Month: February 2021

There's no silver bullet to living longer, says Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Fellow and journalist who studies the habits of people living in the "Blue Zones," which are the places in the world where people live the longest. The places are: Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece, and Loma Linda, California. But making small changes to your everyday routine — from how you spend your lunch hour to whether you keep in touch with friends — can make a big difference in the long run, Buettner tells CNBC Make It. Especially during the Covid pandemic, as most people's lives have been dramatically changed, here are the top three habits from the Blue Zones that Buettner says are important to start now. Have 3 friends you can count on Famous...

Several states and cities rolled back COVID-19 restrictions this week.  In Montana, Gov. Greg Gianforte lifted the state's mask mandate Friday. In Nevada, Gov. Steve Sisolak on Thursday announced he would gradually end a monthslong "pause" on economic activity meant to slow the virus’ deadly resurgence over the holiday. And in Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine promised to scrap a curfew that has been in place since November. Meanwhile, limited indoor dining began in New York City Friday, and Chicago expanded its indoor dining capacity limits. The rollbacks come as U.S. health officials released new guidance for reopening schools Friday, saying schools can safely reopen by adhering to five key mitigation strategies.  USA TODAY is tracking COVID-19 news. Keep refreshing this page for the latest update...

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported four new coronavirus-related deaths on Saturday and 160 new cases.The total number of Mainers with COVID-19 who have died increased to 647.Two deaths were reported in Penobscot County, one was reported in Kennebec County and one was reported from Franklin County.The 160 new cases bring the total since the beginning of the pandemic to 42,419.The seven day average is now at 195.MAINE CORONAVIRUS DATA: Deaths: 647 Total cases: 42,419 Confirmed cases: 33,823 Probable cases: 8,596 Cumulative positivity rate: 2.98% 14-day positivity rate: 3.3% Currently hospitalized: 100 Patients in intensive care: 27 Patients on ventilators: 9Get more detailed COVID-19 data ...

The trial will show if kids have a good immune response to the shot. February 13, 2021, 11:57 AM • 4 min read Share to FacebookShare to TwitterEmail this article Oxford University is extending its COVID-19 vaccine study to include children -- some as young as 6. Together with three partner sites in London, Southampton and Bristol, Oxford will launch the first study to learn how children and young adults (ages 6 to 17) respond to the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 coronavirus vaccine. Previous trials of the vaccine have shown that it is safe, but this phase 2 trial -- funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and AstraZeneca -- will show if kids have a good immune response to the shot. Oxford said in a press release that 300 volunteers will be enrolled in the study -- 240 ...

Critical care workers insert an endotracheal tube into a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) positive patient in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Sarasota, Florida, February 11, 2021. Shannon Stapleton | Reuters Some Covid-19 patients are experiencing shortness of breath, fatigue, headaches and "brain fog" for months to nearly a year after their initial illness. Now, global medical experts are working to better diagnose and treat them for what they are tentatively calling "long Covid." Earlier this week, the World Health Organization hosted a global meeting with "patients, clinicians and other stakeholders" to advance the agency's understanding of what's medically referred to as post-Covid condition, also known as long Covid, WHO Director...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) put out a flurry of new guidance this week, with advice on topics like mask wearing and quarantining after COVID-19 exposure. The guidelines are in response to threats from new, more contagious virus strains, but also indicate what life post-vaccine might look like in the U.S. Here are five things to know about the agency's advice. Tighter-fitting masks provide better protection The CDC on Wednesday released a study on how to ensure masks offer the best protection possible against coronavirus infections. The evidence showed that wearing a tightly fitted surgical mask, or a cloth mask over a surgical mask, can significantly decrease the spread of COVID-19. The study found that transmission of the virus can be reduced by up...