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Happy summer. This week we’re writing about the covid summer, dog emotions and essential oils. And we’ve got our weekly “joy” snack. But before that …
This week’s must-reads:
- What is ‘Teflon flu’? It’s linked to a coating on some nonstick pans.
- For healthy aging, light exercise or sleep beats being sedentary
- Why we love something that’s ‘so bad it’s good’
- What to know about cheaper, imitation weight-loss drugs
- How to (gently) talk to aging parents about downsizing and decluttering
It’s a covid summer
For the past few weeks, I’ve been coping with covid for the first time. I managed to dodge it for four years, but the FLiRT variants got me. I had my first symptoms on July 4 and tested positive on a home test kit the same day. I started the antiviral drug Paxlovid the next day. The drug dramatically lowers the risk of serious illness or needing to be hospitalized with covid. I’m glad I could take it. But Paxlovid is also associated with “rebound” and a longer stretch of illness. That has been the case with me — I’m on Day 15 of testing positive. (Here’s our guide to Paxlovid.)
I picked up the coronavirus while traveling from Europe. I had been very careful, masked up and avoided crowds, on all legs of the trip. But my system broke down on the way home, particularly in a crowded passport area when I couldn’t find my mask. My advice to all of you planning to travel this summer: Bring a mask for the planes, airport security and passport lines. I think in general the air ventilation on airplanes is pretty good, but if someone near you has covid and is unmasked, the risk of getting sick is certainly increased.
Reporters Fenit Nirappil and Lizette Ortega from our health desk have more news to share about this covid summer. A summer coronavirus wave has washed over most of the United States, bringing yet another round of gatherings turned into superspreaders, vacations foiled by illness and reminders that pandemic life has not been fully erased, they report. Not even President Biden was spared.
Coronavirus activity in wastewater reached levels considered “high” or “very high” in 26 states, according to the most recent data reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Other metrics also suggest the virus is rising, including the prevalence of covid-19 diagnoses in emergency rooms and the rate of coronavirus tests processed at labs coming back positive, but not to the degree of the winter surge.
Covid has spiked every summer since the pandemic started, which experts attribute to increased travel; large gatherings such as weddings and conferences; the rise of new variants; and even the heat driving people inside, where the virus spreads more easily.
“When we’re outdoors, it’s difficult for covid to transmit, but it’s been so oppressively hot, particularly in the southwest United States, and people are just spending a lot more time indoors,” said Andrew Pekosz, a professor of microbiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health who specializes in respiratory viruses like the coronavirus.
You can read more about the covid summer here. We’ll be talking about covid in our live chat next week, so please send us your question and join us at 1 p.m. on Thursday. Meanwhile read up on the latest guidelines here.
Dogs get sad and happy — but mostly happy
I really enjoyed our live chat this week that focused largely on the emotions of dogs, but included lots of great photos from readers (as well as a picture of my dog, Sugar) and questions on air travel and dogs, longevity research and dogs, plus some about cat anxiety and coping with the grief from losing a pet. Here’s one question:
Does my dog “need” dog friends? Or am I enough of a friend for him?
I worry about this, too. Sometimes, I see Sugar looking longingly at other dogs. Other days, I seem to be all she wants in the world. I asked veterinarian Matthew Lechner about this, and his response is reassuring to those of us who are our dogs’ primary companions.
“I find that for the vast majority of dogs, they acclimate and 99 percent of the time, a dog’s attitude is happy,” he said. “They tend to be very adaptable and happy in whatever situation they are in. Cats are potentially more social creatures in terms of wanting a companion. On the dog side, I find that their heart grows or shrinks to the involved party. If it’s just you, they will live a full and happy life. And if you add more dogs or people, they will be even happier.”
You can find the full chat here.
These essential oils have science-backed health benefits
I’ve heard essential oils can help treat stress, insomnia and other health conditions. Is that true? What does the research say?
From a purely medical perspective, it’s hard to say that many essential oils are doing anything profound. The health claims linked to most varieties, such as citronella, bergamot, rose and sandalwood, are lacking in convincing data from clinical studies.
But there is reasonable medical evidence for a few uses, including:
- Peppermint oil capsules for irritable bowel syndrome
- Lavender oil capsules or aromatherapy for sleep and anxiety
- Tea tree oil applied topically for acne
To learn more, read our latest Ask a Doctor column. Our columnist is Trisha S. Pasricha, an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Find your joy snack!
Here are a few things that brought us joy this week.
- Savannah Bananas and BabyDog: Enjoy some of this week’s best photographs from The Post.
- Rare white crow rescued after ‘dive bombed’ by other crows in Virginia
- Dreaming of tropical waters? Take a dip in this deep blue punch.
- Cavers find dog stuck in 50-foot cavern, feed her salami, rescue her
- Potty-mouthed parrot arrives at shelter; 400 people apply to adopt him
Want to know more about “joy” snacks? Our Brain Matters columnist Richard Sima explains. You can also read this story as a comic.
Please let us know how we are doing. Email me at wellbeing@washpost.com. You can also find us on TikTok.
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