If you are reading this in the United States, you’re probably dwelling on the great mask debate—not about whether to mask on (definitely do it), but instead about how to make a mask that works. But first things first: simple cloth masks will help get the job done of minimizing the spread of viral particles […]
Is it safe to go to the gym during the coronavirus pandemic? It depends on where you live and the precautions you and the gym take. If cases of COVID-19 are poorly controlled where you live, experts say it’s best to stay away. But if you live in an area where the spread is being […]
Figurative language, by which the speaker intends to communicate something other than what is actually said by the words used, is commonplace in human communication. Some claim that metaphorical expressions such as “My home has become a prison” or “My daughter is a monster” are used on average six times during every minute of conversation. […]
Is it safe to form a COVID-19 “support bubble” with friends? Yes, if done correctly. Support bubbles, also known as quarantine pods, may help fend off loneliness and anxiety after months of social distancing. The idea, which originated in New Zealand, calls for two people or households to agree to socialize in person only with […]
You may have read that a more aggressive and contagious form of coronavirus is making its way across the United States. But experts say there’s no need to worry about a potentially more harmful strain of the virus, according to NPR. Here’s how the news spread A study from the Los Alamos National Laboratory concluded […]
France is “ready to massively test” people suspected of having the coronavirus and anyone who has come into contact with them from next week, the country’s health minister said Thursday. Olivier Veran said France will be able carry out 700,000 PCR tests a week for the virus from Monday when it begins the fraught process […]
A glass of wine or beer is a relaxing way to end the day, but in these times of COVID-19 stress, is it possible to drink a little too much? Casual drinking could tipple into something more if we aren’t mindful of it, said psychologist Becky Ponting, a University of Alberta counsellor who often helps […]
Immunocompromised is a broad term reflecting the fact someone’s immune system isn’t as strong and balanced as it should be. Because immunocompromised people’s immune systems are defective or ineffective, they’re unable to stop invasion and colonisation by foreign intruders, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19. An under-performing immune response leaves people susceptible to infection, […]
There are three main types of pain: nociceptive pain, the type we’re most familiar with, from bee stings and ankle strains to inflammatory arthritis. There’s neuropathic pain, arising from damage to the peripheral nervous system or the brain itself due to disease or injury. Then there are functional pain disorders arising from complex organic dysfunction, […]
A pre-print study using data from medical wristbands suggests that evidence of disrupted sleep could predict when study participants were coming down with the flu—24 hours before they became contagious. The study is posted on the arXiv and has been submitted to IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering. It is in its second round of review […]
