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Hiring a diverse army to track COVID-19 amid reopening

As a contact tracer, Teresa Ayala-Castillo is sometimes asked whether herbal teas and Vicks VapoRub can treat COVID-19. These therapies aren't exactly official health guidance, but Ayala-Castillo isn't fazed. She listens and then suggests other ideas — like getting rest and drinking plenty of fluids.

2 Jun 2020

Pandemic presents new hurdles, and hope, for people struggling with addiction

Before Philadelphia shut down to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Ed had a routine: most mornings he would head to a nearby McDonald’s to brush his teeth, wash his face and — when he had the money — buy a cup of coffee.

2 Jun 2020

New guidelines on storage of genomic information, improvements in EHR systems

Advances in genetic and genomic testing technology have not only introduced the utilization of clinical genomic information into virtually every area of medical care, this testing has become an essential tool to achieve the goal of precision medicine.

2 Jun 2020

At-home finger prick COVID-19 antibody testing

The best way to estimate the actual prevalence of COVID-19 in the population is by antibody testing. A new study by scientists at Enable Biosciences and published on the preprint server medRxiv* in May 2020 reports the development of fast and sensitive antibody testing kits designed for at-home use. This could significantly boost the measurement of population prevalence of this infection and help understand whether it confers immunity to reinfection.

2 Jun 2020

Optimal measures to reduce the chance of viral infection

Keeping at least one metre from other people as well as wearing face coverings and eye protection, in and outside of health-care settings, could be the best way to reduce the chance of viral infection or transmission of COVID-19.

2 Jun 2020

Evidence supports physical distancing to prevent COVID-19 transmission

A comprehensive review of existing evidence supports physical distancing of two metres or more to prevent person-to-person transmission of COVID-19, says an international team led by McMaster University and St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton.

2 Jun 2020

Study highlights the importance of child vaccine against infections

In the U.S., our children rarely fall ill to grave infections because they are protected by vaccines.

2 Jun 2020

SARS-CoV-2 started spreading in the United States in January, CDC says

The United States has reported the highest number of infections across the globe, with more than 1.81 million confirmed cases and at least 105,000 deaths. The magnitude of the novel coronavirus spread hints that the virus may have started earlier than previously thought.

2 Jun 2020

Update on PALLAS triaI evaluating adjuvant palbociclib for early breast cancer

The Austrian Breast & Colorectal Cancer Study Group, Alliance Foundation Trials, the Breast International Group, PrECOG, LLC, the German Breast Group, and the NSABP Foundation today announced that the independent Data Monitoring Committee for the global Phase 3 early breast cancer PALbociclib CoLlaborative Adjuvant Study trial determined that the study is unlikely to show a statistically significant improvement in the primary endpoint of invasive disease-free survival following a preplanned interim analysis.

1 Jun 2020

Reducing inflammation improves stroke recovery, may extend window for therapy

Reperfusion therapy, the gold standard for stroke treatment, helps restore blood flow after a stroke caused by a clot, preventing loss of brain tissue. However, only about 10% of stroke patients qualify, in part because of reperfusion therapy's narrow treatment window.

1 Jun 2020

COVID-19 transmission unlikely to slow down dramatically during summer months

It is well known that rates of transmission of some respiratory viruses, including influenza, tend to fall during the summer months.

1 Jun 2020

Cone snail insulin research could jumpstart the development of better diabetes treatments

Nearly a century after insulin was discovered, an international team of researchers including University of Utah Health scientists report that they have developed the world's smallest, fully functional version of the hormone, one that combines the potency of human insulin with the fast-acting potential of a venom insulin produced by predatory cone snails.

1 Jun 2020

Pod-based e-cigarettes have higher potential to foster addiction than other devices

JUUL and similar pod-based e-cigarettes have been popular with teenagers and young adults since they came on the market in 2015, but little has been known about their health effects.

1 Jun 2020

Out-of-pocket health care costs for patients with type 1 diabetes is $2,500 a year, study reveals

Adults and children with type 1 diabetes will spend an average of $2,500 a year out-of-pocket for health care - but insulin isn't always the biggest expense - new research suggests.

1 Jun 2020

Democratic super PAC uses familiar political play to hit Trump on Medicare

Priorities USA Action, a Democratic super PAC, announced a new digital and TV ad series criticizing President Donald Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

1 Jun 2020

SDSU researchers aim to develop intervention strategy to prevent LGBTQ youth suicide

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth and young adults, behind unintentional injury, with suicide attempts much higher among LGBTQ youth (23% to 45%) than their heterosexual and cisgender peers (5%).

1 Jun 2020

‘Why do we always get hit first?’ Proposed budget cuts target vulnerable Californians

Shirley Madden, 83, relies on a caregiver and her two grown daughters to remain living at home — and not in a nursing home.

1 Jun 2020

Coronavirus surprise: IRS allows midyear insurance and FSA changes

The economic upheaval and social disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic have upended the assumptions many people made last fall about which insurance plan to sign up for, or how much of their pretax wages to sock away in health or dependent care flexible spending accounts.

1 Jun 2020

Oral antidiabetics improve outcomes in diabetics with colorectal cancer

Bottom Line: Among patients with both colorectal cancer and diabetes in Korea, those who had a high adherence to their oral diabetes medication had a significantly reduced risk of overall mortality compared with those with lower adherence.

1 Jun 2020

When flu season converges with COVID-19

As if the COVID-19 pandemic isn't scary enough, the flu season is not far away. How severe will the flu season be as it converges with the COVID-19 outbreak? What can we do to prepare?

30 May 2020