Here's some of HealthDay's top stories for Friday, July 9:
Pfizer/BioNTech seek approval for COVID booster. The companies behind a successful COVID vaccine say they're already looking for approval for a booster shot. But the FDA, CDC and many experts say it's uncertain a third dose will ever be needed. Read more
Even before the pandemic, 1 in 3 U.S. adults didn't see a dentist. CDC data for 2019 finds a third of adults under 65 hadn't been to a dentist within the past year, and the problem was the worst among the rural poor. Read more
Could dirty air worsen odds for severe COVID? New research finds the severity of COVID-19 tends to rise in more polluted neighborhoods. Respiratory experts believe smog could make the lungs even more vulnerable to the virus. Read more
MRI could reduce prostate cancer over-diagnosis. While some prostate tumors warrant immediate treatment, many 'low-risk' tumors may not. Researchers say adding MRI to the diagnosis could help some men avoid unnecessary treatments. Read more
No spectators at Tokyo Summer Olympics. As the Delta variant cuts through Japan and Tokyo declares a state of emergency, Japanese officials announced that the 2021 Olympics will be spectator-free to cut new infections. Read more
U.S. COVID vaccination rollout saved 279,000 lives. A new analysis from Yale University researchers finds the rapid deployment of vaccines over the past year has meant hundreds of thousands of COVID deaths prevented among Americans, and 1.25 million fewer hospitalizations. Read more
Do muscle relaxants really work for lower back pain? Doctors write millions of prescriptions each year for muscle relaxants to ease low back pain. But a major new review of data finds the drugs may be of little real help. Read more
It's masks off for vaccinated teachers, students this fall. Mask-weary staff & students at America's schools may rejoice in the CDC's announcement Friday that face coverings won't be needed for the vaccinated come fall. The new guidance also has 'flexibility,' the agency says, since COVID rates vary widely across the country. Read more
