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Inside meals on wheels’ struggle to keep older Americans fed during a pandemic

In the best of times, Meals on Wheels faces the herculean task of delivering 200 million meals annually to 2.4 million hungry and isolated older Americans.

7 Apr 2020

Nursing homes have thousands of ventilators that hospitals desperately need

As the number of COVID-19 patients climbs and health officials hunt for ventilators to treat them, nursing homes across the United States have a cache - about 8,200 of the lifesaving machines, according to data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

7 Apr 2020

Cancer patients face treatment delays and uncertainty as coronavirus cripples hospitals

The federal government has encouraged health centers to delay nonessential surgeries while weighing the severity of patients' conditions and the availability of personal protective equipment, beds and staffing at hospitals.

7 Apr 2020

New form of magnetic brain stimulation relieves symptoms of severe depression

A new form of magnetic brain stimulation rapidly relieved symptoms of severe depression in 90% of participants in a small study conducted by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

7 Apr 2020

Antiparasitic drug Ivermectin kills coronavirus in 48 hours

Around the world, scientists race to develop a vaccine or treatment against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Now, a team of researchers has found that a drug already available around the world can kill the coronavirus in a lab setting in just 48 hours.

6 Apr 2020

Researchers create algorithm to protect surgical team members from COVID-19

Researchers from Stanford University's department of surgery have created an algorithm that aims to protect operating room team members who perform urgent and emergency operations from Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and rationally conserve the personal protective equipment they wear.

6 Apr 2020

McMaster: Common medical masks are good for most COVID-19 treatment

The N95 respirator masks should be preserved for health-care workers involved in inserting breathing tubes for patients with COVID-19. More common medical masks are fine for all other COVID-19 treatment, says preliminary research from McMaster University.

6 Apr 2020

Newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy promises a benefit

On behalf of the Federal Joint Committee, the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care investigated whether it is meaningful to test newborns in Germany for spinal muscular atrophy in combination with earlier diagnosis and treatment.

6 Apr 2020

Mount Sinai launches web-based app to capture symptoms, spread of COVID-19 in New York City

A team of data scientists, physicians, and engineers across the Mount Sinai Health System has come together to launch STOP COVID NYC, a web-based app to capture the symptoms and spread of COVID-19 in New York City--currently the epicenter of the nation's largest outbreak.

6 Apr 2020

'Smart toilet' looks for signs of disease

A Stanford study published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering in April 2020 reports the development of a new kind of toilet that can pick up signs of an extensive range of diseases, from molecules in stool and urine. This could be extremely useful in repeatedly and inexpensively screening high-risk groups for certain conditions, including those for which a genetic tendency is possible – such as prostate cancer or certain kinds of kidney cancer.

6 Apr 2020

Penn-led trial to evaluate the effectiveness of HCQ in combating COVID-19 pandemic

A new trial led by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania will evaluate whether the drug hydroxychloroquine can benefit people infected with COVID-19, as well as whether taking the drug preventatively may help people avoid infection altogether.

6 Apr 2020

After COVID-19: Doctors ponder best advice as patients recover from coronavirus

When David Vega fell ill with the novel coronavirus in mid-March, fever, chills and nausea left the 27-year-old Indiana medical student curled up in bed for days.

6 Apr 2020

Should US schools close to thwart spread of COVID-19?

A new study used mathematical modeling to explore the benefits and risks of closing down the schools to prevent new cases and the possibility of absenteeism among health care workers because they need to care for their children at home and the ultimate effect of the step on reducing the risk of deaths due to COVID-19.

6 Apr 2020

Second time around? Health care issues Trump might tackle if reelected

If President Donald Trump wins a second term in the White House, what health care policies might the nation expect from his administration?

6 Apr 2020

Wearing facemasks in public could help protect from COVID-19

Wearing a face-mask while out-and-about on public transport, in shops and in crowded places could help protect people from COVID-19 - according to new research from the University of East Anglia.

6 Apr 2020

Young people weigh pain of job loss against risks of virus

Emilio Romero, 23, has mixed feelings about losing his job. It's a major financial setback, but with two previous hospitalizations for pneumonia, a restaurant was not the safest place for the recent college graduate as the COVID-19 pandemic mushroomed.

6 Apr 2020