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Omicron Shows Signs of Ebbing as U.S. Cases Fall, Hospitalizations Level Off

Weeks after Omicron began ravaging the United States, experts are now seeing statistical signs that suggest the wildly contagious variant might be losing steam.

More states have now reported they have passed their peaks in new cases, and new cases have begun to drop nationally -- daily average cases fell to around 690,000 yesterday, down f...

3 Reasons Why Trying to Get COVID Is a Bad Idea

If you're wondering whether to intentionally expose yourself to the Omicron variant with the goal of developing immunity, the answer is absolutely not, experts say.

"It sounds like playing with fire to me," said Dr. Nicole Van Groningen, a hospitalist who has treated hundreds of COVID-19 patients at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles.

Firs...

FDA Limits Use of Two COVID Antibody Treatments

MONDAY, Jan. 24, 2022 (healthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is curtailing the use of two monoclonal antibody treatments that do not appear to work against the highly contagious Omicron variant.

The combo treatments bamlanivimab/etesevimab and casirivimab/imdevimab, made by Eli Lilly and Regeneron, respectively, performe...

Can CBD Help Curb COVID? Maybe, But More Study Needed

Cannabidiol, a compound derived from marijuana, appears to show promise in blocking replication of the COVID-19 virus and preventing its spread, lab and animal studies show.

CBD inhibited the ability of the coronavirus to spread in human lung cell samples, and also suppressed COVID-19 infection in the lungs and nasal passages of lab mice. ...

England to Lift Travel Restrictions for Vaccinated Visitors

Coronavirus testing requirements for vaccinated people arriving in England will be scrapped, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Monday.

Details about the changes are to be provided later in the day by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, the Associated Press reported.

To "show that this country is open for business,...

COVID Vaccine Hesitancy Falling Faster Among Black Americans Than Whites

MONDAY, Jan. 24, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- While it appears that Black Americans were more hesitant than white Americans to roll up their sleeves when the COVID-19 vaccines launched last year, that unwillingness has lessened.

Following 1,200 U.S. adults through much of the pandemic, researchers found Black people were mor...

COVID Can Affect Brains of Hospitalized Kids

And the kids who developed these headaches or experienced an altered mental status known as acute encephalopathy were more likely to need i...

Brain Implant for Adults With Epilepsy Can Help Kids, Too

MONDAY, Jan. 24, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- A brain implant that helps control severe epilepsy in adults may do the same for children who suffer from unrelenting seizures, new research suggests.

The study is one of the first to examine the responsive neurostimulation (RNS) system in children.

RNS has already been ap...

Worries May Raise Men's Heart Risks, Even When Young

MONDAY, Jan. 24, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Worrying can take a toll on your psyche, but new research suggests that when middle-aged men fret too much, they face a higher risk for developing diabetes, heart disease or stroke down the road.

And this increase in risk is on par with the health risks linked to heavy drinking, ...

Depression Might Predispose You to Believe COVID Vaccine Lies

Misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines abounds, and people with depression are more likely than others to fall for it, a new study finds.

"One of the notable things about depression is that it can cause people to see the world differently — sort of the opposite of rose-colored glasses. That is, for some depressed people, the world appear...

AHA News: Faith-Based Nonprofit Gives Teen Moms a Path to Diplomas and Jobs

At age 16, Barbara Palmer became a single mom. Suddenly, she felt trapped in a community where she had felt so free.

As the middle-class daughter of two police officers, she did not expect to be profiled as poor and criminal.

"At the doctor's office, they assumed I didn't have insurance," she said. Similarly, while at a store, the cl...

U.S. Teens Were Already in Mental Health Crisis Before Pandemic Hit

MONDAY, Jan. 24, 2022 (HealthDay Now) -- Alaina Stanisci has grappled with an eating disorder since she was 10, and the disruptions of the pandemic only made things worse for the high school senior.

"I actually experienced a relapse at the beginning of the pandemic because of this lack of structure," Stanisci, 18, of Mountain Lakes, N.J., ...

Some Patients With Macular Degeneration Could Stop Monthly Eye Injections

MONDAY, Jan. 24, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Injection medications can save the vision of older people with macular degeneration, but the ongoing regimen is taxing. Now a preliminary study raises the possibility that some patients can safely be "weaned off" the treatment.

Researchers found that of just over...

FDA May Limit Use of Two COVID Antibody Treatments

MONDAY, Jan. 24, 2022 (healthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration may soon curtail the use of two monoclonal antibody treatments that do not appear to work against the highly contagious Omicron variant.

The treatments made by Regeneron and Eli Lilly performed well against earlier variants, but only GlaxoSmithKline's antibody...

Opioid Overdose Antidote Urged for Schools After Student's Fentanyl Death

Schools should stock the opioid overdose antidote naloxone and train staff and students how to respond to an overdose, experts say after the apparent fentanyl overdose death of seventh grader at a school in Hartford, Conn.

“Naloxone should be available in all schools, and there should be education on signs and symptoms of overdose and ho...

Are Pins or a Cast Better for a Broken Wrist?

A cast is as good as metal pins for treating a broken wrist, researchers report.

A broken wrist in which bone fragments move out of their normal alignment is called a displaced wrist fracture. After the bones are put back in place, they're typically held in position by a molded plaster cast or by pins/plates.

Surgery to place pins --...

Many Kids Aren't Wearing Helmets While Sledding, Poll Finds

When American kids do downhill skiing or snowboarding, they almost always wear a helmet, their parents say, but they're far less likely to do so when cruising down a neighborhood hill on a sled.

That puts them at risk for serious head injuries, experts warn.

“Because sledding is so common, parents may overlook important safety con...

Weight Loss May Not Affect Fertility Treatment Success

Losing weight before beginning fertility treatment doesn't boost the odds that a woman who is obese will have a successful pregnancy, a new study shows.

Obesity has been linked with difficulty conceiving, as well as pregnancy complications and loss. Many women who are obese and want to get pregnant are advised to lose weight to improve the...

Winter Blues? It Could Be SAD

If winter gets you down, you may have a form of depression called SAD.

That's short for seasonal affective disorder.

SAD brings on mood changes during fall and winter, when there is less sunlight, and symptoms typically ease up in the spring. But the American Psychiatric Association says SAD goes beyond the "winter blues." Its sympt...

You Don't Have to Smoke to Get Lung Cancer

Tobacco use is far and away the leading cause of lung cancer, but non-smokers are also at risk, experts say.

People who smoke have the highest risk, and smokeless tobacco is also a threat. About 90% of lung cancer cases could be prevented by eliminating tobacco use, according to the World Health Organization.

"There are many other ri...