Tomorrow’s Health: Building COVID antibodies, alcohol-use surgery & football health risks

WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) - We have stories this week on building antibodies against COVID and how tackle football may affect players’ health.

Acquired COVID immunity

Scientists in Canada found the spread of the omicron variant helped many people acquire immunity to the virus that causes COVID-19.

Data shows 75% of the population had COVID antibodies by March 2023 from a mixture of vaccination and exposure.

But they say antibody levels may diminish over time.

Surgery for alcohol use

Surgery could dramatically reduce alcohol use for chronic heavy drinkers.

Researchers have implanted gene therapy in the brains of monkeys.

They say it effectively reset the monkeys’ dopamine reward system and reduced alcohol consumption by more than 90%.

The approach could potentially be used for the most severe human cases of alcohol use disorder.

Football health risks

More research on the risk of tackle football shows it could increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease.

Researchers at Boston University evaluated 1,800 male athletes and found those who played organized tackle football were 61% more likely to report a Parkinson’s diagnosis.

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