Author: Claudinne Miller

Bird flu has reached Antarctica and could have a devastating effect

New Scientist A lethal form of bird flu has been discovered in the Antarctic region for the first time and it could kill many seals and whales as well as millions of birds. The lethal form of bird flu that has been killing millions of wild birds around the world has spread south to the Antarctic region, […]

Oct 24, 2023

RSV is America’s leading cause of hospitalization for children under 5

Washington Post Each year in the United States, 2.1 million children younger than 5 receive outpatient treatment for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But for up to 80,000 youngsters, the infection becomes severe and leads to hospitalization, making RSV the country’s leading cause of infant hospitalization. In a report released […]

Oct 24, 2023

Memory in action: what the UK’s official COVID commemoration should look like

The Conversation Whether an actual bereavement or a loss of experience, everyone has lost something to COVID. From early on in the pandemic, grassroots memorials sought to acknowledge this collective experience, including the national COVID memorial wall in London and the annual national day of reflection organised by the Marie Curie charity. In September 2023, the UK Commission on COVID Commemoration released its final […]

Oct 17, 2023

This Is How the FDA Plans to Fight Health Misinformation

Bloomberg Another challenge for the FDA is to get the public to trust what they’re saying in the first place. Hi, it’s Fiona in New York. A much-anticipated report on how the FDA can combat misinformation was published earlier this month. More on that later… Pre-bunking vs. de-bunking Health misinformation is as old as medicine […]

Oct 17, 2023

‘Bone Smashing’ TikTok Trend, Here Are Dangers Of Hammering Your Face

Forbes If you are wondering whether you should hit yourself in the face with a hammer, the answer is typically no. Yet, that’s what some people on TikTok seem to be doing with the stated goal of improving their facial appearances. Yes, you heard that correctly. People have been using the term “bone smashing” to […]

Oct 17, 2023

Smell loss from COVID fades quickly with help of new pill

Nature The antiviral drug ensitrelvir eases both smell and taste loss, and is one of the few COVID-19 drugs available to people not at high risk of grave illness. New clinical-trial data suggest that an antiviral pill called ensitrelvir shortens the duration of two unpleasant symptoms of COVID-19: loss of smell and taste. The medication is among the first […]

Oct 17, 2023

COVID infection can damage the brains of dogs, study suggests

CIDRAP Dogs experimentally infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant but not showing neurologic or respiratory signs of COVID-19 had evidence of degenerative brain disease on necropsy. The study, led by Konkuk University researchers in South Korea, was published late last week in Emerging Infectious Diseases. The research team intranasally infected six female beagle dogs with the SARS-CoV-2 […]

Oct 17, 2023

What Went Wrong with a Highly Publicized COVID Mask Analysis?

Scientific American The Cochrane Library, a trusted source of health information, misled the public by prioritizing rigor over reality. The COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, but in May officials ended its designation as a public health emergency. So it’s now fair to ask if all our efforts to slow the spread of the disease—from masking, to hand washing, to […]

Oct 17, 2023

HHS pledges to keep Paxlovid available as it transitions to commercial market

The Hill The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on Friday it had reached an agreement with Pfizer to ensure continued access to the antiviral Paxlovid for the next few years as it prepares to transition the drug into the commercial market. HHS said the agreement “maximizes taxpayer investment.” “This agreement builds on […]

Oct 17, 2023

Breakbone fever: Dengue will soon pose a “major threat” to US, the WHO says

The Bulletin Thanks to global warming, the last eight years have been the hottest on record. Now, along with wildfire smoke and stronger storms, climate change may soon deliver to parts of the world yet another unwelcome gift: dengue, a disease so unpleasant to experience that its nickname is breakbone fever. Higher global temperatures promise to make dengue a major […]

Oct 17, 2023