Though the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic (possibly? hopefully?) may be behind us, so too might be our immunity to the virus, whether it’s through vaccination or through natural infection. In February, the CDC announced that while vaccine boosters were 91 percent effective in preventing hospitalization after two months, that number slipped to 78 percent … Read more
Breakthrough infections are the bane of the world of vaccines; no inoculation, regardless of its effectiveness, can ever stop all infections 100% of the time. The good news is that, when someone who is vaccinated gets a breakthrough infection, the symptoms are almost always much more mild. Now a new study reinforces the good news … Read more
Flu cases are rising across much of the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday, though overall flu levels remain low. Weekly flu cases had been declining through most of January, but began rising nationally the week ending March 5, the CDC said. That increase has continued, albeit slowly. In addition, the … Read more
Women have many choices for birth control, ranging from pills to patches to intrauterine devices, and partly as a result, they bear most of the burden of preventing pregnancy. But men’s birth control options — and, therefore, responsibilities — could soon be expanding. Today, scientists report a non-hormonal male contraceptive that effectively prevents pregnancy in … Read more
Public health officials are alerting Sunlife Organics juice bar customers in West Hollywood of a possible hepatitis A exposure. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health identified hepatitis A virus infection in a food handler who worked at the location, officials said in a news release Friday. Hepatitis A is a liver infection caused … Read more
Sampling this week found a 15% higher coronavirus load in Twin Cities wastewater, the first increase since the omicron COVID-19 wave peaked in mid-January. The highly infectious omicron subvariant drove the increase at the Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant, but plant officials stressed the latest viral levels remain low. The BA.2 subvariant, which has caused a … Read more
Forbes is slammed for referring to ‘pregnant people’ – not women – in a story about how having covid can increase the chances of serious complications during pregnancy On Thursday Forbes tweeted a link to an article about how Covid-19 doubled the risk of serious complications during pregnancy ‘Pregnant people who contracted Covid-19 were more … Read more
Thirteen people in the Upstate are receiving medical treatment after coming in contact with a rabid calf, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control said Friday.The calf was on property near Highway 28 South in Clemson, tested positive for rabies, DHEC said in a release. The calf was part of a rabies-vaccinated herd … Read more
CNN — Contrary to worries among some doctors and the public, drinking coffee may actually protect your heart instead of causing or worsening heart problems. Drinking two to three cups of coffee daily has been associated with a 10% to 15% lower risk of getting heart disease, heart failure or a heart rhythm problem, or … Read more
At 39, Jamie Jackson was the picture of health. The mother of three exercised, ate right and stayed active with family and church. But inside, she was far from healthy. Her first colonoscopy showed a 2 1/2-centimeter cancerous tumor, silently growing inside her large intestine. The news was a shock. “If I can get colon … Read more