WHO Says No Direct Evidence Masks Prevent Viral Infection
Opinion | According to the director general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, life will not be returning to your old normal anytime soon. What’s more, things will only get worse unless the public follow health advice such as wearing masks and social distancing. The somber announcement came during a July 13, 2020, press conference. This, […]
American Cancer Society Tells Doctors to Give Nine-Year-Old Children HPV Vaccine
The American Cancer Society (ACS) updated its guidelines for human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination on July 8, 2020 and now recommends that doctors and other healthcare providers routinely administer the two-dose HPV vaccination series to boys and girls between the ages of nine and 10.1 Currently, the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends […]
OB/GYN Docs in U.S. Want COVID-19 Vaccines Tested on Pregnant Women
A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report1 on pregnancy and SARS-CoV-2 infection released on June 26 suggested that pregnant women may be at increased risk for COVID-19 complications. The report was followed by a statement issued by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)2 urging that pregnant and lactating women be […]
Four Potential Consequences of Wearing Face Masks We Need to Be Wary Of
Opinion | If healthcare workers wear surgical masks, there is good evidence that it limits the spread of respiratory viral infections in hospitals. But there is no clear evidence that surgical masks protect members of the public from getting or passing on these sorts of infections—most likely because of incorrect use. For cloth masks worn by the […]
Open-Air Treatment During the “Spanish Flu” Pandemic
Story Highlights The 1918 influenza pandemic known as the “Spanish flu” was caused by an H1N1 influenza virus and was the most deadly pandemic of the 20th Open-air treatment was used to treat patients and is believed to have reduced the number of deaths as well as transmission of infection among medical staff. Historically, sunlight […]
Flu Vaccines Failing Seniors
Opinion | Ever since the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began recommending that all Americans six months of age and older get an annual flu shot, it’s been touted as the best method of preventing influenza. While it’s true that influenza is a highly infectious airborne disease, controversy exists over the use […]