Health

Americans laid off will have 60 more days to decide whether to keep employers’ health insurance

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Americans laid off during the pandemic can now wait an extra two months to sign up for COBRA health insurance without losing eligibility for the costly plan or facing fines Under COBRA, Americans who are laid off or furloughed have 60 days to decide whether or not to keep their employers’ health insurance coverage With … Read more

School reopenings WILL trigger coronavirus outbreaks, study suggests

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School reopenings WILL trigger coronavirus outbreaks, study suggests: Korean CDC finds middle and high school-age children can spread the virus just as easily as adults The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked at household and nonhousehold contacts of more than 5,700 coronavirus patients Children under age 10 were about half as likely as … Read more

30,000 kidney dialysis patients to benefit from no-scar operation…thanks to micro magnets in veins

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Britain’s 30,000 kidney dialysis patients could soon benefit from a new operation that allows them to undergo the lifesaving treatment but spares them the permanent scar it usually leaves. The innovative procedure creates a super-strong needle access point into the body that can cope with the large amount of blood taken out during treatment – using … Read more

Will every person over 50 get a flu jab on the NHS this winter?

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Every Briton over 50 could be offered a free flu jab this winter as Ministers ‘consider all options’ to avoid a double-whammy scenario of a bad flu season and a second wave of Covid-19. ‘It’s still under discussion and will depend on vaccine stocks, but it makes sense to extend the programme if it’s possible,’ … Read more

Mysteries of the senses: The boy who broke almost every bone in his body – but didn’t feel any pain

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Most young siblings spend their summer holidays building dens together, or imaginary castles out of cardboard boxes. But playtime for Paul Walters and his sister Vicky, from Essex, was somewhat more dangerous – usually landing them in hospital. Those of a faint disposition may want to stop reading now. They’d often be found attempting to pull … Read more

Working from home, masks in shops and sport: DR ELLIE CANNON answers your questions on coronavirus

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Is it safer to stay working from home, or should we be going back to work? The short answer is both are safe – but some think staying at home would be preferable, just in case. On Friday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that, as of August 1, the Government will no longer be advising … Read more

Taking hormone replacement therapy to cope with the menopause ‘cuts risk of common infections’ 

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Taking hormone replacement therapy to cope with the menopause ‘cuts risk of common infections’ New evidence from the University of Texas found women who took HRT had a greater variety of beneficial bacteria in their urine which reduces risk of UTIs The study confirmed theory that postmenopausal women have more infections Researchers spoke to 75 … Read more

It could take ‘a year or MORE’ to know if young people’s lasting covid symptoms are chronic

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Top US infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci has warned that young coronavirus survivors with long-lasting symptoms could be suffering from a chronic illness – but ‘it’s going to take months to a year or more’ to know for sure, he said.  In a Thursday interview with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Dr Fauci reminded young … Read more

Leaked White House document says 18 states are in covid ‘red zone’

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Leaked White House document shows 18 ‘red zone’ states should issue mandatory mask orders and roll back reopening by shutting down bars and banning gatherings of more than 10 people An internal White House report obtained by the Center for Public Integrity shows 18 states are considered in the ‘red zone’ for surging case numbers  … Read more