HEALTH AND SCIENCE HIGHLIGHTS

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March 19, 2020 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

SCIENCE & TECH

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

HEALTH

People who fully recover from the coronavirus can be left with '20 to 30%' less lung function, and gasping for breath when they walk quickly, Hong Kong doctors find (Yahoo News)

People who recover from the coronavirus can still be left with substantially reduced lung functions, Hong Kong Hospital Authority have found after observing the first wave of discharged patients.

Yes, COVID-19 can be serious for younger adults, too, CDC report shows (USA Today)

…Anywhere from 14% to 21% of adults ages 20 to 44 with COVID-19 have been hospitalized, the CDC data estimates. Two to 4% of cases led to ICU admissions, and less than 1% were fatal.

Doctor: We're seeing people in their 40s on ventilators (CNN)

CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta says data out of China claims that 4 out of 5 people who contracted the novel coronavirus there did so from someone who didn't know they had it. Dr. Darria Long, an emergency room physician, says she is seeing people in their 40s on ventilators.

Cannabis lobby warns against smoking due to coronavirus (Yahoo News)

To avoid spreading the novel coronavirus, marijuana smokers should avoid sharing joints and should favor edible products, US cannabis industry figures said Wednesday. Erik Altieri, executive director of NORML, a major US pro-cannabis lobby…also called on users to not share the various tools they might use to smoke marijuana -- including bongs, water pipes or vaping pens -- and to clean them with disinfectant gel.  "Further, because COVID-19 is a respiratory illness, some may wish to limit or avoid their exposure to combustive smoke -- as this can put undue stress and strain on the lungs. The use of edibles or tinctures can eliminate smoke exposure entirely," Altieri said in the statement.

Coronavirus suggestions on plane: avoid eating, keep cleaning (Los Angeles Times)

If you must fly during the coronavirus outbreak, how might you protect yourself? Don’t eat on the plane. That’s one of the tips suggested by Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, at a recent news conference:

'That can actually kill somebody’: Scam robocalls are pitching fake coronavirus tests to vulnerable Americans

Each day over the past week, fraudsters have placed an estimated 1 million or more unwanted, suspicious calls about coronavirus to Americans' smartphones, according to YouMail.

SCIENCE & TECH

Coronavirus: Universal to make current theatrical movies available for home viewing on Friday (Los Angeles Times)

Universal Pictures, in a bold move to confront the coronavirus’ threat to the movie industry, is collapsing the theatrical window.  In an extraordinary step, the studio on Monday said it would make its movies available in the home on the same day as their global theatrical releases, beginning with DreamWorks Animation’s “Trolls World Tour,” opening April 10 in the U.S. The company will also make movies that are currently in theatrical release available on-demand beginning as early as Friday…

It’s ‘quarantini’ time. People say cheers to video happy hours when they’re stuck at home.

At home, isolated and stressed over coronavirus fears, people are having happy hours over video chats to unwind with friends.

The webcam will see you now: Doctors urge patients to replace in-person visits with apps (Washington Post)

Telemedicine apps, invented for rural patients, have a critical new role during the coronavirus: keeping you and doctors at a safe distance.

The Technology 202: Coronavirus puts a spotlight on telemedicine for gig workers (Washington Post)

The pressure is on companies to keep potentially sick drivers off the road.

General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler to close all US factories due to the coronavirus, sources say (CNBC)

The Big Three automakers plan to close all U.S. auto factories as the coronavirus sweeps across the country, people familiar with their plans told CNBC.

 

 


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Comments

California issues stay home order.

Stay home except for essential needs Everyone is required to stay home except to get food, care for a relative or friend, get necessary health care, or go to an essential job. If you go out, keep at least 6 feet of distance. . .here