The current measles outbreak has gripped US states like Texas and New Mexico leaving people worried whether it would become a new pandemic. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services as of February 21, 90 cases were diagnosed in the last month in the South Plains area, with at least 77 of them were reported in children and teens under 17.

Measles is highly contagious and can be deadly. The outbreak, which started spreading in late January, has resulted in multiple hospitalizations, with at least nine confirmed cases and three probable cases as of early February. Health officials caution that at least one in five infected individuals will have to be hospitalized, highlighting the severity of the situation.

Misinformation surrounding vaccines and with the new Trump administration anti-vaccine campaigs, has causing parents to hesitate or refuse vaccination.

Furthermore, the country down under Australia is also witnessing a surge in measles cases as health officials in Sydney have issued an urgent alert, urging residents to watch for measles symptoms after an infected individual visited several places in Sydney over the last seven days.

Authorities report that the traveller had returned from South East Asia where there are ongoing outbreaks of measles.

What Are The Symptoms Measles?

Key symptoms of measles include fever, a runny nose, sore eyes, and a cough. Typically, a red, blotchy rash appears three to four days later, spreading from the head down to the body. Symptoms can manifest between 7 and 18 days after exposure.

Anyone who experiences these symptoms after potential exposure should immediately contact their doctor or emergency department. It is crucial to call ahead before visiting to avoid potentially exposing others in the waiting room. Dr. Selvey also highlighted that ongoing measles outbreaks are occurring in various parts of the world, making awareness and prompt action essential.

Why It Is Important To Get Vaccinated?

According to CDC everyone should get the MMR vaccine. It protects you from measles, mumps, and rubella. Getting vaccinated helps stop these diseases from spreading. There are two safe MMR vaccines available. They work the same way, so it doesn't matter which one you get. Kids can also get a shot that protects against chickenpox too, but this is only for children.

Who Should Get Vaccinated?

Kids Need Two Shots

All children should get two MMR shots. The first shot should be given when they are between 12 and 15 months old. The second shot should be given when they are between 4 and 6 years old. If needed, the second shot can be given earlier, but it must be at least 28 days after the first shot.

College Students Need to Be Protected

Students going to college or other schools after high school, need two shots if they are not already immune. The shots must be at least 28 days apart.

Adults Need at Least One Shot

Most adults need at least one MMR shot. Some adults need two shots, especially those who work in healthcare, travel a lot, or go to college. These people should get two shots, with 28 days between them.

Travelers Need to Be Extra Careful

Anyone traveling to other countries should make sure they are protected. Babies 6 to 11 months old should get one shot before traveling. Kids 12 months and older, teens, and adults need two shots, with 28 days between them.

Healthcare Workers Must Be Immune

People who work in healthcare should have proof that they are immune to measles, mumps, and rubella. If they are not immune, they need two MMR shots, spaced 28 days apart.

Women Thinking About Having Babies

Women who might get pregnant should talk to their doctor about the MMR vaccine. It's safe to get the shot while breastfeeding.

In a major policy shift, schools and colleges across India are set to introduce comprehensive sex education after the Centre informed the Supreme Court that a nationwide programme on health, safety, relationships and reproductive awareness will soon be rolled out.

The move comes nearly two years after the apex court directed the government to create a structured national framework to improve awareness about sexuality, reproductive health, consent, personal safety and child sexual abuse prevention.

Appearing before a bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and R. Mahadevan, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati said the Centre has accepted the recommendations of a 26-member national expert committee. The government plans to implement the curriculum nationwide after the Supreme Court grants its formal approval.

The bench also observed that "sex education is not a Western concept incompatible with Indian societal values," noting that misconceptions have led some states to oppose or ban such programmes despite their public health importance.

What Will Be Taught?

The expert panel has recommended making comprehensive sex education a mandatory part of the school curriculum under NEP 2020. Specially trained teachers would conduct brief 15–20 minute sessions twice a week, with lessons tailored to each age group.

Primary school: Personal hygiene, body awareness, and safe and unsafe touch.

Middle and higher classes: Puberty, hormonal changes, consent, personal boundaries, recognising unsafe situations, seeking help, and reproductive and sexual health.

Experts Call It A Long-Overdue Reform

Health experts lauded the move and reiterated that comprehensive sex education is not about encouraging sexual activity. Instead, it equips children with the knowledge and life skills needed to stay safe, make informed decisions and build healthy relationships.

Speaking to HealthandMe, Dr. Ishwar Gilada, the President Emeritus of the AIDS Society of India (ASI) and a Governing Council member of the International AIDS Society (IAS), called the apex Court's directions a landmark moment after decades of advocating for scientific sex education.

He noted that "early sex education can help prevent child sexual abuse among both girls and boys", and also prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV.

A key myth about sex education is that it will encourage sexual activity. Busting the myth, Dr. Arti Anand, Senior Consultant, Clinical Psychology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said that "comprehensive sex education is about providing children with the right information at the right age, not encouraging sexual activity".

The experts noted that in the absence of accurate information, children often rely on friends or the internet, where myths and misinformation are common.

Instead, Dr Arti said that a good sex education can:

• Protect children from abuse
• Reduce bullying
• Prevent unhealthy relationships
• Build confidence
• Encourage respect and responsible decision-making
• Help children grow into emotionally healthy, safe and well-informed adults

Studies have proven that comprehensive sexuality education can:

• Reduce risky behaviors
• Lower unintended pregnancies
• Reduce sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• Help prevent sexual abuse by enabling children to recognise inappropriate behaviour and seek help
• Promote gender equality and mutual respect.

Dr. Amit Prakash Singh, Consultant – Internal Medicine, CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, described comprehensive sex education as an essential life-skills programme that goes beyond reproductive health.

Dr. Singh told HealthandMe that the curriculum will help children understand:

• Puberty
• Consent
• Healthy relationships
• Personal safety
• Gender respect
• Digital safety.

South Korea is experiencing a sharp rise in sleep disorders across all age groups, but the fastest increase is among its youngest population.

New government data suggests that the number of children under the age of 10 who are undergoing treatment for sleep disorders spiked by 67.5% over the past four years, compared to teenagers and adults.

Alarming Rate Of Sleep Disorder Cases In South Korea’s Children

The surprising trend has raised concerns among pediatricians and sleep experts, who warn that poor sleep habits in early childhood can have permanent effects on physical growth, learning, intelligence, emotional well-being, and mental health.

According to figures released by South Korea's Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA), more than 1.34 million people sought treatment for sleep disorders last year, which showed an increase of about 24% compared to 2021

While adults in their 50s, 60s, and 70s still account for the largest share of patients, the fastest growth has been recorded among children less than 10 years of age. Teenagers also experienced a notable increase of more than 32% during the same period.

Also read: Obesity-Driven CKM Syndrome A Growing Public Health Threat, Warns American Heart Association

Why Are Children In South Korea Facing Sleep Disorders?

Excessive Screentime

Health experts say that there are factors that are likely driving the surge. One of the biggest contributors is the widespread and rampant use of smartphones, tablets, and other digital devices before bedtime.

Research states that exposure to blue light suppresses the production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates the body's sleep-wake cycle, making it harder for children to fall asleep.

Increased screen time is also replacing physical activity and playtime outdoors, both of which are essential for healthy nighttime sleep.

Academic Pressure

Academic pressure could also affect children’s sleep. Many children under 10 attend after-school academies called hagwons, spend long hours studying, and have increasingly structured schedules that leave little to no time for adequate rest.

Combined with irregular bedtime and stress, these factors can disrupt normal sleep patterns.

Also read: Chronic Fatigue: More Than Just Lack of Rest

Growing Stress And Anxiety

Experts also point to growing levels of stress and anxiety among children. Family pressures, highly competitive educational environments, and lifestyle changes following the COVID-19 pandemic have all been linked to increasingly poor sleep quality in children.

Mental health problems like anxiety can both contribute to and result from chronic sleep disturbances, creating a cycle that becomes difficult to break.

Insomnia

Insomnia remains the most common sleep disorder diagnosed in South Korea. Previous research has shown that the prevalence of diagnosed sleep disorders in the country nearly doubled between 2011 and 2020, highlighting that the current increase among children is part of a broader national trend.

Poor sleep during childhood could lead to poor attention, memory, learning, emotional regulation, and immune function. Children who consistently sleep too little may also face a higher risk of obesity, depression, and behavioral problems later in life.

Sleep specialists stress that parents should establish consistent bedtime routines, reduce evening screen exposure, encourage regular physical activity, and seek medical evaluation if symptoms like prolonged insomnia, loud snoring, or excessive daytime sleepiness continue.

Young adults who believe vaping is safer than smoking may be in for some surprising news. According to a new study, vape users presented reduced fitness and impaired blood vessel function similar to traditional cigarette smokers.

The research, published in the peer-reviewed journal ERJ Open Research, compared healthy adults aged 18 to 30 and found that both regular vapers and smokers had around 15% lower exercise capacity than people who had never smoked or vaped.

About The Study

The study involved 75 healthy young adults divided into three groups: non-smokers/non-vapers, cigarette smokers, and regular vapers who had never smoked.

Participants completed an incremental cycling test while researchers measured heart and lung function, oxygen activity, blood lactate levels, and overall vascular health.

Researchers also observed equally poor blood vessel function, reduced breathing efficiency during exercise, and early muscle fatigue in both those who vaped and smoked.

What Did The Study Find?

At peak exercise, both smokers and vapers showed significantly lower oxygen uptake and reached exhaustion sooner than non-users.

They also accumulated lactic acid more quickly, leading to greater breathlessness and increased leg discomfort during exercise. Ultrasound scans and blood tests further showed signs of impaired blood vessel function and inflammation.

Dr. Azmy Faisal, senior lecturer in cardiorespiratory physiology at Manchester Metropolitan University and lead author of the study, said, “In active, healthy young adults with normal lungs, both vapes and tobacco smoking led to worsened exercise capacity, shortness of breath, and intense leg fatigue.”

"Like smoking, our research indicates that vaping can lead to harmful changes to the blood vessels, lung efficiency during exercise, and approximately a 15% reduction in fitness compared to those who have never smoked or vaped," Faisal added.

Dr. Stamatoula Tsikrika of the European Respiratory Society commented on the findings, saying the growing popularity of vaping among young people who have never smoked is becoming an increasing public health concern.

Also read: How Smoking, Alcohol, And Vaping Are Quietly Hurting Women’s Fertility

"More and more young people who have never smoked are using vapes," Tsikrika said. "As the popularity of vaping continues to rise, so too do concerns that it is becoming normalised behaviour, functioning as a gateway to nicotine addiction and introducing serious health risks."

She noted that although e-cigarettes may contain fewer cancer-causing substances than conventional cigarettes, they can still lead to significant genetic changes.

"Vapes may contain lower levels of cancer-causing substances, but they can still trigger genetic changes such as DNA damage and inflammation, which are linked to increased lung cancer risk," Tsikrika said. "For people who have never smoked and are therefore not using vapes as a cessation method, the health consequences of vaping are becoming harder for policymakers and the tobacco industry to justify."

Also read: Friends Can Have A Big Impact On Vaping Habits, Study Suggests

Smoking Vs Vaping

The researchers, however, caution that the study does not suggest that vaping is equally harmful as smoking in every respect.

Traditional cigarettes still strongly remain linked to major disorders like cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and many other life-threatening illnesses.

But the new study indicates that when it comes to cardiovascular fitness, breathing efficiency, lung function and blood vessel health in young adults, vaping may offer far less protection.