Health Highlights: July 9, 2021

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


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