The severity of COVID-19 illness may be influenced by what researchers call “cytokine storms.” In a new study, investigators assessed 522 COVID-19 patients, aged 5 days to 97 years, who were admitted to two hospitals in Wuhan, China, in December and January. The study also included a “control group” of 40 healthy people. Compared to… read on >
Social distancing guidelines crafted by the federal government to stem the spread of coronavirus expire on Thursday, but President Donald Trump said Wednesday he has no intention of extending the measures. “They’ll be fading out, because now the governors are doing it,” Trump explained during a media briefing. More than half of the United States,… read on >
Hundreds of millions of Americans heeded recent government advice and rushed to wear cloth face masks, hoping they might prevent transmission of the new coronavirus. But there’s another option: The clear plastic face shield, already in use by many health care personnel. Now, a team of experts say face shields might replace masks as a… read on >
As the U.S. coronavirus case count climbed past 1 million and the death toll neared 60,000, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday that forces beleaguered meat processing plants to stay open so the country’s food supply isn’t threatened. The order used the Defense Production Act to classify meat processing as critical infrastructure,… read on >
Fear of exposure to COVID-19 appears to be exacting an unexpected toll on public health: Childhood vaccination rates have plummeted, leaving millions at risk for other life-threatening illnesses. “We’re seeing a general drop in pediatrician visits of 70% to 80% — and that’s very concerning,” said Dr. Sara Goza, president of the American Academy of… read on >
While health experts continued to call for a national strategy to test more Americans for coronavirus, President Donald Trump on Monday announced a “blueprint” for boosting testing capacity as some states began reopening their economies. But the national guidance says states must develop their own testing plans and rapid-response programs while the White House provides… read on >
Governors preparing to relax social distancing orders and reopen their economies are about to make a dire mistake that could cause COVID-19 cases to surge in their states, infectious disease experts warn. The United States’ ability to contain future COVID-19 outbreaks rests on its ability to test hundreds of thousands daily for the virus, and… read on >
Grocery shopping has become a daunting endeavor during the coronavirus pandemic, but there are things you can do to protect yourself and others, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says. Prepare a shopping list in advance and buy just one to two weeks’ worth of groceries at a time. Buying more than you need can… read on >
The coronavirus pandemic has triggered a wave of accidental poisonings from household cleaners and disinfectants. With the National Poison Data System recently reporting a more than 20% spike in such emergencies, the American Cleaning Institute (ACI) emphasized the need to store cleaning products safely away from children. Bleach and alcohol-based hand sanitizers account for a… read on >
With states across America beginning to relax stay-at-home orders, White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx reiterated on Sunday that some form of social distancing will still be necessary through the summer. In an interview on Meet the Press, she stressed that “social distancing will be with us through the summer to really… read on >
