A common antibiotic, doxycycline, greatly reduced cases of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia when taken every day, a study found.A daily dose of a widely used antibiotic can prevent some infections with syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia, potentially a new solution to the escalating crisis of sexually transmitted infections, scientists reported on Thursday.Their study was small and must be confirmed by more research. Scientists still have to resolve significant questions, including whether S.T.I.s might become resistant to the antibiotic and what effect it could have on healthy gut bacteria in people taking it every day.The approach would be recommended primarily to people at elevated risk of sexually transmitted infections during certain periods, said Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, an infectious diseases physician at the University of Southern California who was not involved in the new work.“The number of people who are really going to be offered this and take this is still very small,” he said. “In general, the more choices we have for people, the more prevention options we have, the better.”The results will be presented next week at a conference of the International AIDS Society in Munich.The United States now has the highest rate of new syphilis infections since 1950, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in January. In 2022, the last year for which data are available, there were 1.6 million cases of chlamydia and nearly 650,000 new cases of gonorrhea.Previous studies have shown that the antibiotic doxycycline substantially cuts the risk of new infections if taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex. The C.D.C. now recommends taking doxycycline after “oral, vaginal or anal sex.”We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe.

Published21 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesYellow heat-health alerts have been issued for parts of England, indicating that the weather conditions could pose a risk to those who are particularly vulnerable.Here are some tips to help you get a good night’s sleep during a period of high temperatures.1. No nappingHot weather can make us feel a bit lethargic during the day. That is because we are using more energy to regulate our internal temperature. But if your sleep is disturbed at night, try to avoid napping during the day. When it is hot, sleepiness can be precious – save it for bedtime. 2. Keep to routinesHot weather can encourage you to change your habits. Don’t. That can disrupt sleep.Try to keep to your usual bedtime and routines. Do the things you normally do before bed.3. Remember the basicsTake steps to make sure your bedroom is as cool as it can be at night.During the day, draw the curtains or blinds to keep out the sun. Make sure you close the windows on the sunny side of your home, to keep out hot air.Open all the windows before you go to bed, to get a through breeze.Six ways to keep your home coolHow does sunscreen work?4. Use thin sheetsReduce your bedding but keep covers handy. Thin cotton sheets will absorb sweat.However hot it is in your bedroom, your body temperature will fall during the night. That is why we sometimes wake up feeling cold. 5. Chill your socksUsing even a small fan can be sensible in hot weather, especially when it is humid.It encourages the evaporation of sweat and makes it easier for your body to regulate your internal temperature. If you do not have a fan, try filling your hot water bottle with ice cold liquid instead. Alternatively, cool socks in the fridge and put those on. Cooling your feet lowers the overall temperature of your skin and body. 6. Stay hydratedDrink enough water throughout the day but avoid drinking very large amounts before bed. Image source, Getty ImagesYou probably do not want to wake up thirsty – but you do not want to take an additional trip to the bathroom in the early hours either. How much water should you drink a day?How does sunscreen work?7. But think about what you drinkBe careful about soft drinks. Many contain large amounts of caffeine, which stimulates the central nervous system and makes us feel more awake.Avoid drinking too much alcohol as well. Many people drink more when the weather is hot. Alcohol might help us fall asleep but it promotes early morning waking and a poorer quality of sleep overall. How do hot temperatures affect the body?Dehydration: Drink enough water to make sure you replace that lost through urination, sweating and breathingOverheating: This can be a particular problem for those with heart or breathing problems. Symptoms include tingling skin, headaches and nauseaExhaustion: This is when you start to lose water or salt from your body. Feeling faint, weak, or having muscle cramps are just some of the symptomsHeatstroke: Once a body temperature reaches 40C or higher, heatstroke can set in. Indicators are similar to heat exhaustion but the person may lose consciousness, have dry skin and stop sweatingWhat do heatwaves do to the body?8. Stay calmIf you are struggling to sleep, get up and do something calming. Try reading, writing, or even folding your socks. Just make sure you do not play on your phone or a video game – the blue light makes us feel less sleepy and the activity is stimulating.Return to bed when you feel sleepy.9. Think of the childrenChildren are usually quite robust sleepers – but they can be very sensitive to changes in family “mood” and routine.Image source, Getty ImagesMake sure usual bedtimes and bath times do not go out of the window just because it is warm. As part of the bedtime routine, lukewarm baths are recommended by the NHS UK website.,

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A new study adds to evidence that the shots can reduce the chances of developing one of the most dreaded consequences of Covid.A summer wave of Covid is surging in many parts of the nation. Infections, emergency room visits and hospitalizations are all on the upswing.Recognizing that Covid is now a permanent respiratory threat, as are influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, federal officials have recommended that everyone 6 months and older receive the newest vaccine this fall.If last year is any indication, many Americans may pay no heed, opting instead to take their chances with another bout. Nearly everyone has layers of immunity acquired from prior illnesses and immunizations. For many, another go-round with Covid just means a few days of misery.But for some people with certain risk factors — age, pregnancy, chronic conditions or a compromised immune system — an infection may bring serious illness. “It’s very, very important that they get vaccinated,” said Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, the chief of research and development at the V.A. St. Louis Health Care System.In every age group, even a mild illness may trigger a lasting set of problems. Nearly 14 million Americans, or about 5.3 percent of adults, may now be living with long Covid, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A study published on Wednesday offers strong evidence that vaccination reduces the odds of getting long Covid.“It’s very clear that no demographic group is spared,” Dr. Al-Aly said. Does Covid still matter?Yes. This summer’s wave is a sign that Covid remains a problem. By nearly every measure, infections are on the rise.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe.

In the first two years of the pandemic, the rate of long Covid was starkly lower among people who were vaccinated, researchers reported.A large new study provides some of the strongest evidence yet that vaccines reduce the risk of developing long Covid.Scientists looked at people in the United States infected during the first two years of the pandemic and found that the percentage of vaccinated people who developed long Covid was much lower than the percentage of unvaccinated people who did. Medical experts have previously said that vaccines can lower the risk of long Covid, largely because they help prevent severe illness during the infection period and people with severe infections are more likely to have long-term symptoms.But many individuals with mild infections also develop long Covid, and the study, published Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine, found that vaccination did not eliminate all risk of developing the condition, which continues to affect millions in the United States.“There was a residual risk of long Covid among vaccinated persons,” Dr. Clifford Rosen, a senior scientist at the MaineHealth Institute for Research, who was not involved in the study, wrote in an accompanying editorial. Because of that, Dr. Rosen added, new cases of long Covid “may continue unabated.”The study evaluated medical records of millions of patients in the Department of Veterans Affairs health system. It involved nearly 450,000 people who had Covid between March 1, 2020, and Jan. 31, 2022, and about 4.7 million people who were not infected during that time.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe.