COVID-19 Boosters Remain Safe, Continue to Offer High Levels of Protection
Data from two CDC reports today show COVID-19 vaccine boosters remain safe and continue to be highly effective against severe disease over time. In the first study, CDC reviewed data from two of its vaccine safety monitoring systems, v-safe and the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). They found that people 18 years and older […]
Get Your Cholesterol Checked
The Basics It’s important to get your cholesterol checked regularly. Too much cholesterol in your blood can cause a heart attack or a stroke. The good news is that it’s easy to get your cholesterol checked. If your cholesterol is high, you can take steps to lower it – like eating healthy, getting more physical activity, […]
Get Enough Sleep
The Basics It’s important to get enough sleep. Sleep helps keep your mind and body healthy. How much sleep do I need? Most adults need 7 to 8 hours of good quality sleep on a regular schedule each night. Make changes to your routine if you can’t find enough time to sleep. Getting enough sleep […]
Drink Alcohol Only in Moderation
The Basics If you don’t drink alcohol, there’s no reason to start. If you choose to drink, it’s important to have only a moderate (limited) amount. And some people should not drink at all, like women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant and people with certain health conditions. What is a moderate amount […]
25% of U.S. adults are not active enough to protect their health
More than 1 in 5 adults is inactive in all but four states, according to new state maps of adult physical inactivity prevalence released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For these maps, physical inactivity for adults is defined as not participating in any physical activities outside of work over the last month […]
Some cancers are preventable with a vaccine – a virologist explains
Ronald C. Desrosiers, University of Miami One-fifth. Nearly 20% of cancers worldwide are caused by a virus. These viruses don’t cause cancer until long after they initially infect a person. Rather, the viruses teach the cells they take over how to escape the natural biological process of cell death. This strategy sets these altered cells […]
States Were Sharing Covid Test Kits. Then Omicron Hit.
Katheryn Houghton In a few short months, states have gone from donating surplus rapid covid-19 tests to states with shortages to hoarding them as demand driven by the spike in cases strains supplies. Last January, North Dakota had amassed 2.7 million Abbott Laboratories BinaxNOW rapid covid tests from the federal government — roughly 3½ tests […]
What is the best mask for COVID-19? A mechanical engineer explains the science after 2 years of testing masks in his lab
Christian L’Orange, Colorado State University The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has changed its guidelines about masks and respirators a number of times over the past two years and gave its most recent update on Jan. 14, 2022. The update states that cloth face coverings offer the least protection from the coronavirus compared with […]
CDC Tells Pharmacies to Give 4th Covid Shots to Immunocompromised Patients
Liz Szabo, Kaiser Health News January 26, 2022 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reached out to pharmacists Wednesday to reinforce the message that people with moderate to severe immune suppression are eligible for fourth covid shots. The conference call came a day after KHN reported that immunocompromised people were being turned away by […]
Social connectedness, sleep, and physical activity associated with better mental health among youth during the COVID-19 pandemic
Monday, January 24, 2022 Longitudinal survey data of more than 3,000 adolescents ages 11-14 recorded before and during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 found that supportive relationships with family and friends and healthy behaviors, like engaging in physical activity and better sleep, appeared to shield against the harmful effects of the […]