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Vaccinated mothers may pass on SARS-CoV-2 antibodies to newborns

A new study describes the first case of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies detected in the cord blood of an infant born to a mother immunized with the first dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine three weeks earlier.

9 Feb 2021

Schools walk the tightrope between ideal safety and the reality of Covid

California mom Megan Bacigalupi has had enough. She wants her kindergartner and second grader back in their Oakland classrooms.

8 Feb 2021

Study shows how bacteriophage lysis genes could be key to developing new antibiotics

A study from the Center for Phage Technology, part of Texas A&M's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, shows how the "hidden" genes in bacteriophages -- types of viruses that infect and destroy bacteria -- may be key to the development of a new class of antibiotics for human health.

7 Feb 2021

Single-dose vaccination effective for healthcare workers with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection

The findings reveal that healthcare workers previously infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) develop significantly higher antibody titers in response to a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine, as compared to healthcare workers without prior SARS-CoV-s infection. The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

2 Feb 2021

Older adults without family or friends lag in race to get vaccines

A divide between "haves" and "have-nots" is emerging as older adults across the country struggle to get covid-19 vaccines.

1 Feb 2021

Thread-based sensors can measure head movements in real time

Engineers at Tufts University have created and demonstrated flexible thread-based sensors that can measure movement of the neck, providing data on the direction, angle of rotation and degree of displacement of the head.

29 Jan 2021

Self- or caregiver swabs are as effective as healthcare worker swabs for detecting pathogens

Self swabs and caregiver swabs are effective at detecting multiple pathogens and are just as accurate as those taken by healthcare workers, according to a team of Australian researchers.

28 Jan 2021

California’s top hospital lobbyist cements influence in covid crisis

As intensive care units filled and coronavirus cases surged over the holidays, Carmela Coyle invoked a World War II-era quote attributed to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to rally her own troops: "If you're going through hell, keep going."

26 Jan 2021

‘We’re not controlling it in our schools’: Covid safety lapses abound across US

Computer science teacher Suzy Lebo saw covid-19 dangers frequently in her Indiana high school: classes with about 30 students sitting less than 18 inches apart. Students crowding teachers in hallways. Students and staff members taking off their masks around others.

26 Jan 2021

Amid covid health worker shortage, foreign-trained professionals sit on sidelines

As hospitals nationwide struggle with the latest covid-19 surge, it's not so much beds or ventilators in short supply. It's the people to care for the sick.

25 Jan 2021

After a decade of lobbying, ALS patients gain faster access to disability payments

Anita Baron first noticed something was wrong in August 2018, when she began to drool. Her dentist chalked it up to a problem with her jaw.

21 Jan 2021

Black Americans are getting vaccinated at lower rates than white Americans

Black Americans are receiving covid vaccinations at dramatically lower rates than white Americans in the first weeks of the chaotic rollout, according to a new KHN analysis.

17 Jan 2021

CVS and Walgreens under fire for slow pace of vaccination in nursing homes

The effort to vaccinate some of the country's most vulnerable residents against covid-19 has been slowed by a federal program that sends retail pharmacists into nursing homes — accompanied by layers of bureaucracy and logistical snafus.

15 Jan 2021

Geography is destiny: Dentists’ access to Covid shots depends on where they live

Dr. Monte Junker, an Oregon dentist, is waiting for his turn to get vaccinated for Covid even though he considers himself a front-line health worker.

15 Jan 2021

Researchers explore link between work addiction risk and health-related outcomes

Workaholism or work addiction risk is a growing public health concern that can lead to many negative mental and physical health outcomes such as depression, anxiety or sleep disorder.

13 Jan 2021

Health workers unions see surge in interest amid covid

The nurses at Mission Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina, declared on March 6 — by filing the official paperwork — that they were ready to vote on the prospect of joining a national union. At the time, they were motivated by the desire for more nurses and support staff, and to have a voice in hospital decisions.

12 Jan 2021

Researchers analyze varying structure of ear canals to improve comfort, efficiency of earplugs

Noise exposure accounts for 22% of worldwide work-related health problems. Excessive noise not only causes hearing loss and tinnitus, but also increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. T

8 Jan 2021

Covid ‘decimated our staff’ as the pandemic ravages health workers of color in US

Last spring, New Jersey emergency room nurse Maritza Beniquez saw "wave after wave" of sick patients, each wearing a look of fear that grew increasingly familiar as the weeks wore on.

5 Jan 2021

Study identifies the effects of malnutrition on patient survival after cardiac surgery

Nutrients are the structural components of food that the body needs to function properly. They are divided into macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates) and micronutrients (vitamins, provitamins, various minerals, and so on). Their shortage is called nutritional deficiency.

28 Dec 2020

As the terror of COVID struck, health care workers struggled to survive. Thousands lost the fight.

Workers at Garfield Medical Center in suburban Los Angeles were on edge as the pandemic ramped up in March and April. Staffers in a 30-patient unit were rationing a single tub of sanitizing wipes all day. A May memo from the CEO said N95 masks could be cleaned up to 20 times before replacement.

23 Dec 2020