In The News: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
Cold and flu season can warrant changes in how you and your family carry out your daily lives in your home. Lysol is frequently sprayed onto surfaces, hand sanitizer is a mainstay in many spaces and boxes of tissue abound. But in the war against viruses and germs, there may be an additional weapon in your arsenal that can make your family even healthier—and it could be something you already own. As it turns out, air purifiers can do a lot more than remove allergens and dust from the air.
It’s been five years now since COVID-19 hit the world, killing more than a million people in the U.S. and more than 7 million worldwide. Now, we’re hearing more about avian flu, which is widespread in wild birds worldwide. It’s been found around the country, and in Nevada over the years.
We all remember the days of strict COVID rules, like wearing a mask and keeping a six-foot distance from others. But as COVID has become less dangerous for most people and more ubiquitous, doctors and public health officials aren’t as emphatic about virus-related recommendations as they used to be.
Vaccines are a crucial way to protect the body from illnesses, helping the body’s immune system learn how to fight germs. They also help keep viruses from spreading. The COVID vaccine, for example, prevented an estimated 8 million fewer cases of COVID, more than 120,000 deaths and 700,000 fewer hospitalizations during just the first six months it was released.
Vaccines are a crucial way to protect the body from illnesses, helping the body’s immune system learn how to fight germs. They also help keep viruses from spreading. The COVID vaccine, for example, prevented an estimated 8 million fewer cases of COVID, more than 120,000 deaths and 700,000 fewer hospitalizations during just the first six months it was released.
Even though getting a flu shot doesn’t take long, it’s a task that is easy to put off … and off … and off. There are so many other needs begging for our attention, and if you’re generally in good health, you may think it’s no big deal to skip it. Before you know it, months pass and you still haven’t gotten your flu shot.
Even though getting a flu shot doesn’t take long, it’s one of those tasks it’s easy to put off … and put off … and put off. There are so many other needs begging for our attention and if you’re generally in good health, you may think it’s no big deal to skip it. Before you know it, months pass and you still haven’t gotten your flu shot.
Even though getting a flu shot doesn’t take long, it’s one of those tasks it’s easy to put off … and put off … and put off. There are so many other needs begging for our attention and if you’re generally in good health, you may think it’s no big deal to skip it. Before you know it, months pass and you still haven’t gotten your flu shot.
We all remember the days of strict COVID rules, like wearing a mask and keeping a six-foot distance from others. But as COVID has become less dangerous for most people and more ubiquitous, doctors and public health officials aren’t as emphatic about virus-related recommendations as they used to be.
The McDonald’s slogan may be “I’m lovin’ it,” but many customers can’t say the same — at least, not after a foodborne illness outbreak at the chain led many to press pause on their regular fast food runs. Now McDonald’s is hoping to bring diners back — leading many to wonder if it’s actually safe to head to the Golden Arches once more.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been about five times as many cases of whooping cough, also known as pertussis, this year compared to October 2023. In fact, in a recent surveillance report for the week ending October 12, the CDC reported 18,506 cases.
A tickborne disease called babesiosis is rising sharply in the United States, according to a new study. The research, published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases, looked at a nationally representative sample of about 3,500 Americans with babesiosis, which is often called "American malaria" because—like malaria—it's caused by a parasite that affects red blood cells. They found that case rates increased 9% per year from 2015 to 2022, the time frame studied.