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While the agency’s current moratorium on cruising through U.S. waters was set to lapse on July 24, recent figures have highlighted the danger of hitting the high seas before it’s safe to do so—especially as an environment that is already known to spread contagious diseases. With 2,973 reported coronavirus infections and 34 COVID-19-related deaths on cruise ships in 2020, CDC Director Robert Redfield, MD, said in a statement that the numbers “revealed a total of 99 outbreaks on 123 different cruise ships, meaning that 80 percent of ships within U....

Best Life can exclusively reveal that the president gifted Her Majesty with a specially designed rectangular, lined sterling silver box from Tiffany & Co. personalized with some very meaningful engravings. For more royals news sent right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. “President Biden gave the Queen a special gift that was his thoughtful way of expressing just how meaningful meeting Her Majesty at Windsor Castle was to him, while acknowledging just how special a place it has always been to the Queen,” a source with direct knowledge of the gift told Best Life....

READ THIS NEXT: Boosters Won’t Protect You Against Omicron If You’ve Done This, Study Finds. There are currently still only three vaccines authorized for use in the U.S.: Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson. But as time has passed throughout the last year, officials have started recommending both Moderna and Pfizer over the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine because the two mRNA vaccines have shown that they can produce stronger and more durable protection, especially in the face of new, more transmissible variants....

READ THIS NEXT: The Most Seductive Zodiac Sign, According to an Astrologer. Virgos want the best from themselves and their friends and family. And when the people around them disappoint, they can become sullen. Astrologer Kyra Howearth describes Virgos as “over-analytical and highly organized,” which means they leave “no room for error.” Howearth warns they can “seem bitter at times, with high expectations not allowing room for human emotions.” Many times, they’re not trying to be aggrieved....

READ THIS NEXT: The Most Condescending Zodiac Sign, According to Astrologers. Aries, the first sign of the zodiac, has no problem going after what they want. They take life seriously, but also know how to let loose and have fun. When it comes to accomplishing something, Jill Loftis, an astrologer and founder at Nuit Astrology, notes that they’re all about keeping it simple. “They don’t concern themselves with nuance or technique,” she says....

A 2019 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal found that people tend to date the same type of person over and over again, even if they tell themselves that they need to date someone different from their usual “type.” The study compared the personalities of current and past partners of 332 people and found significant consistency in the personalities of the subjects’ partners, both old and new....

One team of researchers recently studied the effects of nasal irrigation on COVID-19 and determined that this simple, at-home practice could very well help lessen a person’s viral load. “Nasal irrigations should be encouraged for patients and health care workers especially,” the study concludes. While hardly a silver bullet solution for the disease, the study argues that nasal irrigation can help to “reduce viral severity and further transmission” of coronavirus early on after a patient becomes infected....

It all began the minute Diana chose the little-known designers for the coveted assignment of creating her wedding dress. It was first thought Bill Pashley (who designed both of her sisters’ wedding dresses) would be tapped for the job. But, despite the mixed reviews Diana had received for wearing a revealing black taffeta evening dress by the Emmanuels for her first formal evening engagement with Charles, she could not be persuaded to look elsewhere....

Read on to find out more about Camilla’s title change and to learn why it was important that the queen announce it now, according to royal experts. RELATED: Meghan & Harry May Skip Prince Philip’s Memorial for This Shocking Reason. Feb. 6, 2022 marked the 70th anniversary of Elizabeth becoming queen. The milestone will be celebrated with Platinum Jubilee events that will take place throughout the year. Recognizing the anniversary, on Feb....

As psychiatrist and co-author of the study, Andres Herane-Vives, MD, explains, this new test could make major strides in the field of psychiatry, as getting a diagnosis right is “the only way to provide the right treatment.” The earwax test provides physiological evidence of invisible ailments, which he says can be used to clarify which patients might benefit from antidepressants. While the study only included 37 subjects, it lays the groundwork for further research on biological markers for these psychiatric conditions, which can often be difficult to diagnose and treat....

“I think it’s easy to say contact tracing is broken,” Carolyn Cannuscio, associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania, told The Times. “It is broken because so many parts of our prevention system are broken.” As the publication points out, tracing the close contacts of individuals who have been infected is a disease containment strategy that’s been around for centuries, well before smartphone apps and internet connections. (A version of it was even used back in the 16th century to control the bubonic plague, according to an academic paper published on The Conversation....

RELATED: If You Bought This at Costco, Get Rid of It Immediately, FDA Says. On May 24, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a public health alert for approximately 130,680 pounds of frozen fully-cooked, diced chicken due to potential listeria monocytogenes contamination. “The problem was discovered during routine FSIS inspection activities when inspection personnel observed products requiring recooking due to possible [listeria monocytogenes] contamination had been repackaged without being recooked,” the FSIS notice states....

There are many ways to measure a state’s COVID outbreak, but these are the three key metrics: the number of new daily cases per 100,000 residents; the positive test rate, which is the percent of COVID tests done in each state that yield a positive result (a metric Anthony Fauci, MD, has called a “good predictor of a surge”); and the infection rate, which indicates the number of people each positive patient will infect....

Upon reviewing 36 studies on coronavirus published between March 31 and July 15, 2020, researchers from the University of Alberta’s Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging found that 18 percent of COVID patients experienced digestive symptoms, with 16 percent of coronavirus patients experiencing exclusively gastrointestinal symptoms. While the majority of COVID patients with related digestive issues experienced common symptoms, like loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, a small proportion experienced bowel inflammation, air in the bowel wall, and bowel perforation....

While the national daily COVID case average is still down 18 percent over the past two weeks to 14,020, the past seven days have seen its downward trajectory lose steam, according to The Times. Now, some health experts are beginning to warn that a new threat could send cases shooting back upwards. During an appearance on CBS’ Face the Nation on June 13, Scott Gottlieb, MD, former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner, said that the Delta variant first discovered in India is now jeopardizing the progress that’s been made in beating back the pandemic....

RELATED: Dr. Fauci Says “Herd Immunity” Is No Longer the Goal With COVID—This Is. The CDC’s new guidelines are just that—guidance—meaning state officials don’t necessarily need to adopt them. After Walensky revealed the news, Barbara Ferrer, PhD, Los Angeles County Public Health Director, said the state of California and Los Angeles County will be conducting a review of the new CDC advice “to make sensible adjustments to the orders that are currently in place,” The New York Times reported....

Ava and William Emma and Liam And to see which area has genius residents, This Is the Smartest State in the U.S. Olivia and Liam Olivia and William And if you want to live until old age, Here’s How Long You’re Likely to Live in Every State. Olivia and Noah Charlotte and Liam And to see where you’re wasting your paycheck, This Is the State Where Your Money Is Worth the Least....

Overall, the United States has posted a drastic decline of 46 percent in the daily average of new COVID-19 cases over the past 14 days, according to The New York Times. But heading into the long weekend, one expert explained that while things are certainly improving, it’s still too soon to say the pandemic is truly over. “I don’t think we should declare mission accomplished. I think that we should declare a near-term victory,” Scott Gottlieb, MD, former Food and Drug Administration commissioner, said during an appearance on CNBC’s Squawk Box on May 28....

RELATED: The 5 Most Common Signs You Caught Delta If You’re Vaccinated, Study Says. It’s essential to keep in mind that all the information we have about this new form of COVID is still preliminary. There are a number of studies being conducted to learn more about Omicron, from how it spreads to how effective our existing vaccines will be against it, with results expected in the coming weeks. Nevertheless, anecdotal information can be helpful in giving us a clearer picture of what to expect—and one doctor in South Africa is offering her assessment of Omicron symptoms based on the COVID patients she has seen....

One of the first states to pause on reopening was Oregon on June 11. In late May, the seven-day rolling average of new cases in the state was 32. Now, it’s 168, according to data compiled by Oregon Live. On June 11, Gov. Kate Brown announced a one-week hold on the state’s reopening plans. “The noticeable increase in COVID-19 infections in Oregon over the past week is cause for concern....