Decline in Georgia’s COVID numbers may be just a lull | 90.1 FM WABE
The recent news on COVID in Georgia appears quite good – cases, hospitalizations and deaths have all dropped to a low plateau, state health officials said Tuesday. But the number of vaccinations has also shown a recent decline, with the rate of Georgia residents fully vaccinated now hovering at about 50 percent. During October, vaccinations […]
Wellstar-United contract ends without a deal, affecting thousands | 90.1 FM WABE
Tens of thousands of UnitedHealthcare members will now face higher out-of-pocket fees if they go to Wellstar Health System hospitals and doctors. The contract between the two organizations ended Sunday without a new agreement. An estimated 80,000 United members will be affected. Payment for medical services is the sticking point. United says the Wellstar demands […]
School-Aged Children At Center Of Latest COVID Surge In State | 90.1 FM WABE
About 60 percent of current Covid outbreaks in Georgia are occurring in K-12 schools across the state, public health officials said Tuesday. That’s seven times more than the child outbreaks in previous virus surges, Cherie Drenzek, the state epidemiologist, told the board of the Department of Public Health. Cases, hospitalizations and deaths among children have […]
New Device Shortage, High Death Toll Reported As COVID Wave Continues | 90.1 FM WABE
Since it hit the United States a year and a half ago, the Covid pandemic has led to several significant shortages in the care of patients, from personal protective equipment to hospital personnel. Hospital officials say a new shortage has emerged in Georgia: oxygen concentrators, which are devices that give a patient extra oxygen. The […]
State Shatters Record For COVID-19 Hospitalizations | 90.1 FM WABE
The state has broken its record for COVID patient hospitalizations, and has reached 5,880, a Public Health spokeswoman said Tuesday. The previous mark was set Jan. 12 at 5,814 hospitalized virus patients during the third COVID surge, according to Nancy Nydam, the spokeswoman. (The agency’s website Tuesday shows a lower hospitalization figure.) Meanwhile, several other […]
Pecan-enriched diet shown to reduce cholesterol: People at risk for cardiovascular disease showed improvements
While the proper pronunciation of pecan remains a subject of debate, University of Georgia researchers have shown the tree nut can dramatically improve a person’s cholesterol levels. Participants at risk for cardiovascular disease who ate pecans during an eight-week intervention showed significant improvements in total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol, in […]
Kemp Adding Staffing Help To Bolster Hospitals Amid COVID Surge | 90.1 FM WABE
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is doubling the staffing help that the state is sending to hospitals grappling with shortages of nurses, respiratory therapists and other workers amid the latest COVID-19 surge. The staffing help expands the supply of temporary workers that the state is providing from 1,300 to 2,800, Kemp told a news conference Monday. […]
Already Understaffed, Hospitals Swamped By Latest COVID Surge | 90.1 FM WABE
Across Georgia on Wednesday, dozens of hospitals were reporting severe ER crowding and various forms of “diversion” — sending patients elsewhere due to capacity problems. The Delta variant of COVID-19, sweeping through the state, is rapidly increasing case numbers and hospitalizations. But exacerbating the current patient crunch is the ever-worsening shortage of health care workers […]
Georgia’s Vaccine Rate Rises Amid COVID Spike; Incentives Coming? | 90.1 FM WABE
As the Delta variant drives a relentless COVID-19 surge, Georgia’s vaccination rate has picked up steam. A Washington Post analysis, based on CDC data, reported Tuesday that the state’s rate of new doses administered climbed 26 percent over the past week. The national vaccination rate rose 8 percent during the same time. Georgia has seen […]
South Georgia Hospitals Feel Strain As COVID Cases Skyrocket | 90.1 FM WABE
To describe the current COVID surge, hospital leaders in South Georgia are using strong words, such as ‘‘scary,’’ ‘‘fear’’ and “overwhelmed.’’ The state’s COVID-19 map shows most of the hottest spots for the latest case surge are in the southern part of Georgia. And some hospital officials in the region say the impact is worse […]