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SATURDAY, March 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- President Donald Trump on Friday took a step many political and health care experts have been urging him to do, declaring the U.S. coronavirus crisis a national emergency. Hours later, the House passed a bill worked out with the Trump administration that will direct billions toward helping sick workers and steadying a faltering economy. The bill would allow for two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of family and medical leave for those affected by the crisis, The New York Times reported. Trump's announcement, nearly unprecedented in American history, immediately frees up more than $50 billion in federal funds to help states control the spread of COVID-19 before it overwhelms hospitals and health care systems. "Through a...

SATURDAY, March 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Some people love to run no matter the season, even cold weather, and that is OK as long as you take proper precautions, a physical therapist says. "It's up to the runner. As long as he or she is healthy, wearing appropriate attire and highly visible, the cold doesn't have to deter you from being outside," said Grace "Annie" Neurohr. She's a therapist and running specialist at Sinai Hospital's Rubin Institute Running Injury Program, in Baltimore. But, if it's icy, stay inside and use the treadmill, she advised. When you do run outside in the cold, wear the proper clothing and layer it. "A good base layer is crucial," Neurohr said in a news release from LifeBridge Health. "A wool or wool hybrid base layer will wick away moisture while...

FRIDAY, March 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Padded helmets and safe tackling and blocking techniques can reduce the chance of head injuries for middle school football players, a new study finds. Young athletes make up 70% of America's amateur and pro football players. As head injuries in older athletes have been linked to a slew of brain injuries, attention is now turning to the safety of the younger players. Robert Heary, director of the Center for Spine Surgery and Mobility at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark, said parents are understandably concerned that their football-playing boys are at risk for the same long-term brain and nervous system injuries reported in older players. "Although concussions causing readily observable signs and symptoms are of great concern to...

FRIDAY, March 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Families who lose benefits under proposed changes to the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would face increased challenges to their health and well-being, according to a new study. The federal aid program provides health, nutrition and financial benefits to 40 million people. But the U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed new rules that would reduce eligibility. It's estimated that one in 10 families now enrolled in SNAP may lose benefits. "These proposed changes to SNAP raise concerns for adverse effects on health, nutrition, and ability to pay for health care," said lead author Dr. Alon Peltz. He's an instructor in the department of population medicine at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute in East Boston. "We...