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 […]
Mortality Rate for COVID-19 May Be Closer to Influenza
At a press briefing on Mar. 3, 2020, the director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, said, “Globally, about 3.4 percent of reported COVID-19 cases have died.” On Mar. 13, The New York Times reported that modeling experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were estimating that if […]
Coronavirus May Be Spread by Money Says WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Mar. 2, 2020 that dirty banknotes may be spreading the COVID-19 coronavirus because the virus can survive on surfaces for several days, according to the British newspaper The Telegraph.1 “Yes, it’s possible,” said a WHO spokesperson. “We know that money changes hands frequently and can pick up all […]
Doctors Avoid Hand Washing Despite Evidence It is Best Way to Reduce Infections
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been urging everyone to thoroughly and frequently wash their hands since reports of the coronavirus outbreak in China, highlighting the long recognized practice of hand washing as a tried and true infection control measure.1 A little known fact is that among all health care providers, […]
Malnutrition in America
Opinion | While the news is full of stories of malnutrition elsewhere in the world, many people don’t realize that malnutrition is a problem in the United States, as well. Malnutrition is the condition that develops when the body is deprived of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients it needs to maintain healthy tissues and organ function.1 […]
Is the Chickenpox Vaccine Creating a Shingles Epidemic?
Many of you reading this probably remember having chickenpox as a child. You were likely tired, feverish and had an itchy rash, which subsequently cleared up, leaving you with lifelong natural immunity. Getting chickenpox was so common it was a rite of passage of sorts, which virtually all school-age children experienced. Today chickenpox has become […]