pandemic

How to safely go to the dentist during the pandemic

By Shelton Muro 2 weeks ago

My tongue first detected the problem when it caught a sharp edge on my teeth: A hefty hunk of my back right molar was missing. I’m not sure how it happened, but it meant that after months of avoiding any sort of physical closeness with other people, I needed to brave the dentist’s chair.

With the pandemic raging across the United States, the office I entered in Alexandria, Virginia, looked very different from the one I had visited months before. Two cups of pens sat on the receptionist’s desk, one for “clean” writing utensils and the other for those recently used. A plexiglass partition divided me from the rest of the office behind, and everyone—myself included—donned a mask.

Dental work is a uniquely risky environment for spreading SARS-CoV-2, since medical practitioners work face-to-face with open-mouthed patients for extended periods of time. “We, unfortunately, work in a danger zone,” says Mark

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Anxiety symptoms increased during the pandemic, Google Trends show

By Shelton Muro 4 weeks ago

A new study has found a significant rise in people searching Google for anxiety symptoms during the pandemic.

New research found that in the United States, Google searches for ‘worry,’ ‘anxiety,’ and therapeutic techniques to manage worry and anxiety have increased during the pandemic.

The research, featuring as a commentary in the journal Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, highlights the burden the COVID-19 pandemic has placed not only on people’s physical health but also their mental health.

COVID-19 has had a profound effect on people. The world is approaching one million recorded deaths from the disease. And, some of those who recovered from the initial virus effects continue to suffer long-term symptoms that are yet to be fully understood.

Once the knock-on effects of the disease factor in — for example, overwhelmed critical care units prolonging treatment times for people with other serious illnesses — then it

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Cinnaminson Planet Fitness Set To Reopen Amid Pandemic

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

CINNAMINSON, NJ — The Planet Fitness in Cinnaminson is among gyms statewide that will be permitted to open after Gov. Phil Murphy announced gyms can finally reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Murphy said gyms will be allowed to reopen at 25 percent capacity, and customers have to wear masks, beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 1. Read more here: Gov. Murphy: NJ Gyms To Reopen In Coronavirus Crisis: Here’s When

Planet Fitness has 64 locations in New Jersey, including one at 141 Route 130 South in Cinnaminson.

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“Fitness centers are critical to the mental, physical and financial health for New Jerseyans, and we are grateful that Governor Murphy has announced that we can reopen with safety protocols in place,” said Craig Benson, who operates 18 Planet Fitness locations in the

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Coronavirus pandemic has Americans eating healthier, buying foods to boost immunity

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

The coronavirus pandemic has motivated Americans to prioritize healthy eating habits, new research suggests.

Foods that boost immunity, metabolism and improve mental health are becoming more sought after during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 77% of consumers saying they want to do more to increase their health habits for the future, according to new research from Chicago-based food processing company Archer Daniels Midland.

COVID-19 has prompted more Americans to prioritize healthy eating habits. (iStock). 

COVID-19 has prompted more Americans to prioritize healthy eating habits. (iStock). 

The research, as reported by FoodDive, indicates that plant-based diets — as alternatives to meat-centric meals — continue to be a growing trend. Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) found that 18% of consumers in the U.S. purchased their first plant-based protein products during the pandemic, with 92% saying they’ll continue to buy them.

IMPOSSIBLE FOODS SCALES RETAIL WITH CORONAVIRUS-FUELED MEAT SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES 

The news comes on the heels of separate research from Stanford Medicine scientists published in

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East Brunswick Planet Fitness To Reopen Amid Pandemic

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — Planet Fitness in East Brunswick is all set to reopen after New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced the reopening of gyms statewide on Wednesday morning.

Under new rules, gyms can open with a limited capacity of 25 percent, while following safety guidelines like wearing masks. This goes into effect Sep. 1.

Planet Fitness has 64 locations across NJ, including the one at 1020 NJ-18, in East Brunswick.

In a press statement, Craig Benson, former Governor of New Hampshire and Planet Fitness Board Member said fitness centers are “critical to the mental, physical and financial health” of the state.

He said the franchisee will collaborate with local, county and state officials to ensure members workout in a “safe, clean and welcoming environment.” Benson, a New Jersey native, is a franchisee owner who operates 18 gyms in the state.

Gyms in New Jersey were shut for nearly six

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Google searches for anxiety soar to record at start of coronavirus pandemic: Study

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

If you turned to Google for help diagnosing an anxiety attack as the coronavirus pandemic swept through the U.S. earlier this year, a new study suggests you weren’t alone. 

Researchers from the Qualcomm Institute at the University of California San Diego analyzed Google Trends dating back 16 years and found that people searched for severe anxiety-related information at record highs beginning in March when the coronavirus pandemic was first declared a national emergency.

Researchers looked for searches on “anxiety” or “panic” in combination with “attack,” such as “panic attack,” “signs of anxiety attack,” “anxiety attack symptoms,” and so forth, according to the study published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine. 

Anxiety-related searches were roughly 11% higher than usual over the 58 days after President Donald Trump declared a national emergency on March 13, according to the researchers who worked in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University, Barnard College and the Institute for

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Thousands expected for indoor wrestling tournament in Kansas City amid coronavirus pandemic

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

According to the Centers for Disease Control, “large in-person gatherings where it is difficult for individuals to remain spaced at least 6 feet apart and attendees travel from outside the local area” is considered the “highest risk” in terms of coronavirus spread.

Zachary Binney, an epidemiologist at Emory University, said Wednesday on Twitter that one “could hardly design a better super-spreader event” than the wrestling tournament.

In its guidelines on large events amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Kansas City Health Department recommends — but does not seem to require — that attendance at large events be limited to no more than 25 percent of a building’s capacity. The 5,000 people expected for the wrestling tournament would seem to go against that recommendation, even when accounting for capacity on the arena’s lower level. Over two floors, Hy-Vee Arena seats about 8,500 fans.

A spokeswoman for Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas told

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How IoT revolutionized medical care during the pandemic

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

Over the last few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown the world into an unprecedented situation. It even gave birth to new concepts such as social-distancing and prioritized technologies like cloud, internet of things (IoT) services, and artificial intelligence. Likewise, IoT and the internet of medical things (IoMT) have witnessed a number of innovative revolutions to address the coronavirus crisis. These technologies in healthcare and retail may have a long-lasting impact in the upcoming future.

IoT has predominantly become one of the frequent expressions across the technological domain nowadays, with the potential to significantly enhance the way we interact with the contemporary world. From high-level healthcare devices to common household gadgets, IoT technology is getting more intelligent and connected to the internet, facilitating seamless communication between networks and devices.

Why medical connectivity matters?

The coronavirus outbreak has led IoT healthcare companies to promptly provide solutions for combatting the increasing

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Christian leaders debate how to do church amid pandemic

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

On a recent Sunday, Rod Loy, senior pastor at the First Assembly of God in North Little Rock, Arkansas, delivered the message of the Gospel through his computer screen.

“It’s easy to live out your faith when everything is going good,” he preached to his congregation. “But the real test is difficult. How does your faith hold up when the doctor gives you a bad report, the kids get bad grades and you can’t pay your bills? How does your faith hold up when you lose your job in the middle of a pandemic? The true test of faith is a difficulty, hardship and persecution.” 

As he spoke, members of the church typed “amen” in the comment section. The church has used Facebook to livestream its services for the past couple of months.  

Across the USA, faith leaders debate how they can continue to pray in fellowship with others while

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How new moms are coping during the pandemic

By Shelton Muro 2 months ago

Erin King-Mullins is a colorectal surgeon in Atlanta. She’s also a new mom who gave birth in February, shortly before the country shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. King-Mullins took part in a recent chat with TODAY’s Sheinelle Jones about how she and other moms are coping during the pandemic. Here she explains how she was inspired to create “Corona Mamas,” a resource to help moms navigate these times.

I went in for an induction and three days later ended up with an urgent cesarean section because things weren’t progressing. There was a risk to my daughter. Her heart rate went down a few times. It was exhausting. Recovery immediately after was fine. Everything was on track for a three-to-four day hospital stay afterwards, but the night before the morning I was scheduled to go home, they checked my blood pressure and it was through the roof. So they’re

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