Who will get Covid-19 vaccine next? Frontline essential workers and Americans 75 and older, says CDC panel

First responders, those who work in the education sector, food and agriculture, manufacturing, corrections workers, US postal service, public transit and grocery store workers are in line

Dec 20

Can wildfire smoke spread infectious diseases? Study says it's possible and stresses upon need for investigation

It contains living microbes such as bacteria and fungi, which are aerosolized from burning materials like soils, detritus, and wild woods and transported in smoke plumes

Dec 19

Did astronomers detect a radio signal from an alien world about 51 light-years away? Here’s what we know

A separate team of researchers is examining radio wave emission that may be coming from the direction of our Sun’s nearest known neighbor, Proxima Centauri

Dec 18

Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine approved for emergency use in US, 5.9 million doses to be shipped to states

US officials have said that between the two vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna, there will be enough doses to immunize 20 million Americans by the end of December 2020

Dec 18

Oral birth control pills may protect women from ovarian and endometrial cancer even after decades, says study

The protective effect remains significant up to 35 years after discontinuation of the pills

Dec 18

Drug overdose deaths in US spike amid Covid-19 pandemic as country records largest numbers ever in a year

Synthetic opioids are the main culprit, with 10 western US states reporting a 98% increase in deaths involving them

Dec 17

New study reveals why having a clown by your child's hospital bed can help

Children in the presence of hospital clowns reported significantly less anxiety during medical procedures and improved psychological well-being

Dec 17

Emergency room visits for child abuse in US may be down but injury severity has not decreased, finds CDC

Implementation of strategies to prevent child abuse and neglect, including strengthening household economic supports and creating family-friendly work policies, is important, particularly during public health emergencies, suggest experts

Dec 17

Waterborne illnesses sicken more than 7 million Americans and kill over 6,600 every year, warns CDC

The estimates are based on not just water that people in the US drink, but also the water in swimming pools, waterparks, water playgrounds and hot tubs

Dec 16

Alaska healthcare worker suffers serious allergic reaction to Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine, first such case in US

The worker, who is middle-aged and had no previous history of allergies, is now in a stable condition

Dec 16

High levels of cadmium in cigarette and veggies linked to higher death rates in people with flu: Study

Long-term exposure to cadmium, even at low levels, may undermine the body’s defense system in the lungs, explain scientists

Dec 16

When will the Moderna coronavirus vaccine be available? FDA set to give nod

Preliminary evidence also suggests that the vaccine candidate may prevent some asymptomatic cases

Dec 15

FDA approves genetically modified pigs to facilitate safer food, medical products for people with allergies

GalSafe pigs may potentially provide a source of “porcine-based materials” to produce human medical products that are free of detectable alpha-gal sugar

Dec 15

Utah mink found near infected fur farm confirmed as first known Covid-19 case in a wild animal

There is currently no evidence that the coronavirus is circulating or has been established in wild populations surrounding the infected mink farms

Dec 14

New Covid-19 variant detected in UK, scientists say there’s no reason to panic and call for more research

Experts say there is currently no evidence to suggest that the variant is more likely to cause serious disease. 'This kind of evolution and mutations are quite common.'

Dec 14

Who is Sandra Lindsay? NYC ICU nurse among first to get Covid-19 vaccine, says 'healing is coming'

She said, 'I want to instill public confidence that the vaccine is safe. We’re in a pandemic and so we all need to do our part to put an end to the pandemic and to not give up so soon'

Dec 14

Some US states highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change are least prepared to tackle it, warns study

Americans most vulnerable to climate crisis include those who are very young or very old, people with a disability, and those living in poverty

Dec 14

Americans with allergies can get Pfizer's Covid-19 shot if they don't have severe reactions to vaccines: FDA

About 1.6% of the US population has had a severe allergic reaction of some sort or another to food or some environmental aspect

Dec 13

Trump’s White House staff, other top US officials could be among the first to get Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine

Initial doses will be limited and the CDC recommends that healthcare personnel and long-term care facility residents get the vaccine first

Dec 13

Will a massive iceberg end up striking South Georgia island? Scientists unsure but tracking A68a’s movement

Iceberg A68a broke off from the Antarctic peninsula’s Larsen C ice shelf in July 2017

Dec 12

Biogen's superspreader Boston event in February may have led to 245,000 Covid-19 cases in US, other nations: Study

While Massachusetts accounted for most early spread related to the conference, Florida accounted for the greatest proportion of cases overall

Dec 11

FDA gives Pfizer coronavirus vaccine green light, Americans could get first shot as early as Monday

The emergency use authorization comes at a time when over 294,000 have died in the Covid-19 pandemic in the US

Dec 11

Tennessee firm recalls drugs after factory mix-up of erectile dysfunction and anti-depressant pills

Unintentional intake of sildenafil may pose serious health risks to people with underlying health issues, such as high blood pressure or diabetes

Dec 11

Do people share health risks with pets? Owners of dogs with diabetes more likely to develop disease: Study

Owners of dogs who are diabetic are at a 38% higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes. No association was found between type 2 diabetes in cat owners and diabetes in their cats

Dec 10

FDA panel recommends Pfizer coronavirus vaccine for emergency use, here's what will happen next

This paves the way for FDA to authorize the shot and within 24 hours of an emergency use authorization, the vaccine could be shipped out to distribution sites across the US

Dec 10

Can increased use of social media cause depression? Study finds a link between the two

According to the analysis, young adults who used more than 300 minutes per day were 2.8 times as likely to become depressed within six months

Dec 10

Should Americans with severe allergies avoid Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine? Here's what we know so far

Moncef Slaoui, chief vaccine adviser for Operation Warp Speed, said he expected that the UK allergic reactions would be considered in the US authorization process

Dec 9

Where did Covid-19 ACTUALLY start? Origins story gets murkier after Italian boy, 4, infected in November 2019

According to the researchers, the findings, in agreement with other evidence of early Covid-19 spread in Europe, 'advance the beginning of the outbreak to late autumn 2019'

Dec 9

When will Geminid meteor shower peak? All you need to know about the spectacular phenomenon

Under dark, clear skies, the Geminids can produce up to 120 meteors per hour, so find a good spot, lay on your back and enjoy the dazzling display of fireballs

Dec 9

Will sharing personal info discourage Americans from getting Covid-19 vaccine? States refuse to give data to CDC

CDC explains that it has requested such information to assess and verify second-dose vaccination, evaluate vaccine safety and to allow for critical vaccine effectiveness monitoring

Dec 8

Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine offers ‘some protection’ after first dose, FDA says it meets ‘success criteria’

The FDA had earlier indicated it would authorize a vaccine that is safe and at least 50% effective. The agency’s analysis shows that Pfizer's vaccine candidate appears to meet the safety requirements

Dec 8

Mental health, depression and suicide references in US rap songs have more than doubled in 20 years, says study

According to the authors, artists through their lyrics have the potential to shape mental health discourse and reduce stigma

Dec 8

Covid-19 rocks NY and California hospitals, as Fauci warns that even 10 people may be a lot for Christmas gathering

If hospitalization rate does not stabilize, indoor dining will be closed in New York City, while it will be reduced to 25% in the rest of the state

Dec 7

Medical school applications jump by 18% in US amid Covid-19 pandemic, is this the ‘Fauci effect’?

Some admission officers say that public health experts such as Dr Anthony Fauci have inspired the youth to join the medical profession

Dec 7

What is Art With Me festival? How Tulum event turned into Covid-19 super-spreader in New York

A private testing company claims 60-70% of the positive tests in the last few weeks in New York City were among those who attended the event or people who had become exposed to someone who did

Dec 7

Teenagers unhappy with their physical appearance at 50-285% higher risk of depression by age 18, warns study

Nearly 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 7 boys were dissatisfied with their figure by age 14, says study

Dec 7

Season’s first Nor’easter slams New England with heavy snow and high winds, leaving many without power

The highest snowfall total recorded was 18 inches in Carrabassett Valley in Maine, according to the National Weather Service

Dec 6

Over 50% of New York City firefighters may refuse Covid-19 vaccine, some don’t want to be ‘test subjects’: Poll

Several healthy firefighters in their 30s and 40s have become less fearful of the virus as they have overcome it themselves or know of colleagues who have recovered after a diagnosis

Dec 6

Jupiter, Saturn will look like a ‘double planet’ on December 21, they won't be this close again until 2080

The last time Jupiter and Saturn looked so close from Earth’s vantage point was nearly 800 years ago. You will have to wait another 60 years to see this again

Dec 5

Covid-19 vaccine will NOT be made mandatory, says Joe Biden even as poll suggests 60% of Americans may take shot

About 39% of US adults said they 'definitely or probably would not' get a coronavirus vaccine

Dec 4

The NEXT coronavirus pandemic? Bats in China are carrying other viruses that may infect humans

Close relatives of Covid-19 virus may be circulating in places beyond China, says Dr Zheng-Li Shi from the Wuhan Institute of Virology

Dec 4

Cannabis is removed by UN from the list of ‘most dangerous substances’, what are the implications?

However, it will still be subjected to restrictions under the Schedule I category that labels substances with ‘addictive properties, presenting a serious risk of abuse’

Dec 4

With Covid-19 cases rising across US, here’s a look at what restrictions are being imposed to curb the spread

California health officials announced a regional stay-at-home order that will be triggered if ICU capacity drops below 15% in a given region

Dec 3

Pfizer expects to roll out only 50% of coronavirus vaccine doses it had planned globally by 2020-end: Report

Pfizer’s and BioNTech’s combined manufacturing network has the potential to supply worldwide up to 50 million vaccine doses in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses by the end of 2021

Dec 3

CDC warns against travel during Christmas, says Covid-19 crisis in coming months may be worst US has ever seen

White House coronavirus task force suggests that if state and local policies do not reflect the seriousness of the current situation, all public health officials must alert the state population directly

Dec 3

CDC shortens Covid-19 quarantine period: 7 days after exposure with a negative test or 10 days minus symptoms

CDC still recommends staying home for 14 days after contact with a person who has coronavirus as the best way to reduce transmission but said it hopes the shorter alternatives will increase compliance

Dec 2

Airlines no longer required to accommodate passengers with ‘emotional support’ animals, rules US department

It defines a service animal as a dog and permits airlines to limit the number of service animals that one passenger can bring onboard an aircraft to two service animals

Dec 2

Iconic Arecibo Observatory’s 57-year-old telescope suffers catastrophic collapse ahead of planned demolition 

No injuries were reported as a result of the collapse, but it caused damage to the observatory dish and surrounding facilities

Dec 2

Major winter storm expected to hit Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, experts predict heavy snow and freezing rain

Slick road conditions and reduced visibility at times could make travel difficult across the region where winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories are in effect

Dec 15

Joe Biden WILL make Americans wear masks for first 100 days in office as he lays out plans to halt Covid-19 surge

The president-elect has asked Dr Anthony Fauci to serve as chief medical adviser and to be part of his coronavirus response team

Dec 3