Eligible Americans may be in line for some extra cash, but time is running out to claim. The refunds stem from IRS penalties and interest that some taxpayers paid during the COVID-19 emergency after the IRS had postponed many tax deadlines. A recent federal court ruling — Kwong v. United States — found that the … Read more
As hantavirus cases continue to climb, many Americans are wondering if the US is prepared for another pandemic. According to US News & World Report, we may not be. The publication ranked the US No. 18 for public health preparedness as part of its Best Country ratings released Thursday. Dead bodies of COVID-19 patients are … Read more
The land of the free — and the home of the brave face. America has a lot of things going for it: Unrivaled military strength, extensive technological innovation and a persistent entrepreneurial spirit are just a few. But ahead of the 250th anniversary of its independence, the US is showing its age. America only placed 18th … Read more
America didn’t lose all its malls to the internet. It traded them in for Botox. Walk into any strip center worth its rent in 2025 and you’ll find the same thing: a med spa where the shoe store was and an IV drip lounge where the electronics store used to be. Now there’s data to … Read more
Forget bedbugs and cockroaches — NYC is battling “superbugs” that can’t easily be quashed. Candida auris, for one, survives on surfaces even after cleaning, frequently evades standard antifungal treatments and can trigger fatal bloodstream infections. New York has seen a steady increase in Candida auris cases since the state officially detected the dangerous fungus in … Read more
Six years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, its effects are still visible — from widespread hybrid work schedules to declining student performance. Add another wrinkle to the list — new prescriptions for ADHD medicine have more than doubled since the start of the pandemic, especially among younger adults. ADHD, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, is … Read more
MINOOKA, Ill. — Bill Swick has a rare degenerative brain disease that inhibits his mobility and speech. Instead of the hassle of traveling an hour to a clinic in downtown Chicago to visit a speech therapist, he has benefited from virtual appointments from the comfort of his home. But Swick, 53, hasn’t had access to those appointments … Read more
They came for blood — and left behind something worse. Thousands of people in China have been infected with a painful mosquito-borne virus, triggering the country’s most aggressive public health response since COVID and stoking fears of a potential pandemic. Now, US health officials are urging travelers to take extra precautions not just in China, but … Read more
Feel like you can’t focus? Like you’ll never finish a book again? Like the only way to keep your mind and hands busy is to scroll on social media for hours? You’re far from alone. One body of decades-long research found the average person’s attention span for a single screen is 47 seconds, down from 2.5 minutes in 2004. … Read more
Five years after the worldwide hyperfocus on COVID-19 began, some are concerned about the next pandemic — whether it could be caused by influenza, bird flu or another pathogen. Too easily overlooked are non-influenza, non-COVID viruses and bacteria that are burgeoning and spreading unchecked — both in the U.S. and around the world. While they may not … Read more
Is doing absolutely nothing the hot new trend among Gen Z workers? The “rawdogging” phenomenon has apparently gone underground, with young subway-riding professionals raising eyebrows over an bizarre new behavior where they stare at their fellow commuters instead of perusing their phones — an alleged form of rebellion against return-to-office policies. Curiously dubbed “barebacking,” the … Read more
The Trump administration has canceled funding for dozens of studies seeking new vaccines and treatments for Covid-19 and other pathogens that may cause future pandemics. The government’s rationale is that the Covid pandemic has ended, which “provides cause to terminate Covid-related grant funds,” according to an internal N.I.H. document viewed by The New York Times. … Read more
This tourist attraction is sick. A UK tourist stumbled upon a COVID-19 theme park with “googly-eyed” pathogen sculptures and more while exploring Vietnam, as seen in photos going viral — in every sense of the word — online. “It was such a weird experience,” Ella Ribak, 29, told South West News Service while detailing the … Read more
Scientists have discovered a surprising silver lining of COVID-19 infection. A new study by researchers at Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, revealed a correlation between COVID-19 infection and cancer regression. Though doctors at Northwestern University warned that the research is still in early stages, they’re hopeful that more tests could lead … Read more
Let’s keep it 100 — your chances of becoming a centenarian are slim. Medical breakthroughs, public health achievements and better diets led to steep increases in global life expectancy in the 1800s and 1900s. But startling new research finds this momentum has slowed and the biggest boosts to longevity may be in the rearview mirror. … Read more
In the heart of New York City pre-COVID-19 pandemic, Jonathan Krieger and Brandon Hirsch were thriving, operating dozens of different businesses — including restaurants and a string of cafes — across the bustling metropolis. But when the coronavirus struck, the entrepreneurial duo — feeling stifled and stymied by the new normal in the Big Apple — couldn’t help … Read more
A couple who moved in together just FOUR WEEKS after meeting say they’ve proved their doubters wrong after tying the knot. Kelsey Shutts, 29, met her husband, James, 39, on Tinder in May 2020 and he sent her a video saying hello. After meeting during the pandemic, the pair quarantined for two weeks separately to … Read more
A 30-year-old Tennessee mom who picked up vaping early in the COVID-19 pandemic claims the habit nearly killed her, with a doctor reportedly saying it was “frying [her] lungs like hot chicken.” Hannah Roth began to hear a “popping” sound in her lungs last month, and she developed a fever of 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Scans … Read more
A recent statement from the World Health Organization (WHO) is sure to ruffle a few feathers. The international health group expressed “great concern” over the rising number of bird flu cases in humans. The organization also announced Friday that the virus has been found in raw milk. Dr. Jeremy Farrar, chief scientist at the WHO, … Read more
A bird flu pandemic with the potential to be “100 times worse than COVID” may be on the horizon after a rare human case was discovered in Texas, experts have warned. The H5N1 avian flu has spread rapidly since a new strain was detected in 2020, affecting wild birds in every state, as well as … Read more