Category: Feature Stories

SARS-CoV-2 got “faster and faster” at triggering Covid-19 as its variants evolved. Chinese biostatisticians have now analyzed 142 studies on the incubation period issue. The result they published in their paper online in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA): Between the alpha variants and omicron, incubation time dropped from an average of five days to 3.42 days. “Incubating” a covid infection.Four to five, later five to six days – these were the expert statements at the beginning of the Covid 19 pandemic regarding the “incubation” of a SARS-CoV-2…

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The payout of the €500 bonus has started. The money comes directly to the account or as a voucher by mail, which is essential now. The “super bonus” will be paid out much earlier than initially planned – 300,000 Austrians will receive it immediately, all others in September. Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler and Finance Minister Magnus Brunner made people sit up and take notice on Wednesday with this hammer announcement. For every adult registered in Austria, there are 500 euros, 250 euros each from the increased climate bonus and…

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There have been no deaths from the monkeypox virus in Austria yet.Most recently, WHO declared the monkeypox outbreak an “emergency of international concern.” No deaths from the monkeypox virus have yet been reported in Austria. Monkeypox cases in Vienna are on the rise.So far, Austria has had no death from monkeypox or a life-threatening course of the disease requiring treatment in an intensive care unit. Only in a few cases, affected people have to be treated in hospitals as inpatients, the Ministry of Health announced Wednesday in response to an…

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Starting in September, not October, the government will pay out the climate and anti-inflation bonuses as initially announced. This is possible because preparatory work for the aid payments in the Ministry of Climate Protection and the Ministry of Finance could be completed “earlier than planned,” according to a dispatch from the Federal Chancellery. As a result, transfers and mailing can start as early as September. The first 300,000 recipients will receive the money as early as August 25. They are a pilot group selected by a random generator in which…

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Waking up in the morning and feeling refreshed and fit – that’s how every day should start. Nowadays, there are numerous ways to optimize sleep patterns. Above all, modern technologies make sleeping a little experience and simultaneously analyze the nocturnal rest phase. However, the large amount of data also has its pitfalls. People spend about one-third of their lives asleep. During this resting phase, numerous vital processes occur so the body and mind can regenerate. Precisely because this time is so precious, there is a wide range of products to…

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The most important countermeasure is full primary immunization plus recommended “boosters.” Covid-19 vaccines are the best-studied drugs in medical history. Austrian experts said at a Praevenire Health Forum talk this Saturday night in Alpbach, Tyrol. There will always be waves“The pandemic is certainly here to stay. There will always be waves,” said Gerald Gartlehner, head of the Department of Evidence-Based Medicine and Evaluation at Danube University Krems. He said that if Omicron stays as a “relatively less sickening variant” – exclusive of vulnerable individuals – there will be ever-stronger immunity.…

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U.S. researchers have discovered an antibody that can neutralize all known viral variants. A universal vaccine seems within reach. Since its first appearance just over two and a half years ago in Wuhan, China, Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus has evolved dramatically. Continuous mutations have led to new variants becoming increasingly adept at evading our immune defenses. Most notably, the circulating omicron subvariant BA.5 has modified its receptor-binding site so that antibodies produced by previous infections or vaccination can no longer dock to its spike protein. Therefore, those who have been vaccinated and…

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Around one-third of the food produced ends up in the garbage worldwide. Austria is an accomplice to waste and is responsible for around one million tons of avoidable food waste annually. This means that food is experiencing a drastic loss of value in the 21st century. When food is wasted in this way, ethics, economics, and ecology reach their limits. After all, valuable natural resources such as water, raw materials, and energy are wasted not only for the production but ultimately for the disposal of unused food—nothing new about the…

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People get teary-eyed on all sorts of occasions. Everyone knows that. But can the triggers also be categorized? A study can answer this question and provides surprising insights. Human tears are an exciting phenomenon. They not only wet the eye or flush out foreign bodies but also flow when strong emotions are involved. Humans are probably the only living creatures that cry for emotional reasons. A research team from the Universities of Ulm and Sussex has categorized these reasons. Why do people need to cry?Based on a total of more…

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