now,” said Dr. Beverly Philip, president of the ASA.…  read on >  read on >

Here’s reassuring news for moms-to-be: Pregnant women who receive the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines appear to transfer protective antibodies to their babies, a new study says. The researchers assessed 122 pregnant women who received the vaccines. They also analyzed the cord blood of the women’s babies at the time of birth. The helpful antibodies…  read on >  read on >

Americans’ anxiety and concerns about COVID-19 remain high a year into the pandemic, and mental health effects of the health crisis are on the rise, a new survey shows. Hispanic (73%) and Black Americans (76%) are more anxious about COVID-19 than white people (59%), according to the American Psychiatric Association (APA) online survey of 1,000…  read on >  read on >

Getting a prescription for an opioid painkiller from your dentist could put you or your family at risk for an overdose, a new study warns. The finding is based on an analysis of data from 8.5 million Americans who had teeth pulled or 119 other types of dental work between 2011 and 2018. All had…  read on >  read on >

As children begin to return to their favorite sports, parents need to ensure that their youngsters use protective eyewear, a leading group of eye specialists says. Nearly 30,000 people suffer sports-related eye injuries every year in the United States, but 90% of emergency room visits for such injuries could be prevented by protective eyewear, according…  read on >  read on >