Health & Wellness News

A Muhlenberg College professor has launched a campaign this month to inform residents about the health risks of radon, as well as improve access to testing and mitigation. The Lehigh Valley is home to the highest radon levels ever recorded in Pennsylvania.

A comprehensive review by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine of scientific research looked at the health effects of cannabis and its compounds for a range of conditions.

PPL Electric Utilities offers tips to customers designed to keep them safe and warm during the winter season.

The CEO of St. Luke's University Health Network addressed the potential merger of competitor Lehigh Valley Health Network with Jefferson Health. CEO Rick Anderson sent a message to St. Luke's thousands of employees.

Is it COVID-19, RSV, or the flu? Doctors are saying it could be any of the three or even whooping cough. Respiratory illnesses are on the rise following the holiday season and there may not be a reprieve for a while.

January is National Radon Action Month, and officials from the American Lung Association are offering a limited supply of free radon test kits for commonwealth residents, including those in the the Lehigh Valley.

Resources for grandparents who are raising their grandchildren are limited. A Pennsylvania nonprofit is working to change that in the new year.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

The 75,000-square-foot St. Luke’s Sportsplex features more than two dozen indoor courts and almost the same number outside.

The most popular names have been a constant the past few years, according to the major health networks. But one trend that emerged in 2023 in the Lehigh Valley seems to be tied to sports — specifically, the success and popularity of the Philadelphia Phillies. Taylor Swift also may be having an impact.

New therapies for sickle cell disease could be available in the Lehigh Valley next year. The FDA approved the treatments earlier this month for people 12 and older. The disease disproportionately affects people who are Black and of certain other descents.

Lehigh Valley Health Network plans to merge with Jefferson Health, but deals like this are nothing new to the Philadelphia-based system. For nearly a decade, Jefferson has been combining forces with hospitals in two states.

Homeless shelters in Allentown and Bethlehem are doing all they can to stay open and keep people out of freezing temperatures even as COVID-19 surges and shutdowns go into effect.

The United Way of the Great Lehigh Valley offering workshops for educators to deal with the stresses of remote learning

Pennsylvanians are getting their first doses of the new COVID-19 vaccine today. Tens of thousands more are expected this week. And health care workers in the Lehigh Valley will be among the first in line.

People are washing their hands more than ever to fight the spread of coronavirus. That, coupled with the onset of winter, may cause skin to dry out, itch and crack.

If you’re planning on going skiing in the region this season, don’t forget your car. You may need it for more than you think. WLVR’s Haley O’Brien visited a resort in Berks County that’s making some changes.

The poverty rate in the United States has steadily increased since the summer. As more people slip into poverty, it's difficult for experts to estimate how many will recover financially after the pandemic ends.

All Bethlehem and Northampton Area School schools are going fully remote this Monday and won’t return to in-person learning until at least January 11th.

The state’s so-called COVID testing “strike team” that descended on Northampton County last week has moved on. The initiative provides services in areas with surging coronavirus cases.

The Lehigh Valley may run out of intensive care hospital beds as early as next week, as coronavirus cases continue to spike in the region.

Current state guidelines say schools should move to 100% virtual instruction in counties with “substantial transmission” rates. But many Lehigh Valley schools remain open, despite meeting that standard.

More than half the Commonwealth’s counties were moved to the high level of COVID alert - known as substantial spread. Local health experts say they are quote “praying” hospitalizations don't rise to the levels seen in the spring.

The post went viral on Facebook, falsely claiming that hunters are required to wear $30 fluorescent orange face masks featuring the state Game Commission's logo.