To the lingering damage of COVID-19 infection, add this side effect: New research shows that more than half of those sickened by COVID-19 report depression. Among more than 3,900 people who had COVID-19 surveyed between May 2020 and January 2021, 52% suffered symptoms of major depression, researchers found. “People who have been ill with COVID-19… read on > read on >
This year, COVID-19 has made decisions around surgery tougher than ever for folks who may need one. But one major medical group can help provide some answers. Top on their list: Is it safe to have surgery right now? “It is very safe to have surgery, especially with all of the precautions in place,” said… read on > read on >
Health care workers are more likely to catch COVID-19 at home or in their community than on the job, a new study finds. “The news is reassuring in that it shows the measures taken are working to prevent infections from spreading in health care facilities,” said study co-author Dr. Anthony Harris. He’s professor of epidemiology… read on > read on >
In more good news on the coronavirus vaccine front, a new government report finds that 88% of Americans who get their first COVID-19 shot return for their second. That bodes well for the United States, since full vaccination is vital to stopping the pandemic. In December 2020, the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines were approved… read on > read on >
As much of the world hunkered down at home over the past year, women shouldered most of the cleaning, laundry and child care — and they are not happy about it. In a series of international surveys on “time use” during the pandemic, researchers found a clear gender divide when it came to chores and… read on > read on >
Even when women do their best to have a safe pregnancy, chemicals commonly found in the home could still raise their risk for premature delivery, a new study shows. The chemicals — called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) — are used as flame retardants in items like furniture and carpets. For the study, researchers analyzed blood… read on > read on >
If your teenagers have been struggling to cope during the coronavirus pandemic, a new survey suggests they are far from alone. Researchers found that 46% of 977 parents of teens said their child has shown signs of a new or worsening mental health condition since the start of the pandemic. More parents of teen girls… read on > read on >
Having an intellectual disability is second only to being elderly as a risk factor for dying from COVID-19, a new study suggests. “The chances of dying from COVID-19 are higher for those with intellectual disability than they are for people with congestive heart failure, kidney disease or lung disease,” said study author Dr. Jonathan Gleason,… read on > read on >
Raising chickens in your backyard — a popular trend during the COVID-19 pandemic — holds risks that can come home to roost in an unwelcome way. It’s already well known that poultry can spread the salmonella bacteria to human handlers. But chickens cooped up in backyards could also be breeding grounds for viruses that pose… read on > read on >
A single measles outbreak cost one U.S. county $3.4 million, a new government study estimates, underscoring the societal burden of inadequate vaccination rates. The outbreak occurred in Clark County, Wash., in early 2019, and ultimately infected 71 people — mostly children younger than 10 who hadn’t received the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. The county’s low MMR… read on > read on >
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