FDA posts list of authorized at-home COVID-19 test kits

The FDA has released a list of all authorized at-home, over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits. Months after the scarcity of tests caused an uproar, at-home test kits are now more widely available. The FDA’s list includes helpful information like the type of test, how quickly it works and who should use it in terms of symptoms […]

covid hospital ventilator

COVID-19 hospitalizations in Florida drop below 4,000

The number of Florida hospital inpatients with COVID-19 has dropped below 4,000 after a surge in late December and early January caused by the omicron variant of the coronavirus. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released data Tuesday that showed 3,814 inpatients with COVID-19, down from 4,123 on Monday and down from 8,798 […]

US virus cases, hospitalizations continue steady decline

Average daily COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are continuing to fall in the U.S., an indicator that the omicron variant’s hold is weakening across the country. Total confirmed cases reported Saturday barely exceeded 100,000, a sharp downturn from around 800,850 five weeks ago on Jan. 16, according to Johns Hopkins University data. In New York, the […]

In GOP embrace of truckers, some see racist double standard

Former President Donald Trump, who repeatedly called Black Lives Matter protesters “thugs” and “anarchists,” said there’s “a lot of respect” for the overwhelmingly white truckers who blocked streets in the Canadian capital and shut down border crossings with the U.S. to oppose COVID-19 restrictions. To Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, the truckers who parked bumper to bumper are […]

Lee Health reports 124 COVID-19 patients isolated in their hospitals Friday

The number of COVID-19 patients being treated in Lee Health hospitals has decreased every day this week, which is a sign that we have moved past the plateau and are on the downswing of the omicron surge. Lee Health said they are “thankful for the tireless work of our entire team during this most recent […]

Pandemic leads to innovative approach to spinal fusion operations

When hospitals paused elective surgeries during the pandemic many people were left in a whole lot of hurt. That created an opportunity to find a way to perform complex operations in an outpatient setting. Bill Banker looms large on the court, whether it’s pickleball or basketball, golf or running, the former college athlete is always […]

More virus rules fall as CDC hints at better times ahead

The nation’s leading health officials said Wednesday that the U.S. is moving closer to the point that COVID-19 is no longer a “constant crisis” as more cities, businesses and sports venues began lifting pandemic restrictions around the country. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a White House briefing that […]

Lee Health

Lee Health is reporting 132 COVID-19 patients in its hospital Thursday morning

Lee Health is reporting it has 132 COVID-19 patients in its hospitals as of Thursday morning. As of Thursday morning, there are 132 COVID-19 patients isolated in Lee Health hospitals. Of those patients, four of them are being treated at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. On Thursday morning, Lee Health hospital census was at […]

Weekly US jobless claims rise for the first time in a month

More Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week following three straight weeks of declines. Jobless claims rose by 23,000 to 248,000 for the week ending Feb. 12, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Claims were revised up to 225,000 the previous week. The four-week average for claims, which compensates for weekly volatility, fell by 10,500 to […]

Germany announces end to most COVID restrictions on March 20

Germany’s leaders on Wednesday announced plans to end most of the country’s coronavirus restrictions by March 20, a decision that coincided with moves by neighboring Austria and Switzerland to drop many of their curbs sooner. A three-step plan was endorsed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the country’s 16 state governors as official figures show Germany’s […]