Health Highlights: Dec. 22, 2021

COVID-19 helps drive nearly 2-year decline in U.S. life expectancy. New data from the CDC for 2020 shows COVID as the third leading killer, after heart disease and cancer, with the average American now living to 77, down from 78.8 the year before Read more

Flu season rebounds as another COVID surge arrives. Flu is making a comeback in the United States this year, with cases rising around the country even as the Omicron variant is surging, infectious disease experts say. All regions of the country have reported H3N2 influenza cases, and flu activity has reached moderate levels in at least nine states, the CDC says. Read more

Who's dying young from heart attack? Fewer Americans are dying prematurely from heart attack compared with years ago, but progress has stalled in the past decade, new research shows. Black Americans under 65 are more at risk of a fatal attack than their white peers. Read more

Fish oil won't help ease depression. They may have other proven health benefits, but new research shows that fish oil supplements don't prevent depression or improve mood. Read more