It is the beginning of 2022—time to put your new year’s resolution to quit smoking into action.  It’s going to take a lot of discipline and patience when you consider some of the eye-opening facts and stats about smoking and withdrawal, but hopefully, if you implement the guidance below, you’ll be one of the success stories.  There are 1 billion smokers worldwide. As reported by CNN Health, of more than 2,000 people surveyed about their resolutions at the end of 2016 by research consultancy Populus, 175 (8 percent) had chosen to quit smoking, but only 41 percent of those 175 kept it going...

On December 22, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Pfizer’s Paxlovid, making it the first oral treatment for mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in at-risk patients.  This authorization is a potential gamechanger for treating COVID-19 and its variants. As stated in the FDA press release, “This authorization provides a new tool to combat COVID-19 at a crucial time in the pandemic as new variants emerge and promises to make antiviral treatment more accessible to patients who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19,”...

Both the seasonal flu and COVID-19 are contagious respiratory illnesses that develop as a result of two different viral infections: the influenza virus and the coronavirus. Both are spread through respiratory droplets (from sneezing, coughing, talking closely, or touching shared surfaces) and present with similar symptoms.  But upon closer comparison, the flu and COVID-19 affect people differently, which is further reflected in complications and their treatment. According to the CDC, COVID-19 is more contagious and more likely to cause serious illness, hospitalizations, and death.  Keep in...

News and social media outlets have seen a new wave of misleading and false information about the Omicron variant since the first appearance of the coronavirus. Although misinformation about COVID-19 has been constant, the emergence of Omicron has fueled new false claims and given life to old ones.  As scientists and public health officials still have much to learn about the new variant, impatience prompts many people to seek any information they can find. Given the uncertainty around this ever-changing virus, it can be challenging to know where to turn for reliable news and guidance.  The...

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 604,000 women worldwide received cervical cancer diagnoses, and approximately 342,000 died from the disease in 2020. Among women, cervical cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer and the fourth most frequently occurring cancer-related death.  The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) marks January as Cervical Cancer Awareness Month to support the WHO’s efforts to combat the disease. Understanding the risks, symptoms, and early detection methods can protect you and those you love.  What Is Cervical Cancer and Its Symptoms?  The...