Surgeon General Vivek Murthy fights a culture of loneliness

Dr. Vivek Murthy at a pediatric COVID-19 vaccination clinic in McLean, Va., in 2021. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters) During the coronavirus pandemic, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy hasn’t exactly emerged as one of the nation’s most prominent public health officials, despite the high status of his position. Serious and soft-spoken, Murthy has been frequently overshadowed on cable … Read more

The surgeon general has warned that social media is harmful to children. Should they be banned until they are older?

“The 360” shows you diverse perspectives on the major stories and debates of the day. Photo illustration: Jack Forbes/Yahoo News; photos: Getty Images What is happening On Tuesday, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued an advisory calling for action to protect children from the potentially harmful effects of social media use on their mental health … Read more

Pfizer’s RSV vaccine for pregnant women protects newborns against severe illness

Pfizer announced on Tuesday that an experimental RSV vaccine for pregnant women protects newborns against severe illness for at least six months after birth. In phase III of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, considered the gold standard of epidemiologic studies, the vaccine was found to be about 82% effective at preventing severe cases of respiratory … Read more

Children ages 8 and up should be screened for anxiety, experts say. Here’s what parents need to know.

Intense worrying or fear that results in an inability to function at school or in social settings may be sign of anxiety disorder in children and teens. (Getty Images) The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently recommended that children ages 8 to 18 should be screened for anxiety disorder by their primary care physician even … Read more

Is population growth cause for hope or concern?

“The 360” shows you diverse perspectives on the day’s top stories and debates. What’s happening The world’s population reached an estimated 8 billion people last month, according to estimates from the United Nations. It took just 12 years for the global population to increase from 7 billion to 8 billion, a period of unprecedented growth … Read more