US health officials are urging Americans not to be complacent and to use every tool at their disposal to prepare for the Omicron variant of Covid-19, which was recently deemed a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization (WHO). The overall global risk related to the newly discovered B.1.1.529 strain of the novel coronavirus…
Health News
How to build a habit in 5 steps, according to science
Most of us assume those hyper-achievers who are always able to squeeze in their workout, eat healthy foods, ace their exams and pick their kids up on time must have superhuman self-control. But science points to a different answer: What we mistake for willpower is often a hallmark of habit. People with good habits rarely…
The new Omicron variant is a reminder that ‘the virus is still in control’ regardless of Covid-19 fatigue, medical professor says
The new Omicron variant might prompt a return to stricter Covid-19 measures if not enough people get vaccinated or boosted, health experts say. Omicron — or the B.1.1.529 strain of novel coronavirus — has already spurred international travel bans. The World Health Organization officially called it a “variant of concern” on Friday. The variant has…
The new Omicron variant is a pandemic gut check
The emergence of the newly identified Omicron coronavirus variant feels like a pandemic gut check. Scientists have long known that the world would see emerging coronavirus variants. Viruses mutate constantly. But when South Africa’s health minister announced Thursday the discovery of the B.1.1.529 variant, which appears to be spreading rapidly in parts of the country,…
CBT: A way to reshape your negative thinking and reduce stress
Wouldn’t you like to stop your stressful, anxious thinking in its tracks? Turns out you can, and while you’re at it, you can make yourself feel and act better too. That’s the basis of cognitive behavioral therapy, which burst onto the psychological scene in the 1960s and has been gathering accolades ever since. According to…
Omicron concerns should spur millions of unvaccinated Americans to get their Covid shots, experts say
As a new Omicron variant spurs global travel bans, experts said that concerns over its impact should spur the millions of unvaccinated Americans to get their Covid-19 shots — and for those who are eligible to get boosters — as it will offer at least a degree of protection. “I would hope that within the…
What we know about the Omicron variant
A new and potentially more transmissible coronavirus variant first identified in South Africa has prompted a fresh round of travel restrictions across the world and raised concern about what may be next in the pandemic. The World Health Organization Friday designated the strain, now named Omicron, as a variant of concern and said multiple studies…
Feds are sending doctors and nurses to Michigan as Covid-19 cases rise
With Michigan’s Covid-19 case and hospitalization numbers hovering near all-time highs, the federal government will send doctors, nurses and others to support certain hospitals, the state health department said Wednesday. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer had asked for help, and the federal government agreed to “send two medical teams to local hospitals to relieve doctors and nurses…
Newly discovered Covid-19 variant B.1.1.529 is ‘red flag’ but US needs to learn more, Fauci says
The United States is working to quickly learn more about the newly identified coronavirus variant B.1.1.529, which was first identified in South Africa. South Africa’s health minister announced Thursday the discovery of the variant, which appears to be spreading rapidly in parts of the country. Then on Friday, the World Health Organization designated the variant…
This is why you can’t find rapid at-home Covid tests in America
While developing a rapid test that detects the coronavirus in someone’s saliva, Blink Science, a Florida-based startup, heard something startling: The Food and Drug Administration had more than 3,000 emergency use authorization applications and didn’t have the resources to get through them. “We want to try to avoid the EUA quagmire,” said Peb Hendrix, the…
Why you might be happier if you don’t buy anything in Cyber Week
I delight in finding the perfect gift for a loved one and experience joy in thoughtful personal purchases. But I bristle against spending for the sake of spending, especially for manufactured “holidays” like Black Friday. Decisions about dollars are complicated. “The consumer dilemma is the idea that the planet clearly needs us to reduce our…
Why you might be happier if you don’t buy anything on Black Friday
I delight in finding the perfect gift for a loved one and experience joy in thoughtful personal purchases. But I bristle against spending for the sake of spending, especially for manufactured “holidays” like Black Friday. Decisions about dollars are complicated. “The consumer dilemma is the idea that the planet clearly needs us to reduce our…
British man given 3D printed eye in world first, hospital says
A British man has become the first patient in the world to be fitted with a 3D printed eye, according to Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. Steve Verze, who is 47 and an engineer from Hackney, east London, was given the left eye on Thursday and first tried it for size earlier this month. Moorfields…
Children and teens are less likely to need Covid-19 boosters, Fauci says. Here’s why
Now that the United States has rolled out Covid-19 booster shots for all fully vaccinated adults, some parents have been wondering if or when their vaccinated teenagers might need to get a booster dose of vaccine — and researchers are working to have an answer soon. Currently, a booster dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna…
Reinfection from Covid-19 is rare, severe disease is even rarer, a study of people in Qatar finds
When people got reinfected with Covid-19, their odds of ending up in the hospital or dying were 90% lower than an initial Covid-19 infection, according to a new study. The study published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine found that there were few confirmed reinfections among 353,326 people who got Covid-19 in Qatar,…
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