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THURSDAY, Feb. 4, 2020 (HealthDay) — Being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 is not a foolproof shield against reinfection, a small preliminary study warns. The finding stems from tracking nearly 3,250 young U.S. Marine recruits between May and October. Of those, 189 had previously tested positive for the SAR-CoV-2 virus. During the six-week study itself, 10% of those who had tested positive got reinfected. “You don’t have a get-out-of-jail-free card just because you have antibodies from a previous infection,” said study author Dr. Stuart Sealfon. He’s a professor of neurology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, which conducted the study in collaboration with the Naval Medical Research Center. The findings were recently published in the preprint server medRXiv and have not been peer-reviewed. All the Marines were beginning basic training and were initially held in Navy quarantine for two weeks, after two weeks of at-home quarantine, according to the study. Once training began, recruits were tested for COVID-19 every two weeks over a six-week period. The result: 19 of the 189 recruits who already had COVID tested positive for a second infection during the study. Researchers said first- and second- infections involved the same strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and none involved the new, more transmissible U.K., South African or Brazilian strains that have raised alarm in…  read on >  read on >

Want to live like you did in the carefree days before the pandemic? Just roll up your sleeve when your turn comes to get the COVID-19 vaccine, three major medical groups urge in a new public service campaign. The vaccines are safe, effective and will help end the pandemic, according to the American Hospital Association, American Medical Association and American Nurses Association. “To defeat COVID-19 and get back the moments with friends and family we all miss, we need as many shots in arms as possible,” said Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the hospital association. “It’s imperative that all Americans consider the health of their loved ones and make the decision to take the COVID-19 vaccine when it is their turn,” Pollack said in a joint association news release. Dr. Susan Bailey, president of the American Medical Association, agreed, calling on Americans to exercise civic responsibility. “Whether enough people get the COVID-19 vaccine decides our future and the future toll of the virus, so be ready to do your part,” Bailey said. What if you have concerns in the meantime? Ernest Grant, president of the American Nurses Association, suggested reaching out to a nurse, doctor or other health care professional to get your questions answered. “Try to connect with someone you know and trust who has received a COVID-19 vaccine and ask them about…  read on >  read on >

A virus-linked cancer killing California sea lions is sounding a chilling alarm for mankind. Exposure to environmental toxins significantly boosts risk for the herpes-like cancer, which was discovered in sea lions in 1979. Since then, between 18% and 23% of adult sea lions admitted to a California animal rescue-and-research center have died of the disease. That’s the highest rate for a single type of cancer in any mammal, including humans, the researchers said. “The decades of research looking into this deadly disease clearly shows the ocean environment we all share is in trouble, and that we need to find solutions to protect our collective health,” said study co-author Pádraig Duignan, chief pathologist at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, Calif. The study — based on more than 20 years of research and examination of nearly 400 California sea lions — was recently published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science. The researchers said more must be done to stop ecosystem pollution in order to prevent virus-caused cancer in both wildlife and humans. The study found that the blubber of California sea lions has among the highest levels of some organic pollutants found in any marine mammal. “Even though some of the pollutants we’re finding in the blubber have been out of use for years, these cancer-causing elements remain in the environment for a very long…  read on >  read on >

THURSDAY, Feb. 4, 2020 (HealthDay) — Being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 is not a foolproof shield against reinfection, a small preliminary study warns. The finding stems from tracking nearly 3,250 young U.S. Marine recruits between May and October. Of those, 189 had previously tested positive for the SAR-CoV-2 virus. During the six-week study itself, 10% of those who had tested positive got reinfected. “You don’t have a get-out-of-jail-free card just because you have antibodies from a previous infection,” said study author Dr. Stuart Sealfon. He’s a professor of neurology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, which conducted the study in collaboration with the Naval Medical Research Center. The findings were recently published in the preprint server medRXiv and have not been peer-reviewed. All the Marines were beginning basic training and were initially held in Navy quarantine for two weeks, after two weeks of at-home quarantine, according to the study. Once training began, recruits were tested for COVID-19 every two weeks over a six-week period. The result: 19 of the 189 recruits who already had COVID tested positive for a second infection during the study. Researchers said first- and second- infections involved the same strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and none involved the new, more transmissible U.K., South African or Brazilian strains that have raised alarm in…  read on >  read on >

Want to live like you did in the carefree days before the pandemic? Just roll up your sleeve when your turn comes to get the COVID-19 vaccine, three major medical groups urge in a new public service campaign. The vaccines are safe, effective and will help end the pandemic, according to the American Hospital Association, American Medical Association and American Nurses Association. “To defeat COVID-19 and get back the moments with friends and family we all miss, we need as many shots in arms as possible,” said Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the hospital association. “It’s imperative that all Americans consider the health of their loved ones and make the decision to take the COVID-19 vaccine when it is their turn,” Pollack said in a joint association news release. Dr. Susan Bailey, president of the American Medical Association, agreed, calling on Americans to exercise civic responsibility. “Whether enough people get the COVID-19 vaccine decides our future and the future toll of the virus, so be ready to do your part,” Bailey said. What if you have concerns in the meantime? Ernest Grant, president of the American Nurses Association, suggested reaching out to a nurse, doctor or other health care professional to get your questions answered. “Try to connect with someone you know and trust who has received a COVID-19 vaccine and ask them about…  read on >  read on >

A virus-linked cancer killing California sea lions is sounding a chilling alarm for mankind. Exposure to environmental toxins significantly boosts risk for the herpes-like cancer, which was discovered in sea lions in 1979. Since then, between 18% and 23% of adult sea lions admitted to a California animal rescue-and-research center have died of the disease. That’s the highest rate for a single type of cancer in any mammal, including humans, the researchers said. “The decades of research looking into this deadly disease clearly shows the ocean environment we all share is in trouble, and that we need to find solutions to protect our collective health,” said study co-author Pádraig Duignan, chief pathologist at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, Calif. The study — based on more than 20 years of research and examination of nearly 400 California sea lions — was recently published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science. The researchers said more must be done to stop ecosystem pollution in order to prevent virus-caused cancer in both wildlife and humans. The study found that the blubber of California sea lions has among the highest levels of some organic pollutants found in any marine mammal. “Even though some of the pollutants we’re finding in the blubber have been out of use for years, these cancer-causing elements remain in the environment for a very long…  read on >  read on >

THURSDAY, Feb. 4, 2020 (HealthDay) — Being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 is not a foolproof shield against reinfection, a small preliminary study warns. The finding stems from tracking nearly 3,250 young U.S. Marine recruits between May and October. Of those, 189 had previously tested positive for the SAR-CoV-2 virus. During the six-week study itself, 10% of those who had tested positive got reinfected. “You don’t have a get-out-of-jail-free card just because you have antibodies from a previous infection,” said study author Dr. Stuart Sealfon. He’s a professor of neurology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, which conducted the study in collaboration with the Naval Medical Research Center. The findings were recently published in the preprint server medRXiv and have not been peer-reviewed. All the Marines were beginning basic training and were initially held in Navy quarantine for two weeks, after two weeks of at-home quarantine, according to the study. Once training began, recruits were tested for COVID-19 every two weeks over a six-week period. The result: 19 of the 189 recruits who already had COVID tested positive for a second infection during the study. Researchers said first- and second- infections involved the same strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and none involved the new, more transmissible U.K., South African or Brazilian strains that have raised alarm in…  read on >  read on >

Want to live like you did in the carefree days before the pandemic? Just roll up your sleeve when your turn comes to get the COVID-19 vaccine, three major medical groups urge in a new public service campaign. The vaccines are safe, effective and will help end the pandemic, according to the American Hospital Association, American Medical Association and American Nurses Association. “To defeat COVID-19 and get back the moments with friends and family we all miss, we need as many shots in arms as possible,” said Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the hospital association. “It’s imperative that all Americans consider the health of their loved ones and make the decision to take the COVID-19 vaccine when it is their turn,” Pollack said in a joint association news release. Dr. Susan Bailey, president of the American Medical Association, agreed, calling on Americans to exercise civic responsibility. “Whether enough people get the COVID-19 vaccine decides our future and the future toll of the virus, so be ready to do your part,” Bailey said. What if you have concerns in the meantime? Ernest Grant, president of the American Nurses Association, suggested reaching out to a nurse, doctor or other health care professional to get your questions answered. “Try to connect with someone you know and trust who has received a COVID-19 vaccine and ask them about…  read on >  read on >

A virus-linked cancer killing California sea lions is sounding a chilling alarm for mankind. Exposure to environmental toxins significantly boosts risk for the herpes-like cancer, which was discovered in sea lions in 1979. Since then, between 18% and 23% of adult sea lions admitted to a California animal rescue-and-research center have died of the disease. That’s the highest rate for a single type of cancer in any mammal, including humans, the researchers said. “The decades of research looking into this deadly disease clearly shows the ocean environment we all share is in trouble, and that we need to find solutions to protect our collective health,” said study co-author Pádraig Duignan, chief pathologist at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, Calif. The study — based on more than 20 years of research and examination of nearly 400 California sea lions — was recently published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science. The researchers said more must be done to stop ecosystem pollution in order to prevent virus-caused cancer in both wildlife and humans. The study found that the blubber of California sea lions has among the highest levels of some organic pollutants found in any marine mammal. “Even though some of the pollutants we’re finding in the blubber have been out of use for years, these cancer-causing elements remain in the environment for a very long…  read on >  read on >

Combining drugs with driving is a potentially deadly but all too common combination in the United States, according to a new report. University of Cincinnati (UC) researchers found that almost 9% of adults reported driving under the influence of alcohol. Marijuana use among drivers was more than 4%, while many adults also use both pot and other drugs in combination with alcohol. The most commonly reported drugs used while driving were marijuana and opioids, the study found. “We need to focus our efforts on drugged driving, in addition to drunk driving, because drugged driving causes such a high level of fatalities,” said study lead author Andrew Yockey. He’s a doctoral student in UC’s College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services. With lawful marijuana use rising in the United States, there are concerns about road safety, the researchers said in a university news release. Keith King, director of the UC Center for Prevention Science, said, “There is serious concern as to how legalization will affect driving behaviors among adults.” King called for more research to evaluate the impact of legalization. The team also emphasized education at an early age and identifying culturally relevant prevention strategies. For the study, the researchers used sample data from the 2016 to 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The investigators found that men were significantly more likely than…  read on >  read on >