Pittsburgh-based Dr. Amesh Adalja cherishes role as voice of the pandemic
Nobody could blame Dr. Amesh Adalja if he feels somewhat reluctant to check his email or go to the mailbox on certain days. The Pittsburgh-based infectious disease expert, who is of Indian descent, has been on the receiving end of everything from overtly racist emails, including being called “dirt skin,”...
Western Pa. health experts cautious about CDC’s mask-shedding guidance
Western Pennsylvania health professionals say the newest public health guidelines about maskless gatherings are a “measured step toward normalcy” — but they also come with some concerns. “I worry a little bit, frankly, that people will maybe misinterpret this particular guidance, and think it gives more freedoms than it really...
Solid sign-ups for Biden’s new ‘Obamacare’ coverage offer
WASHINGTON — More than 200,000 people signed up for coverage in the first two weeks after President Joe Biden reopened HealthCare.gov as part of his coronavirus response, the government said Wednesday. The solid start to the three-month special enrollment period indicates a pent-up demand for health insurance as the covid-19...
Countries urge drug companies to share vaccine know-how
PARIS — In an industrial neighborhood on the outskirts of Bangladesh’s largest city lies a factory with gleaming new equipment imported from Germany, its immaculate hallways lined with hermetically sealed rooms. It is operating at just a quarter of its capacity. It is one of three factories that The Associated...
U.S. panel endorses 3rd vaccine option from Johnson & JohnsonVideo
WASHINGTON — A U.S. advisory panel has endorsed the new one-dose covid-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson as a third option to bolster the national effort against the coronavirus pandemic. Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted overwhelmingly to recommend the vaccine for adults 18 years old...
Flu season virtually ‘nonexistent’ as coronavirus mitigation efforts help curtail illnesses, doctors say
Despite fears that influenza would combine with covid-19 to create a so-called “twindemic,” this flu season has been a mild one. Allegheny County so far has reported zero flu-related deaths, three hospitalizations and 180 cases. That’s a notable drop from last year’s 12 deaths, 115 hospitalizations and over 10,000 cases....
Despite pandemic, UPMC rakes in record-high $23.1 billion in 2020 revenue
The coronavirus pandemic did not thwart UPMC from raking in a record-high $23.1 billion in 2020 operating revenue — nearly $2.5 billion more than the nonprofit health system generated in 2019 and $10 billion more than it did five years ago, data released Friday show. UPMC Chief Financial Officer Ed...
U.S. advisers endorse single-shot covid-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson
WASHINGTON — U.S. health advisers endorsed a one-dose covid-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson on Friday, putting the nation on the cusp of adding an easier-to-use option to fight the pandemic. The Food and Drug Administration is expected to quickly follow the recommendation and make J&J’s shot the third vaccine...
Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital makes Newsweek list of top maternity centers
The Family Additions Maternity Center at Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital made Newsweek’s list of Best Maternity Hospitals 2021. Excela Health is one of 217 hospitals across 36 states on the annual list compiled by the news magazine in partnership with The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit organization that reports on...
Small pet turtles linked to Pennsylvania salmonella outbreak
Tiny turtles have sparked a salmonella outbreak that killed one person and sickened at least eight others, state health officials said Wednesday. The outbreak has been linked to small pet turtles purchased from street vendors, said Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam. She said a majority of the cases have...
Johnson & Johnson’s covid vaccine could get green light by the end of the weekVideo
An advisory panel from the Food and Drug Administration will meet Friday to consider approving Johnson & Johnson’s one-dose coronavirus vaccine. The company has applied to the FDA for emergency authorization. The panel is expected to grant that as early as this weekend, after it discusses the effectiveness and safety...
UPMC website allows registration for covid-19 vaccine appointments
UPMC will allow people to register online or via phone for notifications and appointment scheduling information for the covid-19 vaccine, though the limited supply means there are no appointments to be had right now. The website encourages those who are eligible to sign up online so they can be contacted...
Pitt students, volunteers create VaccinatePA to connect residents with vaccination infoVideo
The coronavirus vaccine rollout in Pennsylvania has created frustration for state officials and residents alike, with counties creating online registries to help get constituents the information they need and hospitals struggling to minimize wasted vaccine doses. But a group of University of Pittsburgh students, with the help of a couple...
PNC Park to host appointment-only covid-19 vaccination clinic
Allegheny Health Network will host a covid-19 vaccination clinic at PNC Park on Saturday for individuals in phase 1A of Pennsylvania’s vaccination plan. The clinic is meant for those receiving their first dose of the vaccine. Appointments are required; only those who have pre-registered can receive a vaccine at the...
Bethel Park mother featured in national nonprofit’s colorectal cancer awareness campaign
There are more than a million colorectal cancer survivors in the U.S., and telling their stories is one of the most effective ways that Missouri-based nonprofit Fight Colorectal Cancer has found to make others aware of the importance of cancer screenings. That is why Lynne Ireland-Knight of Bethel Park will...
Government seizes more than 10M phony N95 masks in covid-19 probe
WASHINGTON — Federal agents have seized more than 10 million fake 3M brand N95 masks in recent weeks, the result of an ongoing investigation into counterfeits sold in at least five states to hospitals, medical facilities and government agencies. The most recent seizures occurred Wednesday when Homeland Security agents intercepted...
Global vaccine gaps could leave Americans vulnerableVideo
WASHINGTON — Over and over, President Joe Biden has emphasized the need to inoculate as many Americans as quickly as possible, all but staking his presidency on successfully shielding the country from covid-19. Yet the uneven vaccination effort globally is expected to leave large swaths of the planet unprotected for...
Greensburg mom is among those who shortened hospital stay after giving birth because of pandemic
Francis Regis Johns IV was born at 8:50 a.m. Jan. 10. By 8 p.m. on Jan. 11, he was comfortably at his Greensburg home. “He was good, and I was feeling good, so the best option was to come home,” said Francis’ mother Sarah Johns. UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital in Oakland...
Pitt researchers find Black Americans nationwide must travel farther to get covid vaccine
A study from researchers at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Pharmacy shows that Black residents in many regions of the U.S. will have farther to travel to receive a covid-19 vaccine — creating a potential accessibility issue. “Pharmacies should be easy to access, but in some places there’s low...
Biden says U.S. is securing 600 million vaccine doses by JulyVideo
BETHESDA, Md. — President Joe Biden visited some of the nation’s leading scientists on the frontlines of the fight against covid-19 on Thursday, as he announced the U.S. will have enough supply of the vaccine by the end of the summer to inoculate 300 million Americans. Biden toured the Viral...
Congo officials confirm 2nd death from Ebola in the east
BENI, Congo — A second case and death of Ebola has been recorded in Congo’s North Kivu province, according to officials. The victim was a 60-year-old woman who died Wednesday in the health zone of Biena, according to provincial health minister Nzanzu Syalita. He said she had been to the...
V Foundation grant goes toward children’s cancer research at UPMC Children’sVideo
Sports fans recognize the V Foundation for Cancer Research from its annual fundraiser, televised by founding partner ESPN. But most of the people who watch during fundraising — and donate to its cause — probably don’t know where the money goes. More than $150,000 of it came to UPMC Children’s...
Highmark Health invests $1.5 million in diversity, taps Evan Frazier for new post
In a year when the Black Lives Matter movement has inspired racial awareness initiatives in much of corporate America, Highmark Health has announced a commitment to increase diversity leadership in Pittsburgh. Highmark said it is investing $1.5 million in The Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI), a new nonprofit organization focused on...
Pennsylvania tool lets you know when it’s your turn to get covid vaccine
The Pennsylvania Department of Health launched another new online tool to help with covid-19 vaccine information, and residents now can sign up for alerts as to when they’re eligible. The website, called Your Turn, first will determine whether a person is eligible for the vaccine and, if they aren’t, give...
Nothing to sneeze at: Global warming triggers earlier pollen season
When Dr. Stanley Fineman started as an allergist in Atlanta, he told patients they should start taking their medications and prepare for the drippy, sneezy onslaught of pollen season around St. Patrick’s Day. That was about 40 years ago. Now he tells them to start around St. Valentine’s Day. Across...
