FRIDAY, Dec. 15, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Low vaccination rates for the flu, RSV and COVID-19 are putting Americans at higher risk for severe illness and hospitalization this winter, a new government alert warned Thursday. There is an “urgent need” to boost vaccination rates as the trio of viruses spreadContinue Reading
FRIDAY, Dec. 15, 2023 (HealthDay News) — “Long COVID” has become a well-known potential consequence of COVID infection, with symptoms that can last weeks, months or even years. Now it appears that “long flu” is also possible, with some patients developing long-lasting health problems following a severe infection, a newContinue Reading
MONDAY, Dec. 11, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Sore throats are commonplace during cold and flu season, but luckily there are lots of home remedies that can help ease your misery, doctors say. These remedies “aren’t quick fixes for an illness,” but they can help ease discomfort, said Dr. Heidi Hutchison,Continue Reading
MONDAY, Dec. 4, 2023 (Healthday News) — While flu and COVID cases are now on the rise, RSV infections may soon peak and level off, U.S. health officials report. COVID-19 continues to fuel the most hospitalizations and deaths among all respiratory illnesses — about 15,000 hospitalizations and about 1,000 deathsContinue Reading
FRIDAY, Dec. 1, 2023 (Healthday News) — In testimony provided Thursday to members of Congress, the head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that a surge in respiratory illnesses in China is not being fueled by a new virus. Instead, the spike can be linked toContinue Reading
FRIDAY, Nov. 17, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Air filters might help keep the air in your home fresh, but a new review finds they don’t appear to reduce your risk of catching an airborne virus. Technologies designed to make indoor spaces safer from infection are not effective in the realContinue Reading
TUESDAY, Nov. 14, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Children stricken with influenza aren’t receiving the flu-busting antiviral drug Tamiflu even though it’s recommended for them, a new study says. Three of five children with the flu aren’t prescribed Tamiflu, researchers report online Nov. 13 in the journal Pediatrics. “We found thatContinue Reading
FRIDAY, Nov. 10, 2023 (Healthday News) — The first vaccine to prevent infection with the chikungunya virus was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday. The single-dose shot, known as Ixchiq, is approved for adults who are at increased risk of exposure to the virus. “Infection withContinue Reading
THURSDAY, Nov. 9, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Health care workers at America’s nursing homes are woefully under-vaccinated for both flu and COVID-19, threatening their own health and that of the frail elderly patients under their care, a new report finds. Looking at 2023 data collected at nearly 14,000 nursing homesContinue Reading
THURSDAY, Nov. 9, 2023 (HealthDay News) — The best way to prevent cervical cancer in women is to give HPV vaccines to both boys and girls, a new study argues. That way, herd immunity could help eradicate the cancer-causing virus, researchers say. Cancer-related HPV strains declined significantly in Finnish townsContinue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 1, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Many antibiotics long used to treat common childhood infections are no longer effective because of antibiotic resistance. The authors of a new study say global guidelines on antibiotic use need to be updated to reflect this, and they called for an increased focusContinue Reading
TUESDAY, Oct. 31, 2023 (HealthDay News) — Getting a yearly flu shot is one of the best ways to protect yourself from infection or severe illness, but not everyone likes shots. Now, there is some potentially good news for those who fear needles: A nasal spray flu vaccine that you can takeContinue Reading
MONDAY, Oct. 30, 2023 (HealthDay News) — A cheap, do-it-yourself air purifier is powerful enough to effectively protect a home from free-floating flu and COVID-19 viruses, according to test results from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The filter, crafted with common hardware store supplies costing $60, outperformed pricey off-the-shelf airContinue Reading
THURSDAY, Oct. 26, 2023 (HealthDay News) — A new vaccine recommended Wednesday by independent advisers to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could provide more comprehensive protection from meningitis. The shot would protect against five types of bacteria causing meningococcal disease, one more than now covered in aContinue Reading