As a medical student working with Alberta Health Services to vaccinate people against COVID-19, I have been asked my fair share of questions about the COVID-19 vaccines—from the need for booster doses to rare side effects. A few days ago, I told an individual who was about to receive her second dose of the Moderna […]
Being a good conversationalist isn’t about waxing poetic on your own accomplishments, interesting as your life may be (sorry, pal). It’s about asking good questions and actively listening to the other person’s answers. Depending on the scenario, you might want to ask some deep questions that help you get to know someone better. Other times, […]
‘My feet burn with pain if I go walking’: DR MARTIN SCURR answers your health questions I’m an avid walker aged 74, but now find after a few miles I get a tingling feeling in my little toe which spreads to the pad of my foot and burns, so it’s painful to walk. A consultant […]
Today, Google revealed its annual Year In Search report, and of course the novel coronavirus was among the top searches, only second to the election results. People turned to Dr. Google to ask all sorts of questions about COVID-19 as reports of the virus hit the news cycle, then continued to rely on the search […]
Reports that one of the vaccines for COVID-19 has shown highly promising results are a ray of hope for a world in the shadow of surging virus cases. But does it mean the pandemic is coming to an end? Not so fast, experts say, with many questions remaining about who it will protect and for […]
Brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies are no longer hypothetical, yet there are fundamental aspects of the technology that remain unaddressed by both ethicists and policy-makers. Two new papers address these issues by outlining the outstanding ethical issues, offering guidance for addressing those issues, and offering particular insight into the field of BCI tech for cognitive enhancement. […]
Simple steps to deal with a blocked-up gut: Dr MARTIN SCURR answers your health questions QUESTION: My granddaughter, who is in her mid-20s, has always suffered from constipation. She sometimes goes for up to six days without using the toilet. What can she do to keep regular? Name and address supplied. ANSWER: The term ‘constipation’ can […]
Intolerances to chemicals, foods and drugs impact 8%-33% of individuals, studies suggest, yet few people are screened for it at their doctors’ offices. To address this and increase awareness of chemical intolerance, researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) developed and validated a three-question, yes-or-no survey […]
Screening for symptoms of COVID-19 and self-quarantine are good at preventing sick people from spreading the coronavirus. But more and more evidence is suggesting that people without symptoms are spreading the virus too. Monica Gandhi, an infectious diseases physician and researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, explains what is known about asymptomatic spread […]
When Leonid Shlykov’s father, Sergei, died in a Moscow hospital last month after 11 days on a ventilator, the death certificate listed the coronavirus as an underlying condition but not the actual cause of death. “Yes, he was suffering from impaired kidney function and diabetes, but if it hadn’t been for COVID-19, he would’ve been […]
