With so much information swirling around the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), you likely have a head full of questions and worries, the biggest being this — how can you protect yourself and your family? The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has cautioned that the outbreak is likely to spread to the U.S. However, health officials … Continue reading Traveling? How to protect yourself from coronavirus (COVID-19)
“To gel, or not to gel?” With the recent surge in promotion of hand sanitizer for school-age children, that is the question that many parents face. Hand sanitizer is even included on some back-to-school supply lists, leaving many parents to wonder how effective this strategy really is. The real question is, will using hand sanitizer … Continue reading How hand sanitizer stops the spread of school germs
Influenza and heart attack are things we don’t normally associate together, but the two are more connected than you might think. A recent study found that a person’s chances of having a heart attack, or myocardial infarction, increase significantly after a flu diagnosis. In the study, people who had been diagnosed with the flu in … Continue reading How the flu increases your risk of heart attack
Have you ever hesitated to get the flu shot? Maybe because you didn’t have the time, or thought you were invincible to catching the virus? As flu season is upon us once again, there’s something you need to know: Getting a flu shot isn’t all about you. It’s also about the people who are unable … Continue reading Herd immunity: Why getting the flu shot isn’t all about you
The flu can attack anyone, but some people are more susceptible to the virus than others. As physicians, we believe it is important that you know your risks and how to prevent the flu before it gets you. Who’s Susceptible? Those at higher risk for developing influenza are residents in nursing homes and long-term care … Continue reading Who is most susceptible to the flu?
The news that Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital is currently treating an Ebola patient is causing understandable concern among North Texas residents. But Baylor Scott & White Health representatives say there is still no reason to panic, as the virus does not spread easily and cannot be transmitted until an infected patient develops symptoms. The BSWH system has had … Continue reading Ebola preparations explained by Baylor Scott & White Health representatives
Dr. Cristie Columbus, M.D., is an infectious disease specialist and the assistant medical director for epidemiology and infection control and prevention for Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas and Baylor Scott & White Health — North Texas division. She joined other experts on Think on KERA-FM (90.1) for a discussion on Ebola. Listen to the show here. The … Continue reading As Ebola spreads in West Africa, Dallas-area doctors urge calm
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the United States is experiencing the worst outbreak of measles in nearly 15 years. Hundreds of cases of the highly contagious disease have been reported so far this year in states across the country. Once thought to have gone the way of the Dodo bird, at least … Continue reading Eradicating 4 Myths about Measles
If you have paid attention to the news here in North Texas, you may have seen reports about an outbreak of pertussis, or whooping cough (as it’s more commonly known) in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. What’s behind this outbreak? Experts suggest it may be attributed to the recent trend of parents not vaccinating their children. … Continue reading Pertussis Outbreak: Why Children and Adults Should Get the Vaccine
Wash those fruits and vegetables. That’s the latest recommendation from experts regarding the prevention of the new stomach bug, cyclospora, an intestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite cyclospora cayetanensis that is circulating around the country this summer. At last count, this severe stomach illness has been reported in 11 states and has sickened more than … Continue reading 3 Things You Need to Know About the New Cyclospora Illness
