Based On Science

• Can vitamin A help prevent measles?

  Vitamin A does not prevent measles. The most effective way to prevent measles is through vaccination. Vitamin A supplements are a tool in reducing complications from measles, but they will not prevent infection. Vitamin A, when used under the guidance of a health care provider, may reduce the severity of measles, particularly among children at high risk of deficiency. However, too much vitamin A is dangerous.

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• Are there proven treatments for Ebola?

  Yes. Scientists have developed treatments that improve survival for Ebola virus disease caused by Zaire ebolavirus, especially when patients receive care early. But treatments that work for one species of Ebola virus may not work against all Ebola viruses.

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• Are contrails harmful to the environment?

  Some contrails can contribute to global warming. Contrails—pure ice clouds (“cirrus”) that form from aircraft exhaust under specific cold conditions—can trap heat in the atmosphere, sometimes creating as much warming as the carbon dioxide released by burning jet fuel.

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