The poliovirus in London does not mean that polio is making a comeback, Drs. Megan Berman and Richard Rupp write in the Vaccine Smarts column. It does demonstrate that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unsafe drop in vaccination rates. Likewise, major measles outbreaks have occurred in 26 countries due to pandemic disruption of vaccination programs.

Dr. Sally Robinson explains that hygiene theory suggests that children who have more exposure to germs and certain infections at a very early age develop immune systems that are better suited to differentiating harmless substances from harmful substances. Always talk to your physician, she advises.

One of the most common complaints at the end of life is pain, writes Dr. Samuel Mathis. While medication can help, acupuncture or acupressure can be very helpful without affecting an individual’s mentation. It can be difficult to find traveling acupuncturists, but acupressure is something that families can learn and perform themselves.

A new study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology confirms something we all suspected: Olive oil is good for your health. Drs. Norbert Herzog and David Niesel discuss why. It is a mainstay of the Mediterranean diet, which has been touted for years for its health benefits. Other studies have demonstrated that this diet may be important in reducing the incidence of stroke and the onset of dementia.

A study, published in Cell, identifies a specific scent emitted from both Zika- and dengue-infected mice that makes them more attractive to mosquitos than those without the viruses. It also points to a potential route to neutralize the olfactory flag. “This is a highly, highly influential study,” said Nikolaos Vasilakis, a professor of pathology at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston who was not involved with the research. “I’m pretty sure it’s going to foster or spin off several new lines of experimentation to get a better understanding of what’s happening in humans.”

Dr. Jeff Temple, who spoke about violence on the NPR program 1A, is a professor at The University of Texas Medical Branch where he serves as the Vice Dean for Research at the School of Nursing. He is the founding director of the Center for Violence Prevention there. He said without hesitation that he would prioritize the importance of schools and communities teaching the essential human skill of how to create healthy relationships. He said passionately, “We teach our children how to dribble a basketball or do math or read literature, but we do not teach them how to be in a relationship.” He believes universal implementation of the program reduces the likelihood that a student falls through the cracks and, as a bonus, kids not at risk for violence will learn important skills to be healthier and happier.

Dr. Jeff Temple was also on this Houston Public Media program to discuss the awareness of mental health across all spectrums of the population and how it has grown after years living in the pandemic—specifically in the youngest generations.

After a long wait, the FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization for COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 6 months to 5 years old. Shortly thereafter, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended them for this age group regardless of whether they have had COVID-19. Drs. Megan Berman and Richard Rupp answer some common questions about the vaccines for young children in the Vaccine Smarts column.

Hospice is comfort care without curative intent. The patient no longer has curative options or has chosen not to pursue treatment because the side effects outweigh the benefits. Palliative care is comfort care with or without curative intent. Drs. Victor S. Sierpina and Rebecca Burke explain the differences.

Neanderthals lived on Earth from about half a million years ago until about 12,000 years ago. They co-existed and interbred with humans as they spread out of Africa across Europe and Asia. Researchers think Neanderthal brains matured faster, which helped survival, but human brains developed slower, which helped them develop societies. Drs. Norbert Herzog and David Niesel discuss the research on one gene that might explain why humans dominated their cousins.