(NEXSTAR) – If you’re stuck at home with COVID-19 right now, you’re far from alone. The US is undergoing another major surge in coronavirus cases, driven by two new types of the omicron variant. BA.4 and BA.5, both subvariants of the highly contagious omicron, make up more than 90% of new cases in the country, … Read more
New research from the University College London is calling into question whether widespread prescription of antidepressants is truly an effective way of treating depression. A new paper published in Molecular Psychiatry examines the “serotonin hypothesis” of depression, which posits that major depressive disorder is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain that can be … Read more
The data behind the most influential theory of what causes Alzheimer’s disease may have been ‘manipulated’, a damning scientific probe has claimed. Experts fear the allegedly falsified results have misled research over the last 16 years, potentially wasting billions of pounds of funding. A six-month investigation by Science, considered one of the world’s most respected … Read more
The current COVID-19 variants are more transmissible than ever, leading to a higher rate of infection throughout the country and increased risk associated with most activities. “The current variants, which are BA.4 and BA.5, constitute for about 82% of our current variants within our health system,” Dr. Janak Patel, director of the Division of Infectious … Read more
As suspected, SARS-CoV-2 continues to mutate. This was entirely expected and predicted, as vaccinating against any highly mutable virus, such as the coronavirus, pressures the virus to adapt. One of the latest variants, BA.5—now believed to be the cause of nearly all COVID infections—is tied with measles in terms of its infectiousness and transmissibility.1 That … Read more
People queued at a COVID-19 test site in New York City last month, when the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants were taking hold.Credit: John Smith/VIEWpress/Getty The Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of SARS-CoV-2 have proven to be stealthier at evading people’s immune defenses than all of their predecessors. But recent research shows that previous infection with … Read more
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced the next step in its release of the world’s first approved malaria vaccine. The release is expected to take place in three African countries: Ghana, Kenya and Malawi. But the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a vaccine supporter, has said it has concerns. WHO said last fall the vaccine … Read more
Confirmed: Avocado on toast is good for you! Scientists say potassium-rich foods keep heart healthy (but only for women!) Researchers have today concluded that avocados are great for your heart Eating more potassium, abundant in avocados, may stave off a heart attack Only women appear to reap its benefit, achieved by eating an extra 1g … Read more
NEW YORK (AP) — The spread of monkeypox in the US could represent the dawn of a new sexually transmitted disease, though some health officials say the virus that causes pimple-like bumps might yet be contained before it gets firmly established. Experts don’t agree on the likely path of the disease, with some fearing that … Read more
As COVID Omicron BA.5 continues to spread in the US, some may be wondering if the variant might cause distinct symptoms that set it apart from other Omicron variants. BA.5 is a sub-type of the Omicron variant of COVID that has been spreading around the country for months. Since it first started appearing in significant … Read more