health
Associated PressIndia starts world's largest COVID-19 vaccination drive
India started inoculating health workers Saturday in what is likely the world's largest COVID-19 vaccination campaign, joining the ranks of wealthier nations where the effort is already well underway. The country is home to the world’s largest vaccine makers and has one of the biggest immunization programs. The first dose of a vaccine was administered to a health worker at All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences in the capital New Delhi, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi kickstarted the campaign with a nationally televised speech.
USA TODAYCoronavirus updates: Global death toll tops 2M; CDC warns UK variant could become predominant in US; Biden to invoke Defense Production Act
UK variant could become predominant strain in the US by March, CDC warns. Meanwhile, the world reached 2 million deaths Friday. Latest news.
ReutersNBA, NHL delay games as COVID-19 once again threatens professional sport
Two games between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards set for Sunday and Monday were on hold, the NBA said on Friday, because the Wizards did not have the "league-required eight available players to proceed" due to ongoing contact tracing on the team. Hours later, the NBA halted a Friday game between the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves, citing a similar shortfall of available players on the Minnesota team, making it the 12th game since Sunday that the league has postponed.
ReutersChina reports 130 new COVID-19 cases, state media warns against 'crying wolf'
China reported 130 new coronavirus cases in the mainland for Jan. 15, as authorities continued to battle a severe outbreak in the Northeast that has put more than 28 million people under lockdown. That figure was down from 135 cases a day earlier, China's National Health Commission said on Saturday. Of those cases, 115 were local infections, 90 of which were in Hebei province surrounding Beijing that has been hit hardest in the latest wave.
Yahoo LifeJameela Jamil warns followers about the dangers of the keto diet. Do experts agree?
Actress Jameela Jamil took to her Instagram writing that the keto diet "can create all kinds of disturbances for people's bodies."
The ConversationMore health inequality: Black people are 3 times more likely to experience pulse oximeter errors
A pulse oximeter measures a person's blood oxygen saturation level and heart rate. Grace Cary via Getty ImagesDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have purchased small devices called pulse oximeters for use in their home – based on well-intentioned recommendations from health care providers and the media. Pulse oximeters are devices, usually placed on a person’s finger, used to noninvasively measure oxygen levels in the blood. Clinics and hospitals, for example, use them regularly to screen newborns for heart defects after birth. Yet pulse oximeter measurements are imperfect, particularly for Black patients. Our recent paper demonstrated that Black patients were three times more likely than white patients to have low oxygen levels that were missed by pulse oximeters. That could translate into as many as 1 in 10 inaccurate readings among Blacks. We are ICU physicians and internists with expertise in health care research and policy. Our findings were guided by our personal experiences engaging with communities of color during the pandemic and seeing firsthand how easy it is for racial bias to affect health care. Of oxygen and oximetry Low blood oxygen levels are harmful to patients and can indicate that they are seriously ill. Clinicians frequently use pulse oximetry measurements to decide whether a patient should receive oxygen therapy and how much oxygen a patient should receive. Health care workers may also use this information when deciding what type of care a patient needs, such as admission to a hospital, transfer to an intensive care unit or need for a ventilator. Pulse oximeter measurements for Black patients appear to be less accurate than for white patients. SDI Productions via Getty Images Pulse oximeters came on the market in the late 1970s and seemed to meet the need for an accurate measure of oxygen levels. Pulse oximeters use light that passes through the skin to measure oxygen levels. Blood with higher oxygen levels absorbs light differently than blood with lower oxygen levels. However, anything that slows the passage of this light, like nail polish or skin tone, can cause inaccuracies. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic we started to recognize that these measurements seemed to be inaccurate for Black patients. Our study confirmed those suspicions, for example finding that sometimes when a pulse oximeter read 94%, the actual blood level of oxygen was much lower. A normal oxygen saturation is above 92%. Oxygen therapy is typically started when oxygen levels are consistently below 89%. In our study, we identified patients who had normal oxygen levels by pulse oximetry (between 92% and 96%) but low oxygen levels by blood oxygen testing (less than 89%). If low oxygen levels in Black patients are missed because of inaccurate pulse oximeter readings, Black patients may be less likely to receive appropriate oxygen therapy or other medical care when they need it. Some people with COVID-19 infection were encouraged to purchase pulse oximeters to monitor their oxygen levels at home as a tool to decide whether hospitalization was needed. These inexpensive home pulse oximeters may be even less accurate than the hospital pulse oximeters used in our study. The extent to which biased pulse oximeters may have delayed appropriate treatment for Black patients is unknown. It is also unclear just how these inaccuracies might affect other medical conditions where racial disparities in medical care have been previously identified. The importance of accurate oxygen measurements The first pulse oximeter was developed in 1974. However, because early designers did not use a diverse group of test subjects, sources of error, like skin tone, were underrecognized. Today’s pulse oximeters might be better than the ones from the 1970s – the FDA requires all medical technology to be tested on a diverse population of patients, based on age, gender and skin tone. However, the agency defines skin tone diversity by having at least two “darkly pigmented” individuals in the entire testing sample. Our study shows today’s pulse oximeters are still not good enough and that the agency’s guidelines for diverse testing remain insufficient. A study from the late 1980s began to show that pulse oximeters might be inaccurate based on skin tone, and a series of publications in the 1990s seemed to confirm these findings. Yet 40 years later, these findings have not been widely publicized, were not thoroughly investigated with additional clinical studies and are not routinely a part of medical school curricula at this time. How to use a pulse oximeter. How to close the gap Pulse oximetry will remain an important tool for clinicians, and our findings highlight the need to consider pulse oximetry data in the context of other information related to the patient. However, there are no other straightforward and noninvasive ways to estimate oxygen levels. Feeling short of breath poorly correlates with oxygen levels; skin findings, such as cyanosis, may be more difficult to identify in individuals with darker skin tones; and using other locations of the body to measure oxygen levels noninvasively (like the ear) may not produce more accurate results than the finger. An alternative strategy might be to perform more invasive measurements of oxygen level, such as sampling arterial blood. However, arterial blood draws are painful and can lead to complications. They are also inconvenient and require specialized training. Requiring arterial blood for accurate measurements in Black patients but not white patients simply propagates a different form of racial bias. Medical technology developers should increase the number and diversity of test subjects, with device performance compared across groups to ensure the equity of their accuracy. In addition, prior testing was conducted only among healthy subjects, and our study suggests inaccuracies may be more prominent as oxygen levels decrease. Diversity, in this case, should include a range of patients, based on age, gender, skin tone, and disability. Our recent conversations with device manufacturers suggest that engineering solutions may already be available. However, once new technologies are available, replacing legacy pulse oximeters with more accurate devices will be difficult, given the ubiquity of existing pulse oximeters and the expense associated with purchasing new devices. Health care providers and patient advocacy groups will need to demand updated technology when it becomes available. Recognizing this now may lead to improvements in medical technology, better medical care for Black patients, and greater recognition of structural racism within medicine. [Research into coronavirus and other news from science Subscribe to The Conversation’s new science newsletter.]This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Thomas Valley, University of Michigan; Michael Sjoding, University of Michigan Medical School, and Susan Dorr Goold, University of Michigan Medical School. Read more:Racial discrimination ages Black Americans faster, according to a 25-year-long study of familiesRacism at the county level associated with increased COVID-19 cases and deaths Thomas Valley receives funding from the National Institutes of Health, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, American Thoracic Society, and the Society for Critical Care Medicine. Michael Sjoding receives funding from the National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense. Susan Dorr Goold does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
ReutersTunisia reports daily coronavirus record of 4,170 cases
Tunisia said on Friday it recorded 4,170 new confirmed coronavirus cases, a record since the start of the pandemic. Tunisia on Thursday imposed a four-day national lockdown and closed schools until Jan. 24 to combat a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases. Coronavirus cases have been rising fast in Tunisia, which had managed to contain the virus last year.
Business InsiderEurope and Canada are facing temporary hits to coronavirus vaccine supply while Pfizer renovates a Belgian plant to eventually produce more doses
The renovation will impact shipments for about the next month, a Pfizer spokesperson told Insider, but will boost production beyond then.
Business InsiderAnswers to your 24 most pressing questions about the coronavirus vaccine, from side effects and costs to when you'll be able to get one
Coronavirus vaccines are finally out the door and going into people's arms, and you're probably wondering what it means for your loved ones and you.
ReutersProgress reported on one-dose J&J vaccine; COVID-19 reinfections seen as rare
The following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. An experimental COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson produced protective antibodies against the novel coronavirus in 90% of 805 volunteers by 29 days, and that increased to 100% by day 57, according to data from an ongoing mid-stage study. To be approved by regulators, the J&J vaccine must show efficacy as reflected by a lower risk of infections and severe disease in study participants who receive it compared to those who do not.
Yahoo LifeSmokers prioritized for COVID-19 vaccine in New Jersey. Teachers 'feel devalued' by the decision.
"You can’t say that opening schools is a main priority if you keep moving teachers down the list," Donna M. Chiera, president of the American Federation of Teachers New Jersey, tells Yahoo Life.
USA TODAYNew coronavirus variants aren't cause for alarm yet, but mutations could make COVID-19 harder to fight, experts say
The two authorized COVID-19 vaccines and others under development are expected to continue to be effective against the new strains of the coronavirus.
Associated PressVIRUS TODAY: Global death toll for COVID-19 surpasses 2M
— The global death toll from COVID-19 has topped 2 million. Johns Hopkins University reported the milestone on Friday amid a monumental but uneven effort to vaccinate people against the coronavirus. In wealthy countries including the United States, Britain, Israel, Canada and Germany, tens of millions of citizens have already received shots.
Yahoo LifeNBC meteorologist Dylan Dreyer shares her struggle to stop breastfeeding: ‘It’s a mindf**k’
The NBC meteorologist says the decision to cease breastfeeding took an unexpected emotional toll.
Reuters31.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines distributed, 12.3 million administered: U.S. CDC
The tally of vaccine doses are for both Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines as of 6:00 a.m. ET on Friday, the agency said. According to the tally posted on Jan. 14, the agency had administered 11,148,991 doses of the vaccines, and distributed 30,628,175 doses. A total of 1,384,963 vaccine doses have been administered in long-term care facilities, the agency said.
USA TODAYA more contagious coronavirus strain has been found in 8 states and 33 countries. Here's what we know.
A new strain of the coronavirus, first identified in the U.K., has now been reported in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Texas. Here's what to know.
ReutersGlobal COVID-19 death toll tops 2 million
The worldwide coronavirus death toll surpassed 2 million on Friday, according to a Reuters tally, as nations around the world are trying to procure multiple vaccines and detect new COVID-19 variants. It took nine months for the world to record the first 1 million deaths from the novel coronavirus but only three months to go from 1 million to 2 million deaths, illustrating an accelerating rate of fatalities. "Our world has reached a heart-wrenching milestone ," United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said in a video statement.
USA TODAYFact check: Health benefits of bay leaves need more study
There may be health benefits associated with bay leaves, but most of the claims in viral social media posts are distorted, exaggerated or inaccurate.
ABC News2 US COVID variants have been identified. What does that mean for vaccines?
Two independent research groups published findings confirming what many scientists have long suspected: The U.S. has its own unique COVID-19 viral variants that are distinct from the U.K. and South African lineages making headlines in recent weeks. On Wednesday, researchers from the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center announced two distinct, newly identified variants. The next day, researchers at Southern Illinois University said they found a variant that may have emerged months ago and quickly spread across the country.
ReutersFrench coronavirus death toll rises to nearly 70,000
The cumulative death toll from the coronavirus in France rose by 636 to 69,949 on Monday as the country added a three-day batch of retirement home deaths to the tally, health ministry data showed on Friday. France reported 280 deaths in hospitals, down from 282 on Thursday, and 356 deaths in retirement homes. National statistics institute INSEE said France's overall mortality rate in 2020 - inflated by the pandemic - was 9% higher than in the previous two years, with a total of 667,400 deaths from all causes, or 53,900 more than in 2019.
Yahoo LifeExperts call Johnson & Johnson's single-dose COVID vaccine 'very promising.' Here's what you need to know.
Johnson & Johnson's single-dose COVID-19 vaccine candidate looks promising based on early results from the ongoing trial.
ReutersSpain reports record 40,197 COVID-19 cases
Spain reported a record 40,197 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, while the incidence of the disease measured over the past 14 days hit a new high of 575 cases per 100,000 people, climbing from 522 cases the previous day, Health Ministry data showed. Earlier in the week the ministry had rebuffed a request by the region's government to enforce a stay-at-home rule within its borders.
ReutersBritain tightens borders to keep out new COVID-19 variants
Britain is tightening border controls to block new variants of COVID-19, suspending all "travel corridor" arrangements that had meant arrivals from some countries did not require quarantine. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is grappling to control a third wave of the virus and prevent the health service from collapse while also racing to vaccinate millions each week. "What we don't want to see is all that hard work undone by the arrival of a new variant that is vaccine-busting," he told a news conference, explaining the end of travel corridors at least until Feb. 15.
ReutersWorld is in a race with a coronavirus trying to mutate, WHO says
The world is in a race with a coronavirus trying to mutate and new variants need quick and intense research, the head of the World Health Organization's Emergency Committee of independent experts on COVID-19, Didier Houssin, said on Friday.
Yahoo LifeHow one woman’s depression inspired her multi-million dollar fitness line
JSculpt founder and CEO Jaz Jackson discusses how her depression inspired her multi-million dollar fitness line.
“If you’re looking to win elections, it is probably best not to urge your supporters not to vote.”
“Warnock’s portrayal of himself as a dog lover, a means of overcoming white suspicions of Black men, smacked of pure genius.”
“Trump has done damage to the Republican brand among suburban voters that goes well beyond just races where he is on the ballot.”
“Once more, Democrats must profusely thank activist Stacey Abrams.”
“Overall, demographic trends show that the state’s electorate is becoming younger and more diverse each year.”