(HealthDay News) — As the number of U.S. coronavirus cases neared 1.8 million on Monday, a new poll shows that a majority of Americans still think it’s more important to control the virus’ spread than to restart the economy. While nearly 6 in 10 Americans say the pandemic has taken a heavy economic toll on…  read on >

A new study suggests the rate of COVID-19 among pregnant women without symptoms is much lower than previously reported. Fewer than 3% of asymptomatic women admitted to three Yale New Haven Health hospitals for labor and delivery during April tested positive for COVID-19 infection. That contrasts with a 13.5% rate reported in a study of…  read on >

More evidence has surfaced that the COVID-19 coronavirus was circulating in the United States as much as a month prior to the first confirmed local case in February, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday. Genetic analysis of early cases suggests a single line of coronavirus imported from China began circulating in…  read on >

If you’re off to college in the fall and have allergies or asthma, it’s not too soon to figure out how you’ll manage them. “There are many arrangements to be made as you head off to college for the first time, and your allergies and asthma should not be put on the back burner,” said…  read on >

(HealthDay News) — While the spread of coronavirus has slowed in some of the hardest-hit areas of America, other parts of the country were seeing worrying spikes in cases by Friday. New York City, once the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, announced plans Thursday to ease restrictions after 10 weeks under…  read on >

Coronavirus-related safety is crucial if you wear contact lenses, eyeglasses or safety glasses/goggles, experts say. While the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends limiting use of contact lenses and switching to eyeglasses during the pandemic, the American Optometric Association says there’s no evidence that wearing contacts increases COVID-19 risk. “With proper hand-washing prior to inserting and…  read on >

The coronavirus pandemic can be especially difficult for children and adults with autism and their families, experts say. Self-isolation and disruption of routine are tough for anyone, but may emotionally upend someone with an autism spectrum disorder, said Dr. Adrien Eshraghi, a professor and director of the University of Miami Hearing Research and Communication Disorders…  read on >

(HealthDay News) — As the U.S. coronavirus death toll passed 100,000 on Wednesday, there was more evidence of the collateral damage the virus has caused: New numbers released Thursday show the number of unemployed has now passed 40 million. The death toll is “a striking reminder of how dangerous this virus can be,” Josh Michaud,…  read on >