Child Car Seat Safety Tip: Skip Puffy Winter Coats

Puffy coats have their place, but it's not inside a car seat.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) offers a variety of tips for keeping your little ones safe and warm while traveling by car.

The first is to avoid dressing children in puffy coats or snowsuits before buckling them in, because car seat straps won't tighten enough. T...

UK Prime Minister Says British COVID Variant May Be More Deadly

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Friday that a new, more infectious coronavirus variant first spotted in the United Kingdom late last year could also be more lethal.

The new variant, which has since been found in numerous countries including the United States, was already known to be far more infectious than the original...

FDA Approves First Once-a-Month HIV Therapy

The first monthly shots to treat adults with HIV were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday.

"Currently, the standard of care for patients with HIV includes patients taking daily pills to adequately manage their condition. This approval will allow some patients the option of receiving once-monthly injections in lieu...

For Maximum Effectiveness, De-Stress and Get Healthy Before Your COVID Shot

Not many people have had the opportunity to get the COVID-19 vaccine yet.

But while you wait your turn, there are some steps you can take to give the vaccine — whichever brand you get — a boost when it's available to you.

An Ohio State University review of 49 vaccine studies dating back 30 years exa...

Half of Americans Still Not Wearing Masks When Out in Public: Poll

Though masks are effective in stopping the spread of COVID-19, half of Americans don't wear them when mixing with the public.

That's a key takeaway from the ongoing study of more than 6,000 U.S. adults by researchers at the University of Southern California Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research.

Even though 83% of American...

AHA News: Anxiety Is Linked With Smoking – But How Is Still Hazy

In these stressful pandemic times, health experts have more reason to circle back to the link between anxiety and smoking: Does anxiety cause people to smoke? Or does smoking cause anxiety?

Like many other aspects of mental health and addiction, there are no cut-and-dried conclusions.

"I think we've generated more questions on the su...

Biden Warns of 500,000 COVID Deaths by February

As President Joe Biden began to enact key parts of his ambitious pandemic response plan on Thursday, he warned Americans that the coronavirus death toll in this country could top 500,000 by February.

"Let me be very clear: Things are going to continue to get worse before they get better," Biden said. "And let me be equally clear: We w...

For Rising Number of People, Obesity Is a Literal Headache

As worldwide obesity rates continue to soar, new research shows that growing numbers of people are developing a potentially blinding type of weight-linked headache that was once considered rare.

Though the study was conducted in Wales, one U.S. expert said the same surge in these headaches is likely happening...

Even When Cancer Is in Remission, Patients' Risks of Severe COVID Rise

Your cancer has gone into remission, so you breathe a sigh of relief as you try to navigate the coronavirus pandemic safely.

Not so fast, says new research that finds even cancer patients in remission still have a high risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19.

Previous studies have shown that cancer patients who have active dis...

Exercise Doesn't Boost Health If You Stay Obese, Study Finds

The harmful effects of obesity on the heart can't be undone by exercise, and it's not possible to be "fat but healthy," Spanish researchers warn.

"Exercise does not seem to compensate for the negative effects of excess weight," said study author Alejandro Lucia, a professor of exercise physiology at European University in Madrid.

Th...

You're More Likely to Maintain Social Distance If Your Friends Do: Study

Family and friends can influence whether people follow social distancing recommendations during the coronavirus pandemic, a new study finds.

British researchers analyzed information from more than 6,600 people in 114 countries. Those who thought their close social circle adhered to distancing guidelines were more likely to do the same, the...

Immune System May 'Remember' Infections From Previous Coronaviruses

Previous coronavirus infections might prime the immune system to fight the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19, a new study suggests.

There are numerous types of coronaviruses, including many harmless ones that cause mild upper respiratory infections similar to the common cold.

Besides SARS-CoV-2 -- the virus that causes COVID-19 ...

Meth Overdose Deaths Are Surging in America, With Minorities Most at Risk

Deaths from overdoses of methamphetamine are rising across the United States, especially among Blacks and American Indians/Alaska Natives, a new study warns.

"While much attention is focused on the opioid crisis, a methamphetamine crisis has been quietly, but actively, gaining steam -- particularly among American Indians and Alaska Native...

Maybe Money Can Help Buy Happiness, After All

Millionaires, rejoice! It turns out that money can, in fact, buy happiness. And a new study suggests more is better, with well-being rising as earnings grow.

"Having more money gives people a greater sense of control over life," said study author Matthew Killingsworth.

The finding stems from more than 1...

Will Vaccines Work Against the New Coronavirus Variants?

Everyone has heard the scary reports about the new, more infectious coronavirus variants that are circulating in countries around the world, but scientists aren't pushing the panic button at this point.

Why? Because the new COVID-19 vaccines should still work on these viral interlopers.

Luckily, the new variants still rely on the cor...

Could Stem Cell Therapy Be a Breakthrough Against MS?

Stem cell transplants may have long-lasting benefits for some people with aggressive cases of multiple sclerosis, a new study suggests.

Italian researchers found that among 210 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who received a stem cell transplant -- with cells from their own blood -- two-thirds saw no worsenin...

AHA News: Keeping Your Brain Sharp Isn't About Working More Puzzles

Mental decline is one of the most feared aspects of growing older. People will do just about anything to prevent it, from swallowing supplements touted as memory boosters to spending hours solving Sudoku and crossword puzzles.

But do these things really keep the aging brain sharp? The short answer is, not really.

"It can certainly he...

Severe Allergic Reaction Extremely Rare With Pfizer COVID Vaccine: Study

THURSDAY, Jan. 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Despite scattered media reports of severe allergic reactions to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, a detailed analysis shows that such incidents are very rare, striking just 11 people for every million doses given.

The study, compiled by researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Co...

Diabetes Boosts Odds for Heart Trouble 10-fold in Younger Women

THURSDAY, Jan. 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) - - With rising obesity rates, more young women American women are developing type 2 diabetes, putting them at hugely increased risk for heart disease, new research shows.

In fact, the study found that women under 55 with type 2 diabetes had a tenfold greater risk of having heart disease over the ne...

Biden Unveils Details of National Pandemic Response Plan

A day after his inauguration, President Joe Biden plans to unveil a new, far-reaching pandemic response plan. He'll also issue executive orders that aim to ramp up the production and distribution of COVID-19 tests and vaccines, make schools and travel safer, and help states fight the spread of coronavirus.

"We'll press forward with speed a...