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.

St. Luke’s University Health Network has conducted more than 120,000 virtual visits since March, including physical therapy. Elective surgeries restarted Monday, May 11, which means a big increase of people will need post-operative care.

Democratic Governor Tom Wolf has come under fire from some Republican leaders for moving too slow to reopen the state. Now a local Democrat has joined the chorus, asking the state to lift some restrictions in the Lehigh Valley quote “immediately.”

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf fired back at county officials and other local leaders today who’ve said they’ll reopen early, despite orders to remain closed and keep full stay-at-home lockdown in place.

Most deaths from COVID-19 in Pennsylvania are among people living in nursing and personal care homes.

Face masks are now required at many stores and public places to help stop the spread of COVID-19. For people with a hearing impairment, this adds an extra challenge.

Thirteen western counties, comprising nearly 2.7 million residents and most of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, will see relief from Gov. Tom Wolf’s most restrictive pandemic orders on movement and businesses this Friday, May 15.

Although there is cause for concern if they should become established on the continent — the so-called “Murder Hornet” is not an issue for people in the Lehigh Valley, according to experts.

The current moratorium was scheduled to end Monday but the governor has extended it to July 10. WLVR’s Tyler Pratt reports state officials are asking landlords to be patient.

Protection from evictions for renters from the state may be ending, in some areas as early as next week. Chloe Nouvelle reports on what this could mean for tenants in the Lehigh Valley.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf says he has a plan to create more jobs in the state while also helping to fight the spread of coronavirus.

Pennsylvanians with intellectual disabilities and autism may go without essential care if the agencies that support them don’t get an influx of cash soon from the state in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

And as WLVR’s Tyler Pratt reports, as the state moves to reopen, high rates of cases and deaths remain in the state’s long term-care facilities.