There are many different cancer screenings available for patients depending on the type of cancer they are concerned about. It is important to discuss history with a doctor to consult if screenings should be done and at what age before getting a test. While screenings can detect early cancer, the tests cannot treat the cancer itself and the results should be used as a reference to find preventative measures. This article will provide a brief overview of the current screenings available for certain types of cancers as well as information on when to screen and the risks that are potentially involved.

The COVID-19 pandemic is only 3 short months away from reaching the one year mark. Although social distancing and quarantine are important practices to limit the spread of viruses, these behaviors can also take away something important: human connection. Limited human connection can and has been taking a toll on people’s mental health. This article will offer ways to cope with quarantine as well as suggest practices to improve mental health.

As of Friday, December 11th, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Pfizer’s SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, the first to be approved in the United States. Distribution of the vaccine will follow CDC’s Phase Allocation that takes a logistical, efficient, and ethical approach on who will receive the vaccine first. The beginning of the end is near and this article will clarify how we will reach the end.

On Saturday, November 21st, Regeneron announced that the company’s Antibody Cocktail (casirivimab and imdevimab) for COVID-19 was approved for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Regeneron’s Antibody Cocktail has had a previous time in the press for its role in President Donald Trump’s COVID-19 treatment. As the globe progresses towards a vaccine, medicine still doesn’t have reliable treatments for COVID-19. This article will outline the basics of the Antibody Cocktail, who’s eligible to receive the treatment, and potential outcomes from the FDA’s ruling.

On Monday, November 23rd, AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford released interim data from their Phase 3 clinical trial of ADZ1222, their COVID-19 vaccine. The Phase 3 trial included two dosing regimens where one showed results of 90% efficacy and the second regimen showed 62%. Combined, the entire Phase 3 trial shows an average of 70% efficacy. These results join the race to end the COVID-19 pandemic alongside Pfizer and Moderna. This article will offer background into AZD1222 and the Interim Report, bring insight into the vaccine’s distribution timeline and the outcomes of the results, and identify any unanswered questions.

On Monday, November 16th, Moderna, Inc. reported interim results from their large-scale Phase 3 clinical trial of mRNA-1273, a COVID-19 vaccine. The study shows that mRNA-1273 has an almost 95% efficacy in protecting against a SARS-CoV-2 infection. These results come only a week after Pfizer and BioNTech announced a 90% efficacy for their COVID-19 vaccine candidate, BNT162b2. Moderna’s Phase 3 trial has yet to conclude, but these impressive results continue to bring hope for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. This article will offer background into mRNA-1273 and the Interim Report, bring insight into the vaccine’s distribution timeline and the outcomes of the results, and identify any unanswered questions.

On Monday November 9th, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, Pfizer and BioNTech, announced an interim report on their Phase 3 clinical trial of their COVID-19 vaccine. The report indicates that their two-dose vaccination has about 90% efficacy in preventing a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although the study has not concluded, this data brings into a clearer view the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. This article will offer the background to the BNT162b2 vaccination, a deeper understanding of the interim report, a tentative timeline, and other implications of this progress.

As the world continues to open businesses, cities are creating local guidelines and ordinances to reduce the risk of exposure. However, these policies might vary from one another. This next section outlines unique policies in a variety of large US cities in order to inform restaurant and bar owners of potential steps necessary before reopening their businesses.

As the COVID-19 pandemic pushes forward, businesses are eager to open up. However, opening involves safety risks for employees and customers. This article is for employers and management of restaurants and bars as it outlines safety measures that can be taken to reduce the risk of exposure at work. Below are guidelines on procedures, resources, and maintaining appropriate staff practices as well as summaries of large metropolitan city ordinances for re-opening restaurants and bars.

The race for a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine draws similar parallels to the 1950s race for the moon. Although there is a question about “who’s first?”, the real analogy comes from the final achievement. For humanity in 2020, it is defeating COVID-19. And in this quest to return to normal life, there are several companies developing vaccines that make differentiating the candidates and understanding the science behind them can be seemingly impossible. This article will discuss the basics of each vaccine in Phase 3 testing for major companies in the race for a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Additionally, there will be brief mentions of companies in earlier phases of vaccine testing.

Influenza is a recurring sickness in the human population due to its ability to mutate rapidly, which can play a role in how infectious and deadly the virus is. In any given year, the CDC projects that between 9 and 45 million people fall ill to the flu in the United States. 140,000 to 810,000 of those cases require hospitalization, resulting in 12,000 to 61,000 deaths annually.

It is well known in the Northern Hemisphere that flu season starts as early as October and ends in April or May. As most of the world enters flu season amid a pandemic, there’s worry and confusion on how to identify influenza apart from COVID-19. This article will outline the basics of flu season, the general differences and similarities, responses to illness, the importance of preventative habits, and current trends of the 2020 flu season.

Only days after the first Presidential Debate (September 29th, 2020) between President Donald Trump and Vice President Joe Biden, President Trump tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and was diagnosed with COVID-19. He was quickly admitted into Walter Reed Hospital where he received a variety of treatments for COVID-19, some of which were experimental. New treatments used for the President is already a cause for concern. However, President Trump’s recovery sparks more interest in what these experimental treatments were. This article will dive into the science of the dexamethasone, remdesivir, and Regeneron Antibody Cocktail treatments that President Trump received while at Walter Reed Hospital and the likeliness of these treatments moving to an open market.

As the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, face masks became a new normal almost overnight. Additionally, we started to maintain 6ft. distance between each other in a practice known as physical distancing. These were due, in part to a global strategy to minimize the transmission of COVID-19. Stores began requiring the use of a face mask. And soon after, state governments were doing the same thing. Alongside these requirements, steps were implemented to ensure proper mask usage. However, there was a lack of explanation as to why masks are effective. This article will outline several reasons why masks and physical distancing are essential steps in stopping the transmission of COVID-19.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the American Red Cross has been experiencing a blood shortage due to rapid donation cancellations. In the effort to continue blood drives and increase the blood supply, the Red Cross is committed to ensure Blood Drive Safety. Additionally, the Red Cross has begun testing each donation for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. To join in the effort, we encourage everyone who is eligible and healthy to find a local blood drive and donate.