Though most Americans are well aware that protecting themselves from sunburn is important, many don’t take precautions, a new survey finds. Protecting yourself from exposure to sunlight is the best way of preventing skin cancer, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). The results of the AAD survey show that 76% of Americans know the importance of sun protection, but only 41% regularly protect themselves outdoors. Exposure to harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays is the most preventable risk factor for skin cancer, but 28% of survey respondents said they rarely or never use sun protection and 65% don’t know that shade protects them from UV rays. “It is estimated that more than 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day, and nearly 20 Americans die every day from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer,” said Dr. Bruce Thiers, the president of the AAD. “Skin cancer affects more Americans than any other cancer, yet most cases are preventable by seeking shade, wearing sun-protective clothing and applying sunscreen on all skin not covered by clothing,” he added in an AAD news release. The AAD recommends that everyone: Seek shade when the sun’s rays are the strongest, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wear sun-protective clothing, such as long-sleeved shirts, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses. Use a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with a sun-protection factor (SPF)…  read on >

Contact lens users may be at increased risk for coronavirus infection, so they need to be extra careful, an eye expert says. “There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 transmission by handling of contact lenses,” said David Chu, assistant professor of ophthalmology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, in Newark. “However, since contact lenses can cause eye irritation, wearers tend to touch their face or to rub their eyes more often, which puts them at a higher risk for acquiring infection.” Strict hygiene is essential when wearers handle their contacts. “They must wash their hands for a minimum of 20 seconds with soap and water, and dry their hands completely before handling contact lenses,” Chu said in a Rutgers news release. Standard contact lens care techniques should be adequate during the coronavirus pandemic. But people who are more vulnerable to COVID-19 or who live with someone diagnosed with the virus should consider switching to glasses, Chu suggested. Even though SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been found in human tears, it seems to be uncommon, Chu said. In case studies, patients who tested positive for the virus in their nose and throat did not have detectable levels in their tears. It’s not clear whether tears can transmit COVID-19, but it appears unlikely, according to Chu. Conjunctivitis (“pink eye”) is a symptom of COVID-19, but…  read on >

You can’t hug or shake hands these days without risking coronavirus infection, but new research finds that sexual intercourse might be safe. Researchers analyzed semen samples from 34 men in China an average of one month after they were diagnosed with mild to moderate cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Laboratory tests did not detect the coronavirus in any of the semen samples, and there was no evidence of the virus in the men’s testes, according to the study published online recently in the journal Fertility and Sterility. While this small study suggests that the chances of sexual transmission of the coronavirus are remote, it wasn’t comprehensive enough to fully rule out the possibility, the researchers noted. “The fact that in this small, preliminary study that it appears the virus that causes COVID-19 doesn’t show up in the testes or semen could be an important finding,” said study co-author Dr. James Hotaling, an associate professor of urology specializing in male fertility at University of Utah Health. “If a disease like COVID-19 were sexually transmittable, that would have major implications for disease prevention and could have serious consequences for a man’s long-term reproductive health,” he said in a university news release. Along with the small number of patients, another limitation of the study was that none of them were severely ill with COVID-19,…  read on >

Beware of your fridge, pantry and couch during the coronavirus pandemic. Being cooped up at home with easy access to food can lead to overeating. Couple that with routine housekeeping, working from home, homeschooling your kids and tending to loved ones, and it’s a sure-fire recipe for weight gain, experts at the University of Georgia in Athens warn. “These tasks have been added to our many other responsibilities,” said Emma Laing, director of dietetics in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. “So if something has to give as we strive to find our new normal, routines surrounding eating and physical activity might go out the window.” To stay on track, get up off the couch. Try to set times during the day for physical activity you enjoy, and to eat regular meals and snacks that provide adequate energy and hydration. “In creating this schedule, do so while maintaining flexibility,” Laing said. “It’s important to trust our bodies’ cues for hunger, so listen to those first.” Try to avoid mindless snacking. Social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic doesn’t mean you have to stop exercising. In fact, physical activity is a crucial stress management strategy. Ali Berg, a Cooperative Extension nutrition and health specialist, pointed out that “physical activity is good for maintaining immunity, in addition to adequate nutrition. Being active is also good for mental…  read on >

As you shelter at home during the coronavirus pandemic, eliminate hazards inside that could lead to falls, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) suggests. Preventing injuries will help avoid putting added strain on a health care system struggling to treat COVID-19 patients, academy spokesman Dr. Todd Swenning said. One out of five falls causes a serious injury, such as a broken bone or even head trauma, he added. “While common perception is that falls only happen to older populations, the truth is that anyone is susceptible, especially with increased family members in the home or changes to your daily routine,” Swenning said in an academy news release. “The good news is that most falls can be prevented with a few simple precautions.” Start with your footwear. Wear sturdy and proper footwear, make sure your shoes are properly tied, don’t wear socks without grips, and replace stretched out or loose slippers, Swenning advised. In the bedroom: Place a lamp, telephone or flashlight near your bed; have a bed that’s easy to get into and out of; put a nightlight between your bedroom and the bathroom; and arrange clothes in your closet so that they’re easy to reach. In other areas of your home: Arrange furniture so there are clear paths between rooms; install easy-access light switches at room entrances so you don’t have to walk…  read on >

Once you’ve had COVID-19 and recovered, are you now immune from the virus? That’s the critical question that will help shape how the United States re-opens for business in the coming months. Unfortunately, there’s still no clear answer. It’s still too soon to tell if the first wave of COVID-19 survivors will remain immune to the virus for any appreciable length of time. But the nation’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, thinks there’s a good chance that people might gain lasting immunity following COVID-19 infection. “We’re making an assumption, which I think is a reasonable assumption, that this virus is not changing very much,” said Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. “If we get infected in February and March, and recover, next September or October the person who was infected I believe is going to be protected. We don’t know 100% for sure, but I think that is a reasonable assumption.” But there’s also reason to question the potential for lasting immunity against COVID-19, said Dr. Greg Poland, director of the Vaccine Research Group at the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minn. Immunity may vary The novel coronavirus behind COVID-19 belongs to a family of viruses that has a very uneven track record with the human immune system, Poland noted. “With the four seasonal beta coronaviruses that circulate…  read on >

New research suggests that having an underlying health condition might be one of the most significant risk factors for developing a severe case of COVID-19. Scientists at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took a look at a group of U.S. adult COVID-19 patients and found roughly three-quarters of those who wound up in the hospital had at least one underlying health issue. For 457 patients who were admitted to intensive care, 78% had other health conditions, while 71% of 732 patients admitted to the hospital, but not intensive care, had at least one other health issue. The mortality data showed an even stronger correlation: Among all hospitalized COVID-19 adult patients with complete information on underlying conditions or risk factors, 184 deaths occurred. Of those, 173 (94%) involved patients with at least one underlying condition, according to the CDC’s COVID-19 Response Team, led by researcher Nancy Chow. Those conditions include diseases that strike people of all ages, including asthma and diabetes, along with heart disease and lung disease. Unfortunately, those very conditions are quite common among Americans, the researchers noted: In 2018, the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes among U.S. adults was just over 10%, while the prevalence of heart disease was 10.6% in 2017. Meanwhile, the prevalence of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) among U.S. adults was almost 6% and the prevalence of…  read on >