Middle-aged folks’ risk of dying from a COVID-19 infection is higher than they might think, a new study reports. The risk of death from COVID increases with age, but researchers have found that the upward curve grows exponentially steeper with every extra decade. One out of every 800 people entering early middle age at 45… read on > read on >
Kids aren’t scared when surgical staff wear personal protective equipment (PPE), and many feel reassured by use of the gear, researchers say. Anxiety is common before, during and after surgery, and can result in complications such as pain and delayed recovery. Concerns have been raised that seeing staffers wearing PPE such as hoods, masks and… read on > read on >
Thirty-five detainees in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facilities have died since April 2018, often because of preventable causes, such as COVID-19, flu and suicide, according to a new study. One of them was a Mexican citizen who had first entered the United States two decades ago. He died after a month in custody.… read on > read on >
All Alzheimer’s disease patients and their family caregivers should be vaccinated against COVID-19, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America says. “Getting vaccinated is one of the most important steps families affected by Alzheimer’s disease can take to protect themselves and their loved ones,” said Dr. J. Wesson Ashford, chair of the foundation’s medical, scientific and memory… read on > read on >
Talk therapy for new mothers with postpartum depression may also benefit their babies’ brains, Canadian researchers say. “We found that after their moms were treated that their infant’s brain activity normalized to the levels seen in our healthy infants,” said study co-author Ryan Van Lieshout, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at McMaster… read on > read on >
Full doses of blood thinners can benefit patients hospitalized with COVID-19, but the severity of their illness matters, researchers say. The new global analysis found that hospitalized patients with moderate COVID-19 may benefit from the drugs’ clot-preventing powers, but patients with illness so severe it requires admission to an intensive care unit may not. “SARS-CoV-2… read on > read on >
The explosive rise in use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers during the COVID-19 pandemic has had a dangerous, unintended consequence: eye injuries among children. Using data from French poison control and a children’s hospital in Paris, researchers reported that accidental eye injuries to kids under age 18 shot up sevenfold during a five-month period last year,… read on > read on >
Puffy coats have their place, but it’s not inside a car seat. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) offers a variety of tips for keeping your little ones safe and warm while traveling by car. The first is to avoid dressing children in puffy coats or snowsuits before buckling them in, because car seat straps… read on > read on >
Family and friends can influence whether people follow social distancing recommendations during the coronavirus pandemic, a new study finds. British researchers analyzed information from more than 6,600 people in 114 countries. Those who thought their close social circle adhered to distancing guidelines were more likely to do the same, the analysis found. This influence outweighed… read on > read on >
Previous coronavirus infections might prime the immune system to fight the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19, a new study suggests. There are numerous types of coronaviruses, including many harmless ones that cause mild upper respiratory infections similar to the common cold. Besides SARS-CoV-2 — the virus that causes COVID-19 — other deadly coronaviruses include MERS-CoV,… read on > read on >
