Even with a , the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on millions of lives. Outside of concerns around catching the virus, the pandemic has brought many businesses – including freelance businesses – to their knees. For some industries, customers dried up overnight as lockdowns continued. Unsurprisingly, this is not just affecting the bottom line, but a looming mental health crisis. In response, a psychologist named the worrying mental health signs to watch for as the pandemic continues.A November 2020 by the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) found that 64% of entrepreneurs report...…Even with a , the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on millions of lives. Outside of concerns around catching the virus, the pandemic has brought many businesses – including freelance businesses – to their knees. For some industries, customers dried up overnight as lockdowns continued. Unsurprisingly, this is not just affecting the bottom line, but a looming mental health crisis. In response, a psychologist named the worrying mental health signs to watch for as the pandemic continues.A November 2020 by the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) found that 64% of entrepreneurs report...WW…

Chemical sensitivities won't go away on their own. You have to make them go away.By signing up to the VICE newsletter you agree to receive electronic communications from VICE that may sometimes include advertisements or sponsored content.…Chemical sensitivities won't go away on their own. You have to make them go away.By signing up to the VICE newsletter you agree to receive electronic communications from VICE that may sometimes include advertisements or sponsored content.WW…

Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder and co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is optimistic about coronavirus vaccine development. The first two vaccine candidates likely to receive FDA authorization, one from Pfizer and one from Moderna, appear to be 95 percent effective against coronavirus. But Gates also has high hopes for vaccines that haven't yet made big headlines, too, with enthusiasm for vaccines developed by AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Novavax. "Almost all the vaccines will work and with very high efficacy levels," Gates told CNN's Fareed Zakaria in an...…Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder and co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is optimistic about coronavirus vaccine development. The first two vaccine candidates likely to receive FDA authorization, one from Pfizer and one from Moderna, appear to be 95 percent effective against coronavirus. But Gates also has high hopes for vaccines that haven't yet made big headlines, too, with enthusiasm for vaccines developed by AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Novavax. "Almost all the vaccines will work and with very high efficacy levels," Gates told CNN's Fareed Zakaria in an...WW…

AstraZeneca Says New Vaccine Up To 90% Effective : Coronavirus Updates Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca made the announcement on Monday, saying that one dosing regimen showed the vaccine was 90% effective in preventing infection.U.K.-based pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has developed a vaccine that initial results show to be "highly effective in preventing" COVID-19, the . The vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, showed an average efficacy of 70% in preventing the coronavirus, according to the company. However, that is an average of two dosing regimens — one involving two...…AstraZeneca Says New Vaccine Up To 90% Effective : Coronavirus Updates Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca made the announcement on Monday, saying that one dosing regimen showed the vaccine was 90% effective in preventing infection.U.K.-based pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has developed a vaccine that initial results show to be "highly effective in preventing" COVID-19, the . The vaccine, developed with the University of Oxford, showed an average efficacy of 70% in preventing the coronavirus, according to the company. However, that is an average of two dosing regimens — one involving two...WW…

A new study finds differences in the immune responses of people who quickly recover from COVID-19Harvard Medical School has received a $5 million gift for Lyme disease research and educationNewborn mice derive protective antibodies from their mothers’ microbiotaWhy are newborns...Elevated levels of a blood clotting factor linked to worse outcomes in severe COVID-19Study finds no relationship between blood type and severity of COVID-19Olfactory support cells, not neurons, are vulnerable to novel coronavirus infectionStay Up to Date© 2020 by The President and Fellows of Harvard College…A new study finds differences in the immune responses of people who quickly recover from COVID-19Harvard Medical School has received a $5 million gift for Lyme disease research and educationNewborn mice derive protective antibodies from their mothers’ microbiotaWhy are newborns...Elevated levels of a blood clotting factor linked to worse outcomes in severe COVID-19Study finds no relationship between blood type and severity of COVID-19Olfactory support cells, not neurons, are vulnerable to novel coronavirus infectionStay Up to Date© 2020 by The President and Fellows of Harvard CollegeWW…

ADMost Greek American kids grow up thinking their parents are the law, but for me, it was actually true. Dad supervised the sentencing unit of the King County prosecutor’s office in Seattle. Mom was a deputy prosecutor for the county.Our family is part of what’s typically a loving, generous culture that’s big on humor. But Greek American parents, as a rule, do not play games when it comes to discipline.And when your father determines the course of persons’ lives (this was before mandatory sentencing guidelines) and your mom cross-examines witnesses for a living, well, you must advocate for...…ADMost Greek American kids grow up thinking their parents are the law, but for me, it was actually true. Dad supervised the sentencing unit of the King County prosecutor’s office in Seattle. Mom was a deputy prosecutor for the county.Our family is part of what’s typically a loving, generous culture that’s big on humor. But Greek American parents, as a rule, do not play games when it comes to discipline.And when your father determines the course of persons’ lives (this was before mandatory sentencing guidelines) and your mom cross-examines witnesses for a living, well, you must advocate for...WW…

ADAs the rages across the country, community health centers and small doctors’ offices, AIDS clinics and homeless shelters are struggling with a scarcity of protective gear to buffer workers from harm, their budgets and buying power unable to compete with large medical institutions.Most U.S. hospitals and health systems have, over the pandemic’s nine months, stitched together systems and improvisations to acquire masks, gowns, gloves and other personal protective equipment. Yet many small health-care and social-service settings continue to suffer from shortages they expect to grow worse.A...…ADAs the rages across the country, community health centers and small doctors’ offices, AIDS clinics and homeless shelters are struggling with a scarcity of protective gear to buffer workers from harm, their budgets and buying power unable to compete with large medical institutions.Most U.S. hospitals and health systems have, over the pandemic’s nine months, stitched together systems and improvisations to acquire masks, gowns, gloves and other personal protective equipment. Yet many small health-care and social-service settings continue to suffer from shortages they expect to grow worse.A...WW…

AstraZeneca said it's preparing to submit the vaccine for regulatory approval and emergency approval from the World Health Organization. File Photo by Dan Himbrechts/EPA-EFEAstraZeneca announced Monday that a vaccine it's been developing with Oxford University has shown to be "highly effective" at preventing , with an average efficacy of 70%.The multinational pharmaceutical company said it has received "positive high-level results" from an interim analysis of clinical trials of its AZD1222 vaccine candidate.The drugmaker has been holding late-stage trials in Britain and Brazil and the...…AstraZeneca said it's preparing to submit the vaccine for regulatory approval and emergency approval from the World Health Organization. File Photo by Dan Himbrechts/EPA-EFEAstraZeneca announced Monday that a vaccine it's been developing with Oxford University has shown to be "highly effective" at preventing , with an average efficacy of 70%.The multinational pharmaceutical company said it has received "positive high-level results" from an interim analysis of clinical trials of its AZD1222 vaccine candidate.The drugmaker has been holding late-stage trials in Britain and Brazil and the...WW…

Daily coronavirus tests will be offered to close contacts of people who have tested positive in England, as a way to reduce the current 14-day quarantine.People will be offered tests every day for a week - and they will not need to isolate unless they test positive.The scheme is initially being trialled in Liverpool from this week.Meanwhile, the government has also promised that all care home residents will be able to hug and touch relatives again by 2021.Under each care home resident will be able to have up to two visitors tested twice a week, the government said.The testing for care home...…Daily coronavirus tests will be offered to close contacts of people who have tested positive in England, as a way to reduce the current 14-day quarantine.People will be offered tests every day for a week - and they will not need to isolate unless they test positive.The scheme is initially being trialled in Liverpool from this week.Meanwhile, the government has also promised that all care home residents will be able to hug and touch relatives again by 2021.Under each care home resident will be able to have up to two visitors tested twice a week, the government said.The testing for care home...WW…

or many of us, the routine trip to the dentist is just one of the ways in which our lives have been disrupted in 2020. The British Dental Association (BDA) estimates that, since the March lockdown, dentists in England have provided nearly 19m fewer treatments than in the same period last year.What do you need to know about dental emergencies, and what more can you do to care for your teeth? We asked the experts.Although some routine dental treatments are now available again, in the UK, surgeries’ operating capacity has been reduced and some are triaging patients according to their level of...…or many of us, the routine trip to the dentist is just one of the ways in which our lives have been disrupted in 2020. The British Dental Association (BDA) estimates that, since the March lockdown, dentists in England have provided nearly 19m fewer treatments than in the same period last year.What do you need to know about dental emergencies, and what more can you do to care for your teeth? We asked the experts.Although some routine dental treatments are now available again, in the UK, surgeries’ operating capacity has been reduced and some are triaging patients according to their level of...WW…

7 Women Who Overcame Pandemic Struggles Share Their Advice : Goats and Soda Nominated by NPR readers, we highlight the story of seven women who overcame personal struggles through the pandemic – and how they found the strength to pull through.Rosemary MisdaryIs there a woman in your community who has overcome great challenges in their personal lives during the pandemic? In October, we . It's part our special report that profiled who – despite the crisis — are surviving and thriving. NPR received over 50 nominations for this call out. Many are women whose lives were upended by the pandemic —...…7 Women Who Overcame Pandemic Struggles Share Their Advice : Goats and Soda Nominated by NPR readers, we highlight the story of seven women who overcame personal struggles through the pandemic – and how they found the strength to pull through.Rosemary MisdaryIs there a woman in your community who has overcome great challenges in their personal lives during the pandemic? In October, we . It's part our special report that profiled who – despite the crisis — are surviving and thriving. NPR received over 50 nominations for this call out. Many are women whose lives were upended by the pandemic —...WW…

Utah Mom Juggles Life Amid The Coronavirus Pandemic Rachael Seranno of Ogden, Utah tries to figure out how to feed her family daily and keep them COVID-19 free. She's the mother of five, living in her father-in-law's two bedroom apartment.Toggle more optionsHeard onToggle more optionsRachael Seranno of Ogden, Utah tries to figure out how to feed her family daily and keep them COVID-19 free. She's the mother of five, living in her father-in-law's two bedroom apartment.SCOTT SIMON, HOST:Since the pandemic began, we've shared the stories of Americans whose work, health and home lives have been...…Utah Mom Juggles Life Amid The Coronavirus Pandemic Rachael Seranno of Ogden, Utah tries to figure out how to feed her family daily and keep them COVID-19 free. She's the mother of five, living in her father-in-law's two bedroom apartment.Toggle more optionsHeard onToggle more optionsRachael Seranno of Ogden, Utah tries to figure out how to feed her family daily and keep them COVID-19 free. She's the mother of five, living in her father-in-law's two bedroom apartment.SCOTT SIMON, HOST:Since the pandemic began, we've shared the stories of Americans whose work, health and home lives have been...WW…

An acquaintance speculated recently that we would only realise after the fact what kind of mad we went during the pandemic, but I already know: I became mad.I used to love baking, especially the showy kind where you produce something slightly flashy to a chorus of coos of admiration. Mine almost never elicited that reaction – I lack skills, attention to detail and artistic flair – but for a few brief, glorious years when my sons were little, I was a cake magician to them. Anything a bit creative filled them with wonder. I made dragons, cartoon characters and even a .But children grow up....…An acquaintance speculated recently that we would only realise after the fact what kind of mad we went during the pandemic, but I already know: I became mad.I used to love baking, especially the showy kind where you produce something slightly flashy to a chorus of coos of admiration. Mine almost never elicited that reaction – I lack skills, attention to detail and artistic flair – but for a few brief, glorious years when my sons were little, I was a cake magician to them. Anything a bit creative filled them with wonder. I made dragons, cartoon characters and even a .But children grow up....WW…

Kentucky Puts Measures In Place To Curb Rising Coronavirus Cases NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Dr. Elizabeth Hawes, a pediatrician at Commonwealth Pediatrics in Lexington, Ky., about the rise in the number of children testing positive for COVID-19.Toggle more optionsHeard onToggle more optionsNPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Dr. Elizabeth Hawes, a pediatrician at Commonwealth Pediatrics in Lexington, Ky., about the rise in the number of children testing positive for COVID-19.NPR thanks our sponsors…Kentucky Puts Measures In Place To Curb Rising Coronavirus Cases NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Dr. Elizabeth Hawes, a pediatrician at Commonwealth Pediatrics in Lexington, Ky., about the rise in the number of children testing positive for COVID-19.Toggle more optionsHeard onToggle more optionsNPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Dr. Elizabeth Hawes, a pediatrician at Commonwealth Pediatrics in Lexington, Ky., about the rise in the number of children testing positive for COVID-19.NPR thanks our sponsorsWW…

November 23, 2020It can beOn a Monday afternoon in March, four days after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued the nation’s first statewide stay-at-home order to slow the spread of the coronavirus, some of Southern California’s most famous landmarks and few cars traveled the region’s notoriously congested freeways.Eight months later, businesses are open, traffic is back — and COVID-19 cases in the state are surging. “This is simply the fastest increase California has seen since the beginning of this pandemic,” Newsom said in a press conference , when he announced a major rollback of the state’s...…November 23, 2020It can beOn a Monday afternoon in March, four days after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued the nation’s first statewide stay-at-home order to slow the spread of the coronavirus, some of Southern California’s most famous landmarks and few cars traveled the region’s notoriously congested freeways.Eight months later, businesses are open, traffic is back — and COVID-19 cases in the state are surging. “This is simply the fastest increase California has seen since the beginning of this pandemic,” Newsom said in a press conference , when he announced a major rollback of the state’s...WW…

A 14-year-old transgender boy is starting legal proceedings against NHS England over delays to gender reassignment treatment.The teenager has waited over a year for referral to the only NHS gender clinic for children and adolescents. The Good Law Project, which is acting for the teenager, says the NHS has a legal obligation to provide specialist care to all patients within 18 weeks, or provide an alternative.NHS England says a review is under way.It announced the An NHS England spokesperson said this would include "how and when children and young people were referred to specialist...…A 14-year-old transgender boy is starting legal proceedings against NHS England over delays to gender reassignment treatment.The teenager has waited over a year for referral to the only NHS gender clinic for children and adolescents. The Good Law Project, which is acting for the teenager, says the NHS has a legal obligation to provide specialist care to all patients within 18 weeks, or provide an alternative.NHS England says a review is under way.It announced the An NHS England spokesperson said this would include "how and when children and young people were referred to specialist...WW…

Urban Hospitals Under Strain As Rural Coronavirus Patients Are Sent To Cities With coronavirus infections at record rates in rural areas, the sickest patients are being sent to big cities for care, and those urban hospitals are getting alarmingly full.Toggle more optionsHeard onAlex SmithFromToggle more optionsWith coronavirus infections at record rates in rural areas, the sickest patients are being sent to big cities for care, and those urban hospitals are getting alarmingly full.SCOTT SIMON, HOST:Many rural communities have resisted masks and calls for social distancing during the...…Urban Hospitals Under Strain As Rural Coronavirus Patients Are Sent To Cities With coronavirus infections at record rates in rural areas, the sickest patients are being sent to big cities for care, and those urban hospitals are getting alarmingly full.Toggle more optionsHeard onAlex SmithFromToggle more optionsWith coronavirus infections at record rates in rural areas, the sickest patients are being sent to big cities for care, and those urban hospitals are getting alarmingly full.SCOTT SIMON, HOST:Many rural communities have resisted masks and calls for social distancing during the...WW…

A mom of eight boys, Kim Gudgeon was at her wits’ end when she called her family doctor in suburban Chicago to schedule a sick visit for increasingly fussy, 1-year-old Bryce.He had been up at night and was disrupting his brothers’ e-learning during the day. “He was just miserable,” Gudgeon said. “And the older kids were like, ‘Mom, I can’t hear my teacher.’ There’s only so much room in the house when you have a crying baby.”She hoped the doctor might just phone in a prescription since Bryce had been seen a few days earlier for a well visit. The doctor had noted redness in one ear but opted...…A mom of eight boys, Kim Gudgeon was at her wits’ end when she called her family doctor in suburban Chicago to schedule a sick visit for increasingly fussy, 1-year-old Bryce.He had been up at night and was disrupting his brothers’ e-learning during the day. “He was just miserable,” Gudgeon said. “And the older kids were like, ‘Mom, I can’t hear my teacher.’ There’s only so much room in the house when you have a crying baby.”She hoped the doctor might just phone in a prescription since Bryce had been seen a few days earlier for a well visit. The doctor had noted redness in one ear but opted...WW…

ADPresident Trump announced two sweeping drug pricing rules Friday that his administration is rushing to finalize before Inauguration Day to make good on his long-standing 2016 campaign promise to reduce what Americans pay for their medicines.But experts said the rules are unlikely to survive legal challenges after the administration shortcut critical parts of the rulemaking process to get them done before President-elect Joe Biden assumes office. Some industry lobbyists also noted that it was unusual to implement controversial policy changes solely through executive authority just before...…ADPresident Trump announced two sweeping drug pricing rules Friday that his administration is rushing to finalize before Inauguration Day to make good on his long-standing 2016 campaign promise to reduce what Americans pay for their medicines.But experts said the rules are unlikely to survive legal challenges after the administration shortcut critical parts of the rulemaking process to get them done before President-elect Joe Biden assumes office. Some industry lobbyists also noted that it was unusual to implement controversial policy changes solely through executive authority just before...WW…

A possible alternative to a vaccine, for people without functioning immune systems, is entering its final stage of trials.The injection was developed using antibodies - made by the immune system to fight infection - produced by a single Covid patient in the US. It is hoped it could provide at least six months' protection for patients who cannot receive vaccines. Trials involving 1,000 UK participants begin in Manchester on Saturday.A further 4,000 people are involved in the trial globally, which is being organised by pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca. Participants will be given either an...…A possible alternative to a vaccine, for people without functioning immune systems, is entering its final stage of trials.The injection was developed using antibodies - made by the immune system to fight infection - produced by a single Covid patient in the US. It is hoped it could provide at least six months' protection for patients who cannot receive vaccines. Trials involving 1,000 UK participants begin in Manchester on Saturday.A further 4,000 people are involved in the trial globally, which is being organised by pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca. Participants will be given either an...WW…

Federal Coronavirus Data Show Health Care Staff Shortages Plague Hospitals : Shots - Health News As COVID-19 hospitalizations surge, new data released by the federal government show how many hospitals are struggling with staffing.More than 1,000 hospitals across the United States are "critically" short on staff, according to numbers released this week by the Department of Health and Human Services. Those hospitals, which span all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, represent about 18% of all hospitals that report their staffing status to HHS. And that number is expected to grow:...…Federal Coronavirus Data Show Health Care Staff Shortages Plague Hospitals : Shots - Health News As COVID-19 hospitalizations surge, new data released by the federal government show how many hospitals are struggling with staffing.More than 1,000 hospitals across the United States are "critically" short on staff, according to numbers released this week by the Department of Health and Human Services. Those hospitals, which span all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, represent about 18% of all hospitals that report their staffing status to HHS. And that number is expected to grow:...WW…

U.S. Passes 12 Million Confirmed Coronavirus Cases : Coronavirus Updates On Friday alone, there were 195,000 new confirmed cases of the virus and 1,878 deaths. The U.S. has been adding 1 million cases every six days.Cases of COVID-19 are in nearly every state as the nation approaches Thanksgiving. The cumulative case count passed 12 million on Saturday, the previous million mark was crossed, which was six days after the previous million. On Friday alone, there were more than 195,000 new confirmed cases and 1,878 deaths reported, . More than 255,000 people have died in total, as of Saturday...…U.S. Passes 12 Million Confirmed Coronavirus Cases : Coronavirus Updates On Friday alone, there were 195,000 new confirmed cases of the virus and 1,878 deaths. The U.S. has been adding 1 million cases every six days.Cases of COVID-19 are in nearly every state as the nation approaches Thanksgiving. The cumulative case count passed 12 million on Saturday, the previous million mark was crossed, which was six days after the previous million. On Friday alone, there were more than 195,000 new confirmed cases and 1,878 deaths reported, . More than 255,000 people have died in total, as of Saturday...WW…

Coronavirus antibodies last at least six months and offer protection against a second infection, a study of healthcare workers suggests.Staff at Oxford University Hospitals were regularly tested both for Covid-19 infections and for antibodies revealing a past infection.The more antibodies people had, the lower their chances of re-infection.A separate study found pre-existing immunity from other coronaviruses also protected against Covid.Infection consultant Dr Katie Jeffery described the Oxford findings as "encouraging news" ahead of forthcoming Covid vaccines.They indicated that having the...…Coronavirus antibodies last at least six months and offer protection against a second infection, a study of healthcare workers suggests.Staff at Oxford University Hospitals were regularly tested both for Covid-19 infections and for antibodies revealing a past infection.The more antibodies people had, the lower their chances of re-infection.A separate study found pre-existing immunity from other coronaviruses also protected against Covid.Infection consultant Dr Katie Jeffery described the Oxford findings as "encouraging news" ahead of forthcoming Covid vaccines.They indicated that having the...WW…

Arctic Lockdown: COVID-19 Climbs In Canada's Far North : Coronavirus Updates A large and isolated region of northeastern Canada entered a two-week lockdown as coronavirus cases creep up in areas, including largely Indigenous communities, with limited access to intensive care.A large and isolated region of northeastern Canada entered a lockdown this week as cases of COVID-19 creep up in parts of the country with limited access to advanced medical care. More than 80 cases have been identified this month in Nunavut, where around 39,000 people, predominantly Inuit, live in communities scattered...…Arctic Lockdown: COVID-19 Climbs In Canada's Far North : Coronavirus Updates A large and isolated region of northeastern Canada entered a two-week lockdown as coronavirus cases creep up in areas, including largely Indigenous communities, with limited access to intensive care.A large and isolated region of northeastern Canada entered a lockdown this week as cases of COVID-19 creep up in parts of the country with limited access to advanced medical care. More than 80 cases have been identified this month in Nunavut, where around 39,000 people, predominantly Inuit, live in communities scattered...WW…

illfields Park in Hackney, east London, is filled with the sound of tiny wheels gliding on concrete after the nearby schools finish for the day. Children in checkerboard shoes and hoodies have come to skateboard at dusk. It is a few days before the start of the second lockdown.Nieko, aged eight, tells me he took it up a few months ago because he just “likes riding around”. His mother, Joanne, a product designer, says she is pleased to get him off the internet. It is, she says, like the old-school days when people would knock on your door and invite you to the local park.Finnbar, 10, says he...…illfields Park in Hackney, east London, is filled with the sound of tiny wheels gliding on concrete after the nearby schools finish for the day. Children in checkerboard shoes and hoodies have come to skateboard at dusk. It is a few days before the start of the second lockdown.Nieko, aged eight, tells me he took it up a few months ago because he just “likes riding around”. His mother, Joanne, a product designer, says she is pleased to get him off the internet. It is, she says, like the old-school days when people would knock on your door and invite you to the local park.Finnbar, 10, says he...WW…