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Tag: Health

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The toxic chemicals in our homes could increase Covid-19 threat | Leonardo Trasande and Akhgar Ghassabian

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Everyday hormone-disrupting chemicals could affect our immune systems defenses against infections During the rare moments youve ventured outside these days, youve probably noticed clearer skies and the benefits of reductions in air pollution. Long-term exposure to air pollution the danger mortality risks: diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease and asthma. It also can make the immune system overreact, synthetic chemicals in non-stick pans, cosmetics and aluminum cans disrupting our hormones. The notion of endocrine-disrupting chemicals was only widely accepted about a decade ago, when scientific societies raised the alarm. The science…

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The Race to Get Convalescent Plasma to Covid-19 Patients

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One morning a few weeks ago, Rebecca Haley realized that her job had changed. Haley is the medical director for blood collection at Bloodworks Northwest, a nonprofit that serves 90 hospitals in the Pacific Northwest. But, Haley decided, regular blood and platelet donations weren’t the focus anymore. Like thousands of blood centers across the country, Bloodworks needed to collect something new: plasma from Covid-19 survivors. How Long Does the Coronavirus Live on Surfaces?  Plus: What it means to “flatten the curve,” and everything else you need to know about the…

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HealthJoy launches its revamped employee benefits assistance platform

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HealthJoy, a platform that helps employees get the most use out of their benefits, launched its revamped user interface and technology stack today. The startup told TechCrunch that usage has doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the new platform, called HealthJoy 2.0, has been in the works for two years, it is now helping the company handle increased demand for services, including telemedicine. Launched in 2014, HealthJoy now has more than 500 employers on its platform. It has raised a total of $53 million so far, including a $30 million…

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Remdesivir trial posted online prematurely was ‘inconclusive,’ Gilead says

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(CNN)Results from a study investigating Gilead Sciences’ antiviral medication remdesivir as a Covid-19 treatment were posted to the World Health Organization’s website “prematurely” on Thursday and showed “inconclusive” results, according to the biotechnology company. A screenshot of the study description posted to WHO’s website was published by STAT on Thursday. The description in the screenshot notes that the study, which involved 237 patients, found “remdesivir use was not associated with a difference in time to clinical improvement” and “in this study of hospitalized adult patients with severe Covid-19 that was…

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A plan to save coronavirus patients from dying at home

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(CNN)While coronavirus cases and deaths have overwhelmed US hospitals, there have been reports, too, of coronavirus patients around the country dying in their homes. In Cleveland, Ohio, a team of researchers at University Hospitals is running a small pilot program designed to help save the lives of coronavirus patients who run into trouble while battling the virus at home. Patients who come into the emergency department but aren’t sick enough to be admitted to the hospital are sent home with a sensor to wear on their finger. The sensor measures…

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New York neurosurgeon who separated conjoined twins dies from complications of Covid-19

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(CNN)Dr. James T. Goodrich, the neurosurgeon who allowed CNN inside a remarkable operation to separate twins Jadon and Anias McDonald, died on Monday after complications related to Covid-19, according to the hospital where he worked. The hospital called Goodrich a pioneer in the field of helping children with complex neurological conditions; he developed a multi-stage approach for separating craniopagus twins, like Jadon and Anias McDonald, who were fused at the brain and skull. Goodrich was thrust into the spotlight in 2004 when he operated on Carl and Clarence Aguirre, twins…

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Quarantine: How to isolate you or your family due to possible coronavirus infection

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(CNN)It’s a scenario all too many of us are facing — or will soon face. If you’re not in immediate danger but potentially higher risk — you have underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension or lung issues; you’re over 60; or you are immune-compromised — you may be told to closely monitor your symptoms but shelter at home. The rest of us with symptoms but no additionalknown risk factors will also certainly be told to stay home, rest and drink plenty of fluids, all while keeping a close eye…

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A Virus Doesn’t Discriminate: Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s coronavirus podcast for March 27

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(CNN)The coronavirus outbreak has fueled a surge in racism against Asian-Americans around the country. CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta hears from some Americans who have personally experienced racism and he talks about why there’s no place for hate in our country. The thing is … a virus doesn’t care about borders … Nor does it care about the race of whom it infects. A virus doesn’t discriminate. Nor should we. I’m Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent. This is “Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction.” Kyung Lah: So we were…

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A Straightforward Explanation on Exponential Growth and Epidemics

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With Coronavirus at the forefront of global attention, this is a good time for a primer on exponential and logistic growth, which can often seem counterintuitive. An informative video by 3Blue1Brown Read more: https://twistedsifter.com/videos/straightforward-explanation-on-exponential-growth-and-epidemics/

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How Mexicans help satisfy British demand for blood plasma

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A growing source of the UKs blood plasma is from Mexicans crossing the border into the US and donating at high frequencies, which some experts fear could risk their health The first time I went, I wanted to cry, said Luca, a mother of three, describing how her economic situation would compel her to do the journey from her home in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Jurez to line up outside a blood plasma donation center in El Paso, Texas. There are more than 800 such facilities in the…

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Taking a bath isn’t just relaxing. It could also be good for your heart, study says

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(CNN)Ending your day with a hot bath might have more benefits relaxation. They discovered this after tracking the bathing habits and cardiovascular disease risk of more than 61,000 Japanese adults for 20 years. “We found that frequent tub bathing was significantly associated with a lower risk of hypertension, suggesting that a beneficial effect of tub bathing on risk of [cardiovascular disease] may be in part due to a reduced risk of developing hypertension,” the researchers said in a press release. Bathing linked to heart health Participants ages 40 to 59…

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Coronavirus Is Scary Enough for Some People to Risk Deportation

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If Brenda, a 30-year-old agricultural worker in Goodyear, Arizona, suddenly comes down with symptoms of the undocumented immigrant, and asked that her last name not be used in the event that the government took an interest in her. This attitudeboth about being identified in general but also about coming forward with health problemsis fairly typical, according to Mariana Magaa Gamero, policy advocate for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights in Los Angeles (CHIRLA). People fearand its a very valid fearthat if youre providing your information to any government entity, that…

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The number of US coronavirus cases has topped 11,000 as testing becomes more available

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(CNN)The number of coronavirus cases in the US surpassed 11,000 on Thursday as testing becomes more readily available. Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said the “dramatic increases in the number of new cases” was “based on our ability to test additional people.” The number of cases will continue to rise over the next two or three days, she said, as health officials clear testing backlogs. “The number of test positives are increasing,” Birx said. “That is a dramatically important signature that everyone is doing their job.”…

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Gallery of Heroes: Doctors and Nurses After Gruelling Shifts Battling Covid-19

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Photos of medical workers after long and gruelling shifts at the hospital have been spreading online as the Covid-19 pandemic grips the world. These doctors, nurses, and all staff working around the clock at hospitals and medical centres around the globe are true heroes and deserve recognition for battling this terrible disease and being on the front lines. They are putting themselves at risk for the greater good and safety of others and they deserve to be recognized and appreciated for their incredible ongoing efforts. Photo sources in order of…

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Here’s what we know about the 100 people who’ve died in the US from coronavirus

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(CNN)Dozens of people from their 50s to their 90s have died in the United States after contracting the novel coronavirus and the death toll continues rising. It’s unclear whether any deaths include foreign-born individuals, and authorities have not disclosed all of their ages. Here’s what we have learned about those who have died because of the coronavirus, according to a CNN tally of data from state heath officials. Most of them were 60 years and older Health officials have said that older adults were twice as likely to have serious…

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