TextureWorld/Shutterstock You have probably become used to wearing a face mask in public. And you probably wear a fabric one, as we’ve been urged to save N95, FFP3 and other “clinical grade” masks for healthcare workers. This is despite science not knowing how well fabric masks work. To overcome this,Continue Reading
Our brain may depend on physical activity to stay healthy. Slawomir Kruz/ Shutterstock Regular exercise changes the structure of our bodies’ tissues in obvious ways, such as reducing the size of fat stores and increasing muscle mass. Less visible, but perhaps even more important, is the profound influence exercise hasContinue Reading
If all goes to plan, athletes will compete in hot conditions at the rescheduled 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics. Indeed, summers in Japan can be quite intense – with hot and humid weather and temperatures reaching up to 35°C. But our recent research indicates that taking the oral contraceptive pill mayContinue Reading
Studio Peace/Shutterstock It is very exciting to hear another positive story about vaccine trial results – a good vaccine is the most likely way of ending the pandemic. Last week, interim results from Pfizer suggested its vaccine reduces cases of COVID-19 with 90% efficacy. Now Moderna has gone one better,Continue Reading
Fuelling before longer or more demanding workouts with carbs will provide the energy needed to keep moving. FCG/ Shutterstock There’s plenty of evidence showing how important nutrition is for exercise, from aiding performance to enhancing recovery. But it’s often confusing to know whether it’s best to eat before or afterContinue Reading
creativemarc/Shutterstock Following the news that Pfizer’s vaccine for COVID-19 is showing signs of 90% efficacy, there’s been a lot of excitement about the end of the pandemic being in sight. Sir John Bell, regius professor of medicine at the University of Oxford, has even suggested that life could return toContinue Reading
Exercise improves physical health, immunity, and can reduce fatigue. Maridav/ Shutterstock As winter descends on the northern hemisphere and the temperature drops and daylight hours shorten, many people may want to spend more time indoors. And those of us under lockdown for the second time may feel even less inclinedContinue Reading
Pfizer and BioNTech have just released interim results of their COVID-19 vaccine trial. Although it is not the only vaccine in the late stages of testing, the large size and careful design of the trial, not to mention the promising results, have caused understandable enthusiasm around the world. As weContinue Reading
Robin J Gentry/Shutterstock With Britain now in its second lockdown, and the government predicting that the second wave could be worse than the first, it’s critical to examine why there are large racial disparities in the effects of COVID-19 and what could be done to reduce these. In England andContinue Reading
Miriam Doerr Martin Frommherz/Shutterstock In recent weeks, there have been controversial proposals to ask older, more vulnerable adults to isolate from society, while younger adults build herd immunity to COVID-19. These strategies have been criticised by leading figures as “practically impossible” and “unethical”. Yet calls for shielding from COVID “stratifiedContinue Reading
