A major crisis that accompanied the rise of the pandemic was lack of availability of the nasopharyngeal swab—necessary for testing for COVID-19, which in turn, was necessary to get a grip on the pandemic. An account of how one group addressed that crisis is published this week Journal of Clinical…
Chip inserted under the skin may better identify patients at risk of recurrent stroke
For patients who have experienced certain common types of stroke, a small chip inserted under the skin may help physicians predict their likelihood of experiencing a second stroke, and therefore their likelihood of benefiting from preventive therapy. The findings come from a recent clinical trial published in the Journal of…
UK faces vaccine shortfall, could delay shots for under 50s
Britain is facing a shortfall in COVID-19 vaccine supplies that may delay the start of shots for people under 50 after deliveries from two suppliers were curtailed due to production and testing issues. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said Thursday that 1.7 million doses of vaccine had been delayed because the…
Accidental awareness in women having pregnancy-related surgery under general anaesthesia is more frequent than expected
Accidental awareness occurs when a patient is temporarily conscious during a general anaesthetic and can remember things that happened during surgery, perhaps feeling pain or being unable to move. More commonly however, awareness occurs during the transition at the very start or end of a general anaesthetic (i.e. before and…
US hospitals again under pressure with COVID on the rise
After several weeks of rapidly rising coronavirus cases, hospitals around the United States are once again overwhelmed, forcing local authorities to take new measures to cope with the pandemic. On Wednesday a record 65,368 people were in the hospital with COVID-19 across the country, marking the second day in a…
Pandemic putting Americans under great mental strain, poll finds
(HealthDay)—COVID-19, health care, the economy, systemic racism and the presidential election are a threat to the nation’s mental health, according to an American Psychological Association (APA) poll. Seventy-eight percent of adults polled said the pandemic is causing major stress and 60% called the array of issues facing the country overwhelming….
Coverage for people with pre-existing conditions improved under the Affordable Care Act
Insurance coverage for people with pre-existing conditions increased during the first five years of Affordable Care Act implementation, a recent UW–Madison study revealed. Health insurance coverage for people with chronic diseases increased by 7 percentage points after key Affordable Care Act provisions were implemented in 2014, according to research led…
Sorry Melbourne. The chance of reaching an average 5 COVID-19 cases by mid-October is under 50%
Melburnians are addicted to the Victorian health department’s daily tweet of the state’s new COVID-19 cases. This figure contributes to the all-important rolling 14-day average, which alongside the number of mystery cases, tells us whether we’re on target for the next phase of reopening. How likely is it we’ll get…
New virus deaths in Spain fall to two-month low under 100
Spain on Sunday reported 87 coronavirus deaths over a 24-hour period, the first time in two months that the daily toll has dropped below 100. The number came a day before Spain is to further relax lockdown measures across the country, but not in Madrid and Barcelona. “For the first…
One hundred fifty five drugs and 79 vaccines under development worldwide
A total of 155 drugs and 79 vaccines are currently being developed worldwide to combat COVID-19. The Austrian Institute for Health Technology Assessment (AIHTA) has compiled these astonishing figures as part of a new product line. The Vienna-based institute, which specialises in scientific decision support in the health care sector,…
This Just In: You Can Snag An Apple Watch Series 3 For Under $200 Today
The Apple Watch Series 3 with GPS and cellular is on sale for $199 at Walmart today. The watch can track your heart rate, calories burned, and daily steps. It can also receive texts, emails, and incoming calls, so you don’t have to check your smartphone. Nowadays, it feels like…