Kids across the area are heading back to the classroom. Wearing masks is one of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks that could shut down schools and put students and staff at risk. In this Q&A, Memorial…
Thanks to a laser focus to address the regional nursing shortage, Tracy Madonia and other area nursing students will enjoy a new Nursing Education Center this fall on the campus of Lincoln Land Community College (LLCC). Tracy Madonia, entering her…
If you’ve recovered from COVID-19 in the past, you may be wondering if it’s really necessary to get vaccinated. Compelling new research suggests the answer is “yes.” While being sick with COVID-19 creates antibodies that protect against future illness, it’s…
Family nurse practitioner Gina White, DNP, had concerns when the COVID-19 vaccine was released under Emergency Authorization. But when evidence showed the Delta variant was targeting children and sparking rapid respiratory decline, she and her husband made the decision to…
How reliable is the latest viral post? Just because it shows up on your feed a dozen times in the last 24 hours doesn’t make it accurate. As the Delta variant targets the unvaccinated and patient admissions overcrowd healthcare facilities,…
Just when we thought the COVID-19 pandemic was behind us, the Delta variant has taken hold along with the return of mask mandates and familiar social restrictions. Is it any wonder people’s emotions are on edge? “Feelings of fear, anxiety…
Brian Su, 55, a Springfield businessman, never quite believed COVID-19 would reach the United States. Once the pandemic took hold here, he questioned the safety of vaccines until the virus nearly took his life and threatened to rob his wife…
The Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus has prompted new warnings from health officials and renewed lockdowns in parts of the world. It’s now the dominant COVID-19 strain, accounting for more than 83% of new cases in the United States. Infection prevention experts at Memorial…
As the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine rolled out at the end of 2020, Kristen and Josh Brown met with their obstetrician for their twelve-week visit and discussed pros and cons of vaccination. Kristen, 30, was eligible to schedule the vaccination because…
Four days before testing positive for COVID-19, Bill Jones walked half a mile to his deer stand, shot a deer and hauled the carcass back to his vehicle himself. “No problem,” the 59-year-old Taylorville man said. In the days that…