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Rockville, MD — Of the 56.7 million to 74.3 million essential workers and their family members living with them who face an increased risk of contracting COVID-19, as many as 61% are at a heightened risk of severe COVID-19, results of a recent study led by researchers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality suggest.

Bethesda, MD — With COVID-19 restrictions keeping families at home – and millions of people preparing to watch Super Bowl LV on Feb. 7 – now is a good time to secure TVs and large furniture to prevent tip-overs, the Consumer Product Safety Commission says.

New Orleans — Healthy sleep patterns – including rising in the morning; getting between seven and eight hours of sleep every night; and having no insomnia, snoring or excessive daytime sleepiness – could cut your risk of heart failure nearly in half, say researchers at Tulane University.

University Park, PA — Planning a do-it-yourself project with shipping pallets, or headed to your local “big box” retailer? Be careful: Non-work-related injuries involving pallets resulted in more than 30,000 emergency room visits over a recent five-year period, according to researchers from Penn State University and the University of Florida.

New York — Nearly half of remote employees have signed off early to have an alcoholic drink or have had a drink during the workday amid the COVID-19 pandemic, results of a recent survey indicate.

Washington — Teens who use e-cigarettes are four times more likely to start smoking, according to the results of a recent study led by researchers from Children’s National Hospital and the University of Texas at Austin.

Washington — Dietary recommendations for infants and toddlers are included for the first time in the updated nutritional guidelines published by the departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services.

Columbus, OH — Using social media to spread safety and health advice? Make sure the pictures you’re using match the message, researchers from Ohio State University and Nationwide Children’s Hospital say.

Birmingham, England — A mug of hot chocolate can provide not only a bit of warmth, but also a cognitive boost – thanks to a group of compounds in cocoa called flavanols, results of a recent study led by British researchers show.

Coventry, England — Healthy lifestyle changes can help anyone – no matter their age – lose weight, results of a recent study led by researchers from the University of Warwick show.