Health

About one of every three high school students who said they were misusing prescription opioids when they were surveyed reported they had attempted suicide, according to a study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics. Previously, researchers have reported that young people who had misused prescription opioids at any point were at higher risk for suicidality,

Leaders and businesses across the United States are pushing back against states lifting mask mandates by doubling down on their commitment to enforcing Covid-19 precautions as variants continue to cause concern. This week, Texas and Mississippi joined the list of states expanding business capacity and lifting the mandates for residents to wear masks. In Texas,

The US Food and Drug Administration on Friday said that people should not use ivermectin to attempt to treat or prevent Covid-19. The drug is typically used to treat parasites, such as lice and scabies. “There seems to be a growing interest in a drug called ivermectin to treat humans with COVID-19. Ivermectin is often

Sexually transmitted infections can be a nuisance at best and deadly at worst. Human papillomavirus, also known as HPV, is the most commonplace, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were about 43 million infections in 2018, most of which were from older teenagers and young adults, according to the CDC.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan declined an initial allocation of the newly authorized Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine this week even as nationwide demand continues to outpace available supply. On Friday, his office and the White House are trying to limit the repercussions of that decision. Duggan, a Democrat who has been mayor since 2014, said

All baby food manufacturers must consider toxic chemicals when they test their baby food for potential hazards, the US Food and Drug Administration said Friday. “We appreciate your attention to your obligation to consider potential chemical hazards, including toxic elements, when conducting a hazard analysis,” wrote Susan Mayne, director of the FDA Center for Food

In counties where states require masks, Covid-19 case and death rates slow down — but in counties where states allow on-site restaurant dining, illness and death rates appear to speed up, according to a new study from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The research, published by the CDC on Friday, comes at

As more patients and friends get fully vaccinated, Dr. William Schaffner’s phone has been ringing constantly, his email box flooded. The fully vaccinated — people who are two weeks past their second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines, or after a single dose of Johnson & Johnson’s — have many questions for the

Covid-19 testing numbers are dropping in the US. And that’s bad news. Without testing, there’s no way to keep track of where the pandemic is headed and whether vaccines are working. And there’s no way to make use of one of the most important tools for fighting infectious diseases: contact tracing. “While the public may

Leaders and businesses across the US are pushing back against states lifting mask mandates by doubling down on their commitment to enforcing Covid-19 precautions as variants continue to cause concern. This week, Texas and Mississippi joined the list of states expanding business capacity and lifting the mandates for residents to wear masks. A representative for

The risk of death from Covid-19 is about 10 times higher in countries where most of the population is overweight, according to a report released Wednesday by the World Obesity Federation. Researchers found that by the end of 2020, global Covid-19 death rates were more than 10 times higher in countries where more than half

Covid-19 testing numbers are dropping in the US. And that’s bad news. Without testing, there’s no way to keep track of where the pandemic is headed and whether vaccines are working. And there’s no way to make use of one of the most important tools for fighting infectious diseases: contact tracing. “While the public may

The US shouldn’t ease restrictions in place to prevent Covid-19 before the number of new coronavirus cases falls below 10,000 daily, “and maybe even considerably less than that,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said Thursday. The US should pull restrictions gradually, after a substantial portion of Americans are vaccinated, Fauci told CNN’s Jake Tapper. The last time

Concerned that there weren’t enough people signing up to get vaccinated against Covid-19, officials in one small Arizona county changed the vaccine eligibility requirement to encourage more people to make appointments. Now, in Gila County Arizona — located 90 minutes east of Phoenix — anyone above the age of 18 can get vaccinated. “We were

I was getting my first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at the Bayou City Event Center in Houston when the news broke that Governor Greg Abbott is lifting Texas’ mask mandate — even as health officials warn not to ease restrictions aimed at stemming the pandemic. No one at the vaccination site removed their mask,

The Senate is now engaged in a marathon effort to take up President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill, a process that could stretch into the weekend before a final vote in the chamber takes place. The chamber voted Thursday afternoon to open debate on the legislation. But Republican opposition is expected to draw

While tens of thousands of Americans are infected with the coronavirus each day and more research suggests variants threaten another surge, some state leaders are loosening Covid-19 restrictions against the recommendations of health experts. The decision to roll back measures is “inexplicable,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and