Every year as flu season emerges, so too do myths and misconceptions about the flu shot. Some people avoid getting the vaccine because they don’t think it works well enough to be worth it. Some think they are too healthy to need it. And some worry it will make them sick, possibly remembering a time […]
public health
Posted inNation / World
The FDA is redefining healthy food. Do pizza bagels and gum count?
NEW YORK (AP) — Pizza bagels, chewing gum and bottled water want to play a starring new role in our diets: Foods that can be called healthy. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is revamping its definition of healthy to reflect our changing understanding of nutrition science. The push is fueling debate about eating habits […]
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Posted inNation / World
Last season, adult flu vaccinations dropped and that could be why deaths rose
Fewer than 4 out of 10 adults in the United States got flu shots last winter, the lowest rate in seven seasons and one likely reason why the 2017-2018 season was the deadliest in decades. Reports released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide new details outlining the severity of the past […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, sj-web
Nursing students give Lewiston a shot
Jay Young, left, distracts Shannon Lynch while she gets her free flu shot Thursday from Randi St. Amand at Trinity Jubilee Center in Lewiston. Young and St. Amand are nursing students at the University of Southern Maine and are participating in a two-semester community health care partnership. Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston provided logistical […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, River Valley
Hospitals, food bank work to end food insecurity and chronic illness
RUMFORD — Patients discharged from Rumford Hospital this year may find that they’ve been given a bag of healthful, high-protein food and a list of where to find food pantries. The hospital, along with Bridgton Hospital and Family Medicine Residency in Lewiston, is participating in the Community Health and Hunger Program in partnership with Good […]
Posted inNation / World
Fentanyl test strips lead to more caution among illicit drug users
Illicit drug users who are certain that fentanyl is mixed into the heroin they consume are much more likely to take precautions that reduce their chances of overdosing, researchers reported Wednesday in a small study. The survey examined the use of fentanyl test strips by 125 injection drug users in Greensboro, North Carolina, over a […]
Posted inFootball, Local & State, Varsity Maine
Scarborough cancels football game because of concerns over hand, foot and mouth disease
Scarborough High officials announced that Friday’s homecoming football game against Massabesic has been called off because of concerns over hand, foot and mouth disease. In a letter sent to parents, students and community members on Thursday night, Scarborough officials said Massabesic High has reported cases of coxsackievirus, which causes hand, foot and mouth disease. The […]
Posted inNation / World
CDC: Last year’s flu broke records for deaths and illnesses
Flu killed and hospitalized more people in the United States last winter than any seasonal influenza in decades, according to new data released Thursday. It’s the most detailed picture of the devastating reach of the respiratory virus, which sickened millions of people as overwhelmed hospitals pitched tents to treat patients. As a new flu season […]
Posted inNation / World
FDA chief warns of epidemic among youth, threatens to ban e-cigarette flavors
Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has dramatically escalated his efforts to stop an “epidemic” of teenage vaping, announcing Wednesday a massive enforcement action against retailers for allegedly selling e-cigarettes to minors and warning manufacturers of a potential ban of flavored e-cigarette liquids. Officials said the move against more than 1,300 retailers was the […]
Posted inNation / World
Jet quarantined at New York’s Kennedy Airport after reports of sick passengers
NEW YORK (AP) — A plane was quarantined at New York’s Kennedy Airport amid reports of numerous ill passengers aboard a flight from Dubai. There were conflicting reports about how many people were sick aboard the Emirates flight, which landed around 9:10 a.m. Wednesday. The airline says about 10 passengers were ill and got medical […]