A new study explains how the coronavirus hitches a ride on droplets released when you cough, sneeze, talk or speak, and travels around a room. The University of Minnesota scientists hope their work will help schools and businesses take steps to reduce the chance of COVID-19 transmission as they reopen. For the study, they created…  read on >

Coronavirus outbreaks throughout the Sun Belt started to show signs of leveling off on Tuesday, but the nation’s top infectious disease expert warned that COVID-19 cases are now on the rise in the Midwest. “We just can’t afford, yet again, another surge,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said Tuesday, as the country reported more than 1,000 coronavirus…  read on >

With everyday life turned upside down, efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are taking a toll on the well-being and health of American families, a new poll reveals. More than 1,000 parents nationwide were surveyed in early June. “Without question, COVID-19 had a sudden and profound effect on families nationwide,” said survey leader Dr.…  read on >

All the parents who force their children to play an instrument because it has been touted as a way to boost overall intelligence, take note. New research now suggests that it may not help develop memory, math, reading and writing skills after all. Earlier studies trying to pinpoint the value of music training on cognitive…  read on >

Although scientists haven’t nailed down how the new coronavirus jumped to humans, a new study confirms mosquitoes aren’t to blame — and you won’t get COVID-19 from a mosquito bite. “While the World Health Organization has definitively stated that mosquitoes cannot transmit the virus, our study is the first to provide conclusive data supporting the…  read on >

As the U.S. coronavirus case count passed 4.3 million on Monday, companies launched the final phase of testing for two potential COVID-19 vaccines. In one trial begun on Monday, the first of 30,000 volunteers were either given a vaccine developed by Moderna Inc. and the U.S. National Institutes of Health or a placebo shot, the…  read on >

Coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx said Sunday that federal health officials are recommending the closing of bars, cutting indoor restaurant capacity and limiting social gatherings to 10 people in states where COVID-19 cases are climbing. Birx added that “100%” of individuals should wear masks in public or around others, the Washington Post reported,…  read on >

Getting vaccinated to protect against pneumonia and flu may offer an unexpected benefit — a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, new research suggests. Two new studies being presented Monday at a virtual conference of the Alzheimer’s Association found a lower incidence of Alzheimer’s in people who got flu and pneumonia vaccines. A third study underscored…  read on >

In the midst of a pandemic, many Americans still view face mask mandates as an assault on their personal freedoms, rather than a means of protecting themselves and others from COVID-19. But a group of researchers out of Duke University say the mask backlash can be turned around — as long as efforts to do…  read on >

Most American parents know that sunscreen is important for their children, but there are gaps in their knowledge of its proper use, a new survey finds. The majority of the more than 1,100 parents of children aged 5 to 12 said they’ve at least sometimes used sunscreen on their kids, and that sunscreen is very…  read on >