Recent Blog Articles
New urine test may help some men with elevated PSA avoid biopsy
Dupuytren's contracture of the hand
Why play? Early games build bonds and brain
Moving from couch to 5K
How — and why — to fit more fiber and fermented food into your meals
Tick season is expanding: Protect yourself against Lyme disease
What? Another medical form to fill out?
How do trees and green spaces enhance our health?
A muscle-building obsession in boys: What to know and do
Harvard Health Ad Watch: New drug, old song, clever tagline
Cold & Flu Archive
Articles
The new coronavirus: What we do — and don’t — know
A novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China, has grown quickly since late December. This primer on what we do –– and don’t –– know can help if you’re concerned about this rapidly evolving public health issue.
Does the flu vaccine work as well in elderly people?
Ask the doctors
Q. My mother is in her late 80s. She received the flu vaccine this year, but I heard that it won't be as effective because of her age. Is this true?
A. The flu vaccine can be less effective in elderly adults. That's because the flu vaccine works by priming the body's own immune system to mount a response to the virus if it's encountered. Older adults may have weaker immune systems, and therefore a weaker immune response to the vaccine.
Bad flu season predicted — did you get your shot?
This year’s flu season may be severe. Almost everyone should get vaccinated, but which vaccine might be best for you? And how else can you avoid the flu?
New medication advances treatment for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps
The FDA has approved a new medication for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, dupilumab, which is given by injection biweekly.
What to do if you think your child has the flu
If you hear your child start coughing, it's natural to wonder: could this be the flu, or is it another virus like COVID or RSV, or even a common cold? Here's what to know about similarities between these illnesses and what to do if your child does have the flu.
This year’s flu season: Public health catastrophe or par for the course?
This winter flu activity has been higher than usual across the United States. If you have not gotten a flu shot yet, it’s not too late; some protection is better than none, plus there are other steps you can take to protect yourself and those around you.
The flu is here — and so is a new advisory from the CDC
If you have not yet gotten a flu shot, the CDC has issued an advisory for this season that may make you reconsider. The severity of the virus is stronger this year, and while the vaccine may not be as effective as in years past, some protection is better than none.
What’s new with the flu shot?
If you are planning to get a flu shot but have not yet done so, it may be worth waiting a little longer, as data on patients from four recent flu seasons found that protection against the virus declined over the course of the winter.
Recent Blog Articles
New urine test may help some men with elevated PSA avoid biopsy
Dupuytren's contracture of the hand
Why play? Early games build bonds and brain
Moving from couch to 5K
How — and why — to fit more fiber and fermented food into your meals
Tick season is expanding: Protect yourself against Lyme disease
What? Another medical form to fill out?
How do trees and green spaces enhance our health?
A muscle-building obsession in boys: What to know and do
Harvard Health Ad Watch: New drug, old song, clever tagline
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