Month: February 2021

Don’t be deterred — winter can be a great time for outdoor activities, says Keri Denay, a family and sports physician at the University of Michigan Medical School. “People should not shy away from exercising in the cold. This is a fantastic time to explore outside and try new things,” she says, maybe even a time to embrace your inner child. “It’s snowing here in Michigan right now and my 4-year-old twins are out playing in the snow.” Winter activities are some of the best ways to get fit, and as counterintuitive as it might sound, exercise can sometimes be even more pleasant in the cold. As long as you’re dressed properly and moving, it shouldn’t be too hard to stay warm. “You have to be exercising at a super low level to not overcome cold temperatures with the body heat you’re produci...

LONDON — British government scientists are increasingly finding the coronavirus variant first detected in Britain to be deadlier than the original virus variants, a devastating trend that highlights the serious risks of this new phase of the pandemic. The scientists said last month that there was a “realistic possibility” that the variant was more lethal. Now, they say in a new document that it is “likely” that the variant is connected to an increased risk of hospitalization and death. The British government did not publicly announce the updated findings, which are based on roughly twice as many studies as their earlier assessment and include more deaths from cases of Covid-19 caused by the new variant, known as B.1.1.7. It posted the document on a government website on Friday and said t...

One of the biggest challenges plaguing doctors since the start of the coronavirus pandemic has has been figuring out how to treat the novel virus. Fortunately, as time has gone on, new studies have found certain existing medications that could reduce symptoms, severe cases, and even death. Now, another common medication has been found to be effective at keeping the disease from progressing or turning fatal. According to a Feb. 2021 study published in The BMJ, patients who are given blood thinners within a day of being admitted to a hospital with COVID have a greater chance of survival than those who are not. Read on to discover what the new research says, and if you're worried about you risk factors, know that L...

California is adding 4 million to 6 million more people to the eligibility list to get the COVID-19 vaccine, but officials warn that actually getting inoculated with remain a frustrating process as long as chronic shortages in supply remain. Starting March 15, people ages 16 to 64 who are disabled or at high risk for morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 will be eligible for vaccination. That will bring the total number of Californians eligible to 17 million to 20 million. But with supplies so limited, ultimately it will be up to local providers to decide who gets the vaccine immediately, with medical workers, first responders, people 65 and over, teachers and essential workers all vying for shots. “We’re all frustrated,” said Dr. Paul Simon, chief science officer for the Los Angeles Coun...

KNOW, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT SCHEDULED IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. REPORTER: WENT THROUGH SOMETHING SIMILAR WITH TESTING APPOINTMENTS AND WINTER WEATHER. NOW WE'RE GOING THROUGH IT WITH VACCINE APPOINTMENTS IN WINTER WEATHER. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TRYING TO BE AS FLEXIBLE AS POSSIBLE WITH IN CHALLENGE. SO MANY PEOPLE WONDERING TONIGHT WHAT HAPPENS IF THEIR VACCINE APPOINTMENT IS CANCELED O THEY CAN'T MAKE IT BECAUSE OF WEATHER. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH KEITH REED SAYING YOUR APPOINTMENT WILL GET RESCHEDULED. YOU'LL GET YOUR SHOT. IN THE MEANTIME, THIS CHANGE FOR CLINICS. >> WE'RE ASKING CLINICS TO STICK WITH THE CURRENT PRIORITY GROUPS, BUT IF THEY ARE UNABLE TO EXHAUST RESOURCES, DEVIATIONS IN PRIORITY GROUPS CAN HAPPEN, BUT SHOULD BE LIMITED TO THE TWO GRO...