Category: Health Updates
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Oxford halts AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccinations in kids’ trial
The University of Oxford has suspended AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccinations in a small clinical trial for children, while the U.K.’s medicines regulator examines reports of rare blood clotting in vaccinated adults. An Oxford spokesperson said “there are no safety concerns in the pediatric clinical trial,” in a statement sent to Fox News. “Whilst there are no safety concerns in the…
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What you need to know about your COVID-19 vaccine card
The golden ticket to a post-pandemic world is a shot in the arm — and the flimsy paper proof of it. With close to a quarter of Americans now vaccinated against COVID-19, people are increasingly wondering what to do with their vaccine card. The small yet vital piece of documentation serves as the only physical proof many now…
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Can I still spread the coronavirus after I’m vaccinated?
Can I still spread the coronavirus after I’m vaccinated? It’s possible. Experts say the risk is low, but are still studying how well the shots blunt the spread of the virus. The current vaccines are highly effective at preventing people from getting seriously sick with COVID-19. But even if vaccinated people don’t get sick, they might still get…
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FDA approves 2 rapid coronavirus tests to be sold over-the-counter for at-home use
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week approved two rapid, over-the-counter coronavirus tests that will soon hit drugstore shelves for easy, at-home testing capabilities. The FDA in a Wednesday announcement said it has approved Abbott’s BinaxNow and Quidel’s QuickVue tests that the public will soon be able to purchase without a doctor’s prescription. “Screening testing, especially with…
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Pollution taking a toll on penis size, scientist claims
A class of chemicals called phthalates that are often used to make plastics more flexible is exacting a toll on fertility rates and leading to genital malformation, an environmental scientist claims. Shanna Swan, Ph.D., professor of environmental medicine and public health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, details the health consequences of pollution in her new…
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FDA panel rejects Pfizer’s arthritis drug as too risky
U.S. health advisers sharply criticized an experimental arthritis drug Thursday, saying that it was too risky, even with limits on its use. The expert panel for the Food and Drug Administration voted 19-1 that the drug’s modest benefits don’t outweigh its considerable risks, even with proposed measures to restrict who gets the medicine. Pfizer is seeking FDA approval of…
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Oxford studying nasal spray coronavirus vaccine
The University of Oxford is studying a nasal spray version of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine among 30 young, healthy volunteers, and will assess the induced immune response, safety and any side effects. The early-stage trial will enroll adults aged 18 to 40 from the Oxford area, and researchers will conduct four months of follow-up, according to a release posted Thursday. …
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COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective in pregnancy, new study shows
The Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines trigger strong immune responses in pregnant and breastfeeding women, equivalent to that of other women of reproductive age, preliminary research shows. The data also suggests that the vaccines are equally safe in all women of reproductive age, and that they likely offer at least some protection to fetuses through the placenta,…
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US to send millions of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses to Mexico, Canada in loan deal
The United States plans to send a combined 4 million doses of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine to Canada and Mexico, respectively, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Thursday. Psaki during a White House press briefing said the Biden administration is finalizing the “loan,” with some 2.5 million doses to be sent to Mexico while 1.5 million will…
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AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine ‘safe and effective’ amid blood clotting reports, EU regulator says
A safety committee with Europe’s regulator concluded AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, with no ties to an overall increased risk of blood clots in vaccinated individuals. However, a definitive link to serious blood disorders could not be ruled out. Top officials with the European Medicines Agency said the benefits of the vaccine against COVID-19 and its associated hospitalizations and…
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