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Health

Here’s what’s happening Friday in the Chicago area with COVID-19

By Shelton Muro 1 month ago

Illinois health officials on Thursday announced 1,360 new known cases of COVID-19 and 25 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known infections in Illinois to 240,003 and the statewide death toll to 8,115 since the start of the pandemic. Officials also reported 40,795 new tests in the last 24 hours. The seven-day statewide positivity rate is 4.4%.

a group of people standing on top of a grass covered field: People dance while musicians play on Aug. 9, 2020, during a weekly event organized by El Corrillo de Humboldt Park. Bystanders picnic in the grass and enjoy the show each Saturday and Sunday during the free gathering.

© Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune/TNS
People dance while musicians play on Aug. 9, 2020, during a weekly event organized by El Corrillo de Humboldt Park. Bystanders picnic in the grass and enjoy the show each Saturday and Sunday during the free gathering.

A lack of vitamin D may be associated with a higher risk for getting COVID-19, according to newly published research out of the University of Chicago. Patients with untreated vitamin D deficiencies were nearly twice as likely to test positive for COVID-19 as patients with sufficient levels of

Health

Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Aug. 24

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus in North Carolina. Check back for updates.

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Hospitalizations go up

At least 156,396 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus, and 2,535 have died, according to state health officials.

The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Monday reported 1,283 new cases of COVID-19, down from 1,472 the day before.

Officials on Monday reported four additional deaths, down from 10 the day before. Reported coronavirus-related deaths in the state reached a single-day high last Tuesday with 48.

The rate of positive test results reported Monday was 7%. State health officials have said that rate should be 5% or lower.

On Monday, health officials reported a total of 948 coronavirus-related hospitalizations in North Carolina, up from 898 the day before.

Sunday’s daily hospitalization total had been the lowest since July 1, and coronavirus-related hospitalizations have been

Fitness

Is it safe to go to the dentist right now? Here’s what the experts are saying

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

For months after the COVID-19 pandemic hit the US, dental offices around the country closed their doors. Now that many practices have reopened, the World Health Organization (WHO) is advising people to avoid routine, non-essential dental work until transmission rates drop more.

“WHO advises that routine non-essential oral health care – which usually includes oral health check-ups, dental cleanings, and preventive care – be delayed until there has been sufficient reduction in COVID-19 transmission rates from community transmission to cluster cases,” the warning stated. “The same applies to aesthetic dental treatments. However, urgent or emergency oral health care interventions that are vital for preserving a person’s oral functioning, managing severe pain or securing quality of life should be provided.”

The guidance comes from growing concerns around coronavirus spread through tiny respiratory droplets or aerosols.

“The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 spreads through respiratory droplets. That’s what flies through the air when

Medicine

Antiviral apparel? Here’s what experts say about clothing that is said to kill COVID-19

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

Brands are rolling out apparel made of fabrics with antiviral technology in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. But is the clothing necessary?

In March, Swiss textile group HeiQ announced it had developed a treatment for textiles called Viroblock NPJ03 that it says is antiviral and antimicrobial.

The company said the treatment — an “invisible film” for fabrics, per Vogue — reduces 99.9% of SARS-CoV-2 after 30 minutes, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Artistic Denim Mills, a denim and garment manufacturer based in Pakistan, announced in June that it would partner with HeiQ to treat its products with Viroblock in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

“COVID-19 has reset the world,” Faisal Ahmed, CEO of Artistic Denim Mills, said in a news release. “This means we have to change how we live our lives. How our clothes protect us will be a key decision in what

Fitness

Mask altercations can turn violent. Here’s how to de-escalate them safely

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

It was a video seen around the world: On July 29, a woman using a cane was left hospitalized with a broken knee after she was thrown to the ground during an altercation over masks in a New Jersey Staples store.

Margot Kagan, who has been diagnosed with liver cancer and liver failure, received a life-saving organ transplant back in March. Her condition leaves her vulnerable to severe illness if she contracts COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

“Because of my transplant, I’m on immunosuppressants,” Kagan told TODAY by phone. “I was literally told when I left the hospital that if I get COVID-19, I’d be back in the hospital and I’d probably die.”

While she was using a fax machine at Staples in Hackensack, Kagan said she noticed a woman at the machine across from her was wearing her mask below her mouth. (The Centers for Disease

Health

Here’s the biggest news you missed this weekend

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

Trump signs executive orders for coronavirus relief

With stimulus talks at an impasse in Congress, President Donald Trump on Saturday signed a series of executive orders to provide temporary relief to Americans suffering from the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. “We’ve had it,” he said. “We’re going to save American jobs and provide relief to the American worker.”

The four executive orders will …

provide an additional $400 per week in unemployment benefits,
suspend payments on some student loans through the end of the year,
protect renters from being evicted from their homes, and
instruct employers to defer certain payroll taxes through the end of the year for Americans who earn less than $100,000 annually.

But questions remain as to whether Trump has the legal authority to take these actions — or the money to pay for them.

A scramble for unemployment aid

It’s unclear whether Trump has the

Medicine

Here’s how parents can protect their kids from coronavirus as schools reopen

By Shelton Muro 3 months ago

Get ready to pack your back-to-school pencils, binders and … hand sanitizer?

While some schools and universities are opting for remote learning or a hybrid of in-person and online sessions, others are pushing ahead with in-person classes – with proper sanitation protocols, of course. Social distancing markings, COVID program coordinators and smaller class sizes are only a few of the reflections of the pandemic-era classroom experience.

But still, parents may be (reasonably) worried about this transition. Although schools will follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines to ensure safety for children, it’s always a good idea to reinforce these standards from home as well.

So what can you do, other than clipping a mini-bottle of hand sanitizer to every backpack? USA TODAY asked two health experts for advice on how parents can keep their students safe and healthy as they prepare for in-person classes.

New clothes and senior

Fitness

The race is elite-only this year, but here’s how to start running for 2021

By Shelton Muro 3 months ago

The pandemic has put a stop to sporting events across the UK and one of the biggest to be cancelled is the London Marathon.

The event – which would have been its 40th anniversary – was due to be held on Sunday 26 April, but this date was postponed until October 2020. This year’s race will still go ahead on 3 October, but it will now only involve elite athletes, meaning the other 45,000 runners will not be able to take part.

The 2021 marathon has also been moved from its traditional April date to October, in order to give as many runners as possible the chance to partake in the race.

In April, to mark the original date of this year’s marathon, people were encouraged to join in on the 2.6 challenge. The idea was to complete an activity related to the number 26 (as that’s the amount

Health

Kids’ mental health can struggle during online school. Here’s how teachers are planning ahead.

By Shelton Muro 3 months ago

When her South Carolina high school went online this spring, Maya Green struggled through the same emotions as many of her fellow seniors: She missed her friends. Her online assignments were too easy. She struggled to stay focused.

But Green, 18, also found herself working harder for the teachers who knew her well and cared about her.

“My school doesn’t do a ton of lessons on social and emotional learning,” said Green, who just graduated from Charleston County School of the Arts, a magnet school, and is headed to Stanford University. “But I grew up in this creative writing program, and I’m really close to my teachers there, and we had at least one purposeful conversation about my emotions after we moved online.”

From the other teachers, Green didn’t hear much to support her mental health.

This was a common complaint among parents when classes went online in March to

Health

Teen influencer Danielle Cohn spoke openly about her abortion after becoming embroiled in controversy. Here’s how the social media star rose to prominence online.

By Shelton Muro 3 months ago

Danielle Cohn

Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images

Influencer and musician Danielle Cohn, who boasts 18.2 million TikTok followers and 1.8 million YouTube subscribers, has become an online sensation thanks to her lip-syncing videos and controversial social media presence.
Since the social media star rose to prominence in 2016, fans and critics have speculated about her age and expressed concern about her sexualized social media presence.
Cohn made headlines in July when she made a video addressing a leaked audio clip that revealed that she had an abortion earlier this year.
Since posting the video, Cohn has received support from fans who “respected” her decision and transparency, but others remained concerned about her age and relationships.
Cohn’s mother, Jennifer Archambault, has described the situation as “painful,” and she hopes her daughter can heal out of the spotlight.
Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Video: Social media influencers adapt to pandemic