Health
Protest of CDC’s new COVID guidance planned for this month in Washington, DC: ‘Urgent need’
A community of “long COVID“ patients and activists are planning a march in Washington, D.C., to protest a recent announcement from the CDC.
On March 1, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officially dropped its recommendation for people to isolate for five days after a positive COVID test.
The agency’s new guidance tells people to stay home if they are sick — but when they’re feeling better and have been fever-free for 24 hours, they can return to school or work.
CDC DROPS ITS 5-DAY COVID ISOLATION GUIDELINES
In response, a community called LC/DC, which describes itself as non-partisan, is planning a protest at the Lincoln Memorial on March 15.
“LC/DC is fighting to raise awareness about long COVID, and we recognize that reducing the isolation policy will result in more infections, long-term illnesses and disability,” said Paul Hennessy, one of the three main organizers of the planned event.
A community of “long COVID” patients and activists (not pictured) have planned a march in Washington, D.C., to protest a recent announcement from the CDC about dropping isolation requirements. (iStock)
“Our main objection is that it’s not based on a period of infectiousness, but false assumptions,” Hennessy, who is based in Los Angeles, told Fox News Digital.
“The CDC has admitted that COVID can be contagious for over 10 days.”
Hennessey added, “The CDC’s job should not be to negotiate with a deadly airborne pathogen, but to give the best proper guidance.”
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Prior to this most recent update, the CDC called for people who test positive for the virus to “stay home for at least five days and isolate from others in your home,” a recommendation that was implemented in late 2021.
On March 1, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially dropped its recommendation for people to isolate for five days after a positive COVID test. (REUTERS/Tami Chappell)
At the start of the pandemic, the agency recommended a 10-day isolation period for people with COVID.
Hennessy said the group believes the CDC’s decision could be political.
“The CDC’s job should not be to negotiate with a deadly airborne pathogen, but to give the best proper guidance.”
“It’s not lost on us that the CDC has made this decision during an election year,” he said. “We’re not sure if this decision is political, but we do know from our research and standpoint that this was done arbitrarily and is more grounded in connivance than fact.”
Dara York, a San Francisco-based nurse who has long COVID and is one of the event’s organizers, told Fox News Digital that she believes the CDC is “abandoning” the problems related to COVID.
At the start of the pandemic, the CDC recommended a 10-day isolation period for people with COVID. (iStock)
“Reinfections are dangerous,” she said. “There is silent damage in many people. Most don’t even know their symptoms could be long COVID. Doctors and medical staff need training for [the condition].”
The LC/DC group is calling for a 10-day isolation and two negative tests as “best for the health of society.”
Said Hennessey, “Unfortunately, vaccinated and unvaccinated people can still get COVID and long COVID or post-COVID complications. Or they can spread it to someone more vulnerable.”
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In addition to protesting the CDC dropping the five-day isolation guidance, the group is also demanding more government funding for COVID and long COVID treatments.
“Our ultimate goals are to raise awareness for long COVID and stress the urgent need for prevention, education and treatments,” said Hennessy.
“There are no approved treatments for long COVID.”
Doctor reacts to CDC’s decision
Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, voiced his support of the dropped five-day isolation.
Siegel spoke to Mandy Cohen, CDC director, the day before the announcement.
In addition to protesting the CDC dropping the five-day isolation guidance, the group (not pictured) is also demanding more government funding for COVID and long COVID treatments. (iStock)
“The change is based on the fact that, according to Dr. Cohen, though wastewater analysis for COVID is very high, at the same time, case counts and hospitalizations are MUCH lower,” he told Fox News Digital.
“The goal is to have one set of guidelines for all respiratory viruses — flu, RSV, COVID, etc.,” Siegel noted.
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By the time someone tests positive for COVID, they are most likely at least two days into the illness, according to Cohen — and emerging data shows that the times of greatest transmission are right before symptoms begin and in the first few days of illness.
“The goal is to have one set of guidelines for all respiratory viruses.”
“The pandemic has been over for several months, and though there was an uptick this winter, with over 20,000 hospitalizations and 1,500 deaths per week at one point, it is now diminishing,” said Siegel.
As of the most recently reported week ending Feb. 24, the share of administered COVID tests with positive results was 7.4%, a 0.6% decrease from the prior week, per CDC data.
What is long COVID?
Long COVID is a condition in which symptoms of the virus persist for an extended period of time, generally three months or more.
Those symptoms can include fatigue, respiratory issues, cough, rapid heart rate and neurologic symptoms (sometimes referred to as “brain fog”).
Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, voiced his support of the dropped five-day isolation. (Fox News)
Approximately 18 million Americans reported ever having long COVID and 8.8 million reported having it currently, according to the CDC’s 2022 National Health Interview Survey, which was released in Sept. 2023.
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“We continue to see long-term effects from COVID, including viral persistence, damaged immune systems, organ damage, neurological complications such as dementia progression and Parkinson’s, and cardiovascular issues such as blood clots,” Hennessy said.
Symptoms can include fatigue, respiratory issues, cough, rapid heart rate and neurologic symptoms (sometimes referred to as “brain fog”). (iStock)
“Someone I love who was otherwise fit and healthy now has microclots after a recent infection.”
“Those in our group who have long COVID are desperate to get back to work and contribute to society, but don’t have the support they need to do so.”
The demonstration at Lincoln Memorial will take place on March 15 from 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Fox News Digital reached out to the CDC and to National Mall and Memorial Parks, which manages the Lincoln Memorial, requesting comment on the planned protest.
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For women over 60, muscle strength plays a critical role in longevity, a new study confirms.
Researchers at the University at Buffalo, New York, followed more than 5,000 women between the ages of 63 and 99, finding that those with greater muscle strength had a significantly lower risk of death over an eight-year period.
The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
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Muscle function was measured using grip strength and how quickly participants could complete five unassisted sit-to-stand chair raises.
These are two tests commonly used in clinical settings to evaluate muscle function in older adults, the researchers noted.
A recent study shows that stronger muscle strength in women over 60 is linked to a lower risk of death over eight years. (iStock)
“In a community cohort of ambulatory older women, muscular strength was associated with significantly lower mortality rates, even when we accounted for usual physical activity and sedentary time measured using a wearable monitor, gait speed and blood C-reactive protein levels,” study lead author Michael LaMonte, research professor of epidemiology and environmental health at the University at Buffalo, told Fox News Digital.
“Movement is the key — just move more and sit less.”
Many earlier studies did not include those objective measurements, making it difficult to determine whether muscle strength itself was linked to longevity, according to LaMonte. “Our study was able to better isolate the association between strength and death in later life,” he added.
Even for women who don’t get the recommended amount of aerobic physical activity, which is at least 150 minutes per week, muscle strength remained important for longevity, the researchers found.
Women with greater muscle strength were more likely to live longer, even if they did not meet the recommended amount of aerobic exercise. (iStock)
“The findings of lower mortality in those who had higher strength but were not meeting current national guidelines on aerobic activity were somewhat intriguing,” LaMonte said.
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Federal guidelines recommend strengthening activities one to two days per week, targeting major muscle groups.
Resistance training does not have to require a gym membership, LaMonte noted. These exercises can be performed using free weights, resistance bands, bodyweight movements or even household items, such as soup cans.
Experts recommend working major muscle groups one or two days a week using weights, bands or bodyweight exercises. (iStock)
“Movement is the key — just move more and sit less,” he said. “When we can no longer get out of the chair and move around, we are in trouble.”
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LaMonte acknowledged several limitations of the study. The researchers assessed muscle strength in older age but did not explore how earlier levels in adulthood might influence long-term health outcomes.
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“We were not able to understand how strength and mortality relate in younger ages,” he said, noting that future research should explore whether building strength earlier could have an even greater impact on longevity.
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Compounds found in cannabis could provide a new roadmap for treating the world’s most common chronic liver disorder, according to a study released by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The research, published in the British Journal of Pharmacology, found that cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG) significantly reduced liver fat and improved metabolic health in experimental models.
CBD is the more widely studied non-intoxicating cannabinoid, while CBG is a less common “precursor” cannabinoid from which CBD is formed.
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Unlike THC, the primary psychoactive component in cannabis, these compounds do not produce a “high,” making them viable candidates for long-term medical treatment, the study suggests.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) currently affects approximately one-third of the global adult population, according to health data.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) currently affects approximately one-third of the global adult population. (iStock)
The condition, which is closely linked to obesity and insulin resistance, has few approved pharmaceutical treatments, the researchers said, leaving patients to rely largely on lifestyle changes that can be difficult to maintain.
“Our findings identify a new mechanism by which CBD and CBG enhance hepatic energy and lysosomal function,” said lead study author Joseph Tam, director of the Multidisciplinary Center for Cannabinoid Research at Hebrew University, in a press release.
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The study highlights a process called “metabolic remodeling,” in which the cannabis compounds created a “backup battery” for the liver by increasing levels of phosphocreatine, a high-energy molecule stored in muscle cells.
This energy reserve helps the organ function under the stress of a high-fat diet, which was an unexpected discovery, the team noted.
Researchers focused on CBD and CBG, two non-psychoactive compounds that offer therapeutic benefits without the “high” associated with THC. (iStock)
The researchers also found that CBD and CBG restored the activity of “cellular cleaning crews” known as cathepsins, enzymes that work within the cell’s recycling centers to break down harmful fats and waste.
With this process, the liver was better able to clear out dangerous lipids, including triglycerides and ceramides, which are known to trigger inflammation, the study showed.
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While both compounds were effective, CBG showed more robust results in certain areas, such as reducing total body fat mass, lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol and improving insulin sensitivity.
Researchers say this study opens a new path for using plant-based compounds to treat metabolic diseases by focusing on how cells manage energy and waste.
The discovery of a phosphocreatine “backup battery” in the liver marks a significant shift in how scientists understand the organ’s ability to survive high-fat diets. (iStock)
Limitations and caveats
Despite the promising results, the research team cautioned that the study was conducted in a controlled experimental environment. Further clinical trials are necessary to determine the proper application for human patients.
Other recent studies have pointed to potential issues with using cannabis as a medical tool.
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A major analysis published in JAMA examined more than 2,500 scientific papers from the last 15 years, including other reviews, clinical trials and guidelines focused on medical marijuana.
The 2025 review highlighted significant gaps between public perception and scientific evidence regarding cannabis’ effectiveness for most medical conditions.
Other recent studies have pointed to issues with the efficacy of cannabis as a medical tool. (iStock)
The researchers concluded that there are very few conditions for which cannabinoid therapies have clear, well-established benefits backed by high-quality clinical data.
“Whenever a substance is widely used, there is likely to be a very wide set of outcomes,” Alex Dimitriu, MD, who is double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, previously told Fox News Digital. “This study points to the reality that this widely used substance is not a panacea.”
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The strongest evidence supports FDA-approved cannabinoid medications for treating specific conditions, including HIV/AIDS-related appetite loss, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and certain severe pediatric seizure disorders, according to the review.
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Anyone interested in using marijuana for medical purposes should speak to a healthcare provider to discuss potential risks and benefits.
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While cannabis has recently come under fire for potential negative health risks, a recent study suggests that its use could increase brain volume and cognitive fitness.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus analyzed cannabis usage, brain scans and cognitive test results for more than 26,000 adults between the ages of 40 and 77, using data from the UK biobank.
The study found that cannabis users — particularly those who reported moderate lifetime usage — showed larger volumes in several brain regions.
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“Compared to individuals with no history of cannabis use, those who reported using cannabis showed larger volumes in several brain regions characterized by a high density of cannabinoid (CB1) receptors — regions involved in processes such as memory, information processing and emotion regulation,” lead study author Anika Guha, Ph.D., a researcher at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, told Fox News Digital.
A recent study suggests that cannabis use could increase brain volume and cognitive fitness. (iStock)
The cannabis users also scored better on cognitive tests that measured learning, processing speed and executive function.
This outcome differs from many previous studies, which have focused on short-term cognitive impairment during or shortly after cannabis use, the researcher pointed out.
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“These findings suggest that the relationship between cannabis and the brain may differ across the lifespan, and that moderate use in mid-to-later adulthood may be associated with positive brain health outcomes,” Guha said.
Not all areas of the brain showed positive effects among cannabis users. The posterior cingulate, which is involved in self-reflection and memory, had lower volume with higher marijuana use.
“The takeaway is not that people should start using more cannabis based on these findings alone.”
As cannabis has been rising in popularity among all ages, this type of study is important for understanding its long-term effects and the pros and cons of use, according to Matt Glowiak, Ph.D., chief addiction specialist with Recovered, an organization that provides information and resources for mental health and addiction treatment.
The drug’s effects likely depend on factors such as age, dose, frequency, product composition and individual vulnerability. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)
“Given the connection between cannabis use and larger brain volume, it is believed that it may help [older] individuals retain cognitive function that might otherwise naturally decline,” Chicago-based Glowiak, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
“This is a huge benefit, but one we need to explore a bit further, ahead of encouraging those who would otherwise not consider integrating cannabis into their healthcare regimen.”
Limitations and caveats
As the study was observational in nature, it could not prove that cannabis use improves brain health — instead, it only showed an association, according to Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, who was not involved in the study.
“The preponderance of previous evidence does not line up with improved cognitive function from chronic cannabis use,” Siegel told Fox News Digital. “This study is an outlier, and though it cannot be ignored, it is not justification for use.”
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The study also relied on the UK Biobank, which offers a “large and rich dataset,” Guha said — but it is limited to the questions that were originally posed to the participants.
“In particular, we have only a broad measure of how many times someone has used cannabis over their lifetime,” she said. “We do not have access to details about how they used cannabis, such as whether they smoked or used edibles, the type or potency of cannabis, or when in their life they used most heavily.”
Cannabis users scored better in learning, processing speed and executive function. (iStock)
“Those details likely matter a great deal for understanding how cannabis affects the aging brain.”
Given these limitations, Guha suggests that the findings should be seen as an early indicator that cannabis use may be related to brain aging, “and as a starting point for more targeted research that can tease apart these relationships.”
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“The takeaway is not that people should start using more cannabis based on these findings alone,” she emphasized. “While cannabis may have potential benefits in some contexts, a substantial body of research also documents important risks, underscoring that cannabis is neither completely beneficial nor completely harmful.”
The drug’s effects likely depend on factors such as age, dose, frequency, product composition and individual vulnerability, according to Guha.
“Given the widespread use and legalization of cannabis, it would be great to know that it is net-positive for brain health — however, this feels too good to be true, and too early to claim,” one expert said. (AP)
“As with any substance, individuals should consult with a healthcare provider before initiating use, particularly if they have a history of mental health concerns, as THC (the primary psychoactive component of cannabis) can exacerbate symptoms such as psychosis in vulnerable individuals,” she added.
Dr. Alex Dimitriu, who is double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine, reiterated that this study is an “outlier,” as most previous research has shown “detrimental effects” from cannabis use.
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“Given the widespread use and legalization of cannabis, it would be great to know that it is net-positive for brain health — however, this feels too good to be true, and too early to claim,” he said. “I would advise proceeding with caution and moderation.”
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Dimitriu agreed that more large-scale studies and review papers are needed to get a “clearer picture.”
“What this cannabis study shows is that there may be conflicting information, which warrants more investigation.”
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