Health Highlights: Jan. 6, 2022

Doubts emerge on accuracy of some at-home COVID tests. Preliminary research is suggesting that two widely used nasal swab antigen tests, Abbott's BinaxNOW and Quidel QuickVue, may not detect the illness in the first few days after infection, even if people are carrying high levels of coronavirus. Read more

Heart disease may take bigger toll on women's brains than men's. A study of more than 1,800 adults in their 50s and 60s found that those with heart disease generally showed a greater decline in their memory and thinking skills over time -- and the effect was strongest in females. Read more

The global damage of dirty city air. In 2019, urban air pollution led to 1.8 million excess deaths, a majpr new study finds. In total, 86% of people living in cities throughout the world – a total of 2.5 billion people – are exposed to fine particulate matter at levels that exceed healthy levels. Read more

Britain eases COVID travel rules. Officials there are ending requirements for pre-departure tests for people traveling to the United Kingdom. The tests won’t be required because the dominance of the Omicron variant has made restrictions to stop its spread meaningless, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said. Read more