Coronavirus symptoms vs. allergy symptoms: how to tell them apart. When it comes to determining whether you’re experiencing allergy or coronavirus symptoms, the most reliable indicator is the nose, according to Lisa Ballehr, DO, an osteopathic physician and certified practitioner for the Institute for Functional Medicine. “You most likely won’t experience a stuffy or runny nose as a COVID-19 symptom,” she says. “However, you may experience loss of smell as an early symptom [of COVID-19]....

Among the healthcare workers featured in the article are married couple Chad Dowell, DO, and Kelsey Dowell, DO, who work in South Sunflower County Hospital in Indianola, a town with a population of about 10,000 that the publication describes as “impoverished.” In late May, every type of business across the state was allowed to reopen, as Gov. Tate Reeves lifted lockdown orders. The Dowells told NBC that very few people adhered to mask wearing and social distancing, and that many residents expressed skepticism about the existence of the virus on social media....

Appearing on Cuomo Prime Time on Mar. 17, Kim revealed that his sister was the victim of a hate crime six years ago. He noted that he hadn’t shared the story publicly before, but chose to now because of its connection to the recent mass shooting. Kim’s sister tried to fight for justice for herself, but was denied by those in power, according to Kim.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb Read on to see what Kim shared about his sister and to find out more about his work in supporting the AAPI community....

Two teams of researchers have found that the common deer mouse—which is the most abundant mammal in North America—is capable of catching the coronavirus and passing it along to other mice in a laboratory setting, The Washington Post reports. Scientists say that while mice infected with COVID have not yet been observed in nature, the findings open up the possibility that mice could potentially begin a chain of transmission, even to humans....

RELATED: The CDC Just Banned You From Bringing This on Flights. During a conference hosted by the U.S. Travel Association on Oct. 26, Ed Bastian, chief executive officer of Delta Airlines, discussed how the upcoming change in travel restrictions for international visitors to the U.S. would create a surge at airports not seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic brought global travel to a halt. He admitted that most airlines were bracing for an “onslaught of travel all at once” as eager flyers took to the sky again, The Post reports....

READ THIS NEXT: If You’re Over 65, Not Doing This in the Shower Is Causing Hair Loss. Rosemary oil might be the key to a fuller head of hair. Viktoryia Kazlouskaya, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, notes that one study found that after six months, rosemary oil was shown to be comparable to two percent minoxidil (best known by the brand name Rogaine) for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia, or male and female pattern baldness....

1 Four Gators Removed The animal control workers removed the baby alligators, which were in a medium-sized tank filled with water, and the adult gator, which workers carried with its snout tied for safety, Fox News reported. It’s not illegal to keep an alligator as a pet in Michigan. But it’s outlawed in Detroit. “A lot of times, people can obtain an alligator without knowing the proper laws,” Jovan Stacks, a federally licensed exhibitor, told Fox 2....

RELATED: Al Roker Is Warning Everyone to Do This After His Cancer Diagnosis. Having frequent difficulty swallowing, a condition known as dysphagia, is the single most common symptom of esophageal cancer, says the American Cancer Society (ACS). “Occasional difficulty swallowing, such as when you eat too fast or don’t chew your food well enough, usually isn’t cause for concern,” explains the Mayo Clinic. “But persistent dysphagia can be a serious medical condition requiring treatment....

The German study out of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover found that dogs are able to distinguish human saliva samples that are infected with the novel coronavirus from those that are not with 94 percent accuracy, if properly trained.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb For the study, which was published in the BMC Infectious Diseases journal on July 23, researchers trained eight dogs from Germany’s Armed Forces for just one week. The dogs were directed to sniff the saliva of more than 1,000 people both infected and not infected with COVID-19....

So, what is mindfulness? Headspace defines mindfulness as “the ability to be fully present in the moment.” One way to achieve mindfulness is through mindfulness meditation practice, which allows people to “truly experience the current moment and integrate that awareness into everyday life.” To study the influence of mindfulness on relationship dynamics, researchers administered a survey to 847 married and unmarried heterosexual couples. For the study, the researchers distilled mindfulness into three core components—non-reactivity, acting with awareness, and non-judgment....

READ THIS NEXT: Walmart and Dollar General Are Under Fire for Doing This to Customers. For years, Dollar Tree had been revered for being one of the only dollar stores to stay true to its name by actually selling its products for just $1. But in 2019, the company made its first departure from this price point when it began opening new Dollar Tree Plus stores, which offered sections of items for $3 to $5....

Currently, at least 25 states are seeing surging coronavirus numbers, according to a report by CNN: Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Health experts say this spike in cases coincides with the reopening of many states several weeks ago. “The number of new cases had been stabilizing in early May, and actually the positivity rate [in testing] had been improving,” Will Humble, executive director of the Arizona Public Health Association, told CNN....

On the podcast, Fauci brought up the continued threat that the coronavirus pandemic poses, but he also urged people to remember that this will not be the last time we encounter such a health crisis. “I think you have to assume that there are more viruses that are still lurking because we know historically we’ve had outbreaks long before I’ve been around, even before recorded history,” he said. Fauci later added that while he’s worried about the trajectory of COVID-19, he’s thinking about the next pandemic, too....

During the May 11 virtual interview, The News & Observer told Fauci that the most common question they got for him from readers was regarding COVID booster shots. After explaining it’s unclear when boosters will begin to be rolled out, he confirmed they are “likely.” “It is conceivable, and probably likely that at some time, we’ll need a boost for one or both of two reasons. One, for the durability of the actual response, that it wanes and comes down, you want to keep it up,” Fauci explained during the Q&A session....

READ THIS NEXT: Virus Experts Just Gave This Pressing New Warning to Boosted People. During a May 29 interview on PIX on Politics, a weekly program on PIX 11 in New York City, top White House COVID adviser Anthony Fauci, MD, discussed the current state of the pandemic, as well as how vaccinated and boosted people can keep themselves protected. According to the infectious disease expert, the number of COVID cases in the U....

RELATED: If You Feel This at Night, You Need to Get Your Liver Checked, Doctors Say. The recent U.K.-based study in BMC Public Health found that drinking three to four cups of coffee a day can notably reduce your risk of developing and dying from chronic liver disease. Researchers said that the coffee can be either caffeinated or decaffeinated. According to the study, coffee drinkers were 21 percent less likely to develop chronic liver disease, and coffee was even more effective at preventing liver disease-related deaths....

Using expansive data sets collected from at least 30 sources—ranging from accredited survey organizations to government agencies like the U.S. Census Bureau and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—the UHF analyzes the way each state performs in a comprehensive number of health measures within the following main categories: behaviors, community and environment, policy, clinical care, and outcomes. Then, the foundation calculates a score for each state based on a composite index of these health measures....

Bed bugs are everywhere, from private homes to retail stores to five-star hotels. According to the National Pest Management Association’s “Bugs Without Borders” report, 97 percent of pest specialists treated a case of bed bugs in the past year, with summer typically being the busiest season. Unfortunately, getting rid of them isn’t an inexpensive proposition—according to HomeAdvisor, it can cost as much as $5,000 to have an entire home treated for bed bugs....

In a Feb. 11 appearance on Today, Fauci suggested that people put a cloth mask over a surgical mask for a more secure fit. These specific masks worn in that order will minimize the leakage of aerosols that can otherwise creep out of gaps in a mask. “If you want to really be sure [you’re safe], get a tighter fit with a second mask,” Fauci said.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb While the White House adviser is popularizing this method of masking, he’s not the only one advocating for it....

In the past seven days, California has reported record high numbers in new cases per day, as have Florida, Arizona, Texas, and several other states. Hospitals are running out of beds in some states. And, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, the U.S. reported 34,720 new confirmed cases on June 24—a record one-day total and the largest the country has seen since late April. Given these stats and a number of other concerning developments, several medical experts—infectious disease specialists and virologists among them—have gone on record saying that a return to lockdown may be the only viable solution in certain states where the situation appears to be beyond controlling with preventive measures like masks and social distancing alone....