Health Highlights: Jan. 3, 2022

Study finds no link between youth tackle football and brain deficits. Many parents struggle with the decision to let their kids play tackle football due to the risk of concussions. Now, research suggests that head trauma isn't linked to problems with memory, attention, processing speed or behavior in 9- to 12-year-olds who play football for a few seasons. Read more

New rule for asymptomatic COVID cases? Americans who've tested positive for COVID-19 but have no symptoms are currently advised by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to isolate for five days and then wear a mask for another five days when around others. They could soon be asked to also get a negative antigen test before ending their isolation, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday. Read more

Once-a-day HIV pill works for kids. An international trial found that a once-a-day antiretroviral medication for children with HIV is not only cheap and easy to take, but also better at suppressing HIV than standard treatments. Read more

Why Omicron may bring milder COVID-19. New research in animals finds that the new variant produces less damaging infections, often limited largely to the upper airway: the nose, throat and windpipe. The variant did much less harm to the lungs, researchers said. Read more