When he first became eligible for the coronavirus vaccine in Illinois, Tom Arnold, 68, says he didn’t need any convincing. He raises cattle, hogs and chickens in Elizabeth, a small rural town in the northwest corner of the state. After all, who better to understand why herd immunity matters than a herdsman? “Being a livestock…
URBANA – Since March 2020, when regular classroom teaching was curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers have been juggling transitions between remote, hybrid, and in-person learning; changing class schedules; students with a wide variety of technical needs; and their own mental and physical health. Some Champaign-Urbana teachers say trying to help their students through…
URBANA – With COVID-19 cases once again surging — and with the new CDC guidance for mask-wearing announced days ago — how might life change for people in east-central Illinois? The guidance once again calls for universal mask-wearing in indoor public spaces in areas where COVID is surging — defined as having “substantial or high…
UPDATED on Thursday, July 28, 2021 — Illinois Newsroom’s Christine Herman spoke with Champaign-Urbana Public Health Administrator Julie Pryde about what changes people can expect to see locally. Listen to that interview here: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday reversed course on its mask guidance, once again suggesting all individuals wear…
CHICAGO – Medicaid is a critical part of the U.S. social safety net, with more than 75 million people enrolled nationwide. The federal-state program provides health coverage for people with limited income and resources — and researchers have been trying to identify issues that may prevent the program from operating as intended. A new study…
CHAMPAIGN – It can be challenging for parents to bond with their new baby when the child ends up hospitalized following the birth. Champaign resident Paige Raab knows that firsthand. Her two traumatic birth experiences — which both resulted in stays in a hospital neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU — led her to launch…
The COVID-19 pandemic has been stressful for many families — and that stress can affect a child’s development, including their language and social skills. Side Effects Public Media recently received questions from audience members through our texting group, the Midwest Checkup, about how the changes wrought by the pandemic may affect child development. To learn…
URBANA – More than 10,000 residents of long-term care facilities in Illinois have died from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, according to state data. But in Champaign County, only one long-term care facility is currently mandating that its staff receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Clark-Lindsey, a long-term care facility and nursing home in Urbana,…
CHAMPAIGN — A shortage in blood donations locally has prompted a local blood bank to start offering rewards to try to encourage donations. ImpactLife—a blood donation organization that provides blood to hospitals around Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin—said in a press release that it has only been collecting about 85% of the blood that hospitals…
SPRINGDALE, Ark. – Tyson Foods Inc., one of the largest food manufacturers in the country, is recalling more than 8-million of pounds of chicken products after illnesses and one death linked to Listeria. On Sunday, the US Department of Agriculture issued a press release. It states the frozen, fully cooked chicken products were produced between…
URBANA – Urbana’s two hospitals are not requiring employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but vaccinations are strongly encouraged. At OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center, 64% of all staff – including leadership, frontline workers and support staff – are fully vaccinated, according to Deborah McCarter, the hospital’s vice president and chief nursing officer. A…
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Public Health are warning residents to be on the lookout for toxic blue-green algae for those planning summer activities in Illinois’ lakes and streams. The algae has already been detected in the Illinois River at the Starved Rock Lock & Dam. According to the press release, summer…
DANVILLE, Ill. – In the Danville Stadium parking lot on Two-Dollar Tuesday this week, National Guard members filled out brand-new COVID-19 vaccination cards. In exchange for getting the vaccine, residents received a coupon for a free hotdog and a non-alcoholic drink. Almost half of all Illinois residents are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19. But some…
URBANA – The University of Illinois plans a return to near normal class schedules in the fall, and campus life free of face masks, social distancing and regular testing for the coronavirus. But university officials say that’s only possible with COVID-19 vaccinations for everybody. U of I President Tim Killeen announced the vaccination requirement for…
CHAMPAIGN — Following state and national trends, Champaign County is seeing an uptick in drug overdose deaths and homicides. Over the past five years, the number of people who’ve died from a drug overdose — in both Champaign County and the state of Illinois — has roughly doubled. Last year, 52 Champaign County residents died…