Influenza Virus Symptoms

Many Americans are sick and tired of COVID-19 and are not worried about getting sick, and so they are skipping the latest vaccine. A survey of 1,400 Americans found 51% have no plans to get the new vaccine released in September because they are not worried about getting infected. The survey was done the first week of November by the Kaiser Family Foundation as the holiday season arrives when people travel more, are in closer contact with others and exposure risk goes up. The holidays historically see upticks in COVID-19 infections since the pandemic hit in spring 2020. President Joe Biden declared the pandemic over this past April. A year ago heading into the 2022 holiday season, an Axios/Ipsos Coronavirus Index found half of Americans had already returned to pre-COVID routines. The latest survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found 74% of respondents are "not too worried" or "not at all worried" about getting COVID-19 over the holidays. More: COVID-19's comeba...

By Anchorage Daily News Updated: October 12, 2023 Published: October 10, 2023 Registered nurse Cindy Price looks at the line of cars while in between administering flu shots with clinical pharmacist Rochelle Wolfram, left, during a drive-thru flu shot clinic at Alaska Regional Hospital in Anchorage on Oct. 7, 2021. (Emily Mesner / ADN) Health officials are recommending that Alaskans receive their annual flu shot as we enter a new flu season, and in Anchorage, there are several upcoming opportunities to receive a free immunization. Last year's flu season in Alaska rocketed off to an early start, with flu cases climbing in November before peaking in December. The number of influenza cases during the 2022-23 season surpassed counts from the prior four flu seasons, according to a September report from the Alaska Section of Epidemiology, which also noted that flu vaccine coverage among Alaska adults lagged substantially behind national rates. Getting an annual flu shot is recommended...

United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., announced the conviction of Dr. Melissa Rose Barrett, age 49, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Clive, Iowa, with tax evasion.  Barrett was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 8, 2022.  After a seven-day trial before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson, the jury unanimously convicted Barrett of one count of tax evasion.  Barrett, a physician, owned and operated an urgent care clinic known as Stat Care Clinics, L.L.C. d/b/a Central Stat Care.  As the evidence at trial demonstrated, for tax years 2007 through 2017, Barrett owed significant taxes totaling approximately $1.6 million, excluding interest and penalties.  The IRS notified Dr. Barrett that she owed taxes multiple times and through various means.  Dr. Barrett undertook various steps to evade the payment of her outstanding tax liability, including preparing and filing with the IRS a false form underreporting income and i...

Sage Health CEO John Haskell's father was hospitalized for more than a month and the care he received was inadequate, he believed. His primary care provider was absent, and some of the medical professionals that attended him didn't bother to read his medical records. At one point, his father suffered from an accidental medication overdose due to a pharmacy error. Haskell decided he wanted to try and create a better option for seniors and their families. Sage Health, based in Nashville, Tenn., was born. Three Sage Health centers will be opened by the end of the year in Central Arkansas, the company recently announced. One center opened in North Little Rock in late October and two more centers will be opened later this year in Little Rock and Bryant. "Sage Health was founded to open doors to better health for all seniors," said John Haskell. "This is not a conventional doctor's office – these are highly equipped and comfortable centers led by hi...

Key Takeaways Shingrix, a shingles vaccine in the U.S., provides seven to 10 years of protection following the initial two-dose administration, according to infectious disease experts.  Shingles vaccine efficacy may decline over time, influenced by factors such as age and the strength of a person's immune system.  There is currently no Shingrix booster shot. The shingles vaccine used in the United States, called Shingrix, is more than 90% effective at preventing shingles.  Since it's only been FDA-approved since 2017, there's not an extensive amount of information about how long that effectiveness lasts. But research on the duration is emerging every year. Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful skin rash with blisters that can occur anywhere on the body, Sarath Nath, MD, an infectious disease expert and assistant professor at Stony Brook Medicine, told Verywell. It's caused by varicella zoster virus (VZ...

Milton Keynes City Council is encouraging eligible residents to get their free flu and COVID-19 vaccinations this winter. This year, only 26% of the city's most vulnerable residents have been vaccinated against flu, compared to 34% vaccinated by this point last year.  Similarly, fewer than half of eligible residents have come forward for COVID-19 vaccinations. Flu and COVID-19 can be unpleasant, but most people will recover without hospital treatment. However, people aged over 65, pregnant women, young children and those with existing medical conditions have a higher risk of getting seriously ill. Getting the flu and COVID-19 vaccines are two of the most important things eligible people can do to protect themselves from serious illness this winter. If you have any questions or concerns, please speak to your GP or a health professional. Adblock test (Why?)

An itchy, scaly rash can be unsightly and drive you crazy. But most fungal infections aren't dangerous, and you can usually treat them easily with creams. If you tend to get repeated fungal infections, talk to your healthcare provider about how to prevent rashes from returning. Ringworm is one of the most common skin infections that is caused by a fungus. It is contagious and extremely common. It can affect 20 to 25 per cent of the world's population at any given time. It's called "ringworm" because it can cause a circular rash (shaped like a ring) that is usually red and itchy. Anyone can get ringworm. The fungi that cause this infection can live on skin, surfaces, and on household items such as clothing, towels, and bedding. Ringworm typically begins as a flat, discoloured patch, which may appear red in lighter complexions and brown in darker complexions. The pa...