Health & Wellness News

Coronavirus cases have spiked over the past few weeks — nationally and locally — putting people at risk for long COVID. The condition can have people feeling tired and sick for more than three months.

A listeria outbreak has a major food company recalling deli meats across the county, including here in the Lehigh Valley. An infectious disease doctor explains the signs and symptoms of the foodborne illness.

1 in 4 menstruating students in the Allentown School District have missed class time because of the lack of access to period products. Funding for free menstrual products for students was approved in the 2024-2025 state budget.

The merger of Lehigh Valley Health Network and Jefferson Health is now complete. The two closed the deal Thursday morning, creating a regional hospital system that oversees 30 hospitals and more than 700 outpatient care sites.

The Lehigh County coroner says the average age of people dying from suicide is getting older. He says his office is tracking the data in an effort to provide more outreach efforts.

Deli meat company Boar's Head has recalled 7 million more pounds of meats potentially affected by a listeria outbreak less than a week after the initial recall.

An Easton-area couple brought home numerous medals from the 2024 Transplant Games of America. They are among seven athletes from Northampton and Lehigh counties who participated.

Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a new law that will regulate pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs. It's intended to save local pharmacies from closing and save patients money on prescription medications.

Allentown School District will partner with Valley Health Partners Community Vision Center during the 2024-25 academic year to offer students comprehensive eye exams. More than 2,300 students failed vision tests last year.

U.S. Rep. Susan Wild touted her bill that she says would protect fertility rights. She held a news conference at the nation's Capitol on World IVF Day this week.

According to Oasis founder Rhonda Miller, the nonprofit agency has assisted around 3,800 participants annually in various groups, programs and events. That number represents about 500 unique families, she said.

Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton have teamed up with Lehigh Valley Health Network to make the Lehigh Valley a Blue Zone. The initiative was launched this week and will take the next few years to earn the certification.

About 1.5 million people have lost Medicaid coverage in more than two dozen states as a post-pandemic purge of the rolls gets underway.

The third annual Revolutions for Inclusion Bike Ride raises money for the Easter Pennsylvania Down Syndrome Center. A local father's memory lives on through the third annual fundraising event.

The 5K, 10K and half-marathon courses, designed by running enthusiast and Bethlehem native Bart Yasso, will show off some of the city's history and variety when runners step up to the starting lines Oct. 21-22.

‘Tis the season for fresh fruits and veggies. This time of year farm stands pop up across the Lehigh Valley, but is there nutritional value to eating locally-grown produce? People from around the area weighed in about the benefits.

State Rep. Mike Schlossberg, D-Lehigh, is the architect of a bill that would allocate $100 million of federal American Rescue Plan funding for mental health programs. It passed the House last week and is under state Senate consideration.

Around 53-hundred mail carriers were attacked by dogs last year, according to the United States Postal Service. Pennsylvania is 4th on the list of top dog bites among postal workers.

After the driest May on record, the Lehigh Valley is still dealing with bone dry conditions, exacerbating allergies and creating optimum conditions for brush fires.

The smoke may be clearing, but anxiety from the eerie event may stick with us. A Lehigh Valley therapist has some ways to get past the uneasy feelings left behind after this week's smoke-filled skies.

Lehigh Carbon Community College is now offering an accelerated program to get nursing students to a higher degree faster. The program is offered through a partnership with an online institution.

WLVR's Megan Frank talks with LehighValleyNews.com Managing Producer Stephanie Sigafoos and Health Reporter Brittany Sweeney.

The bill, spearheaded by state Rep. Mike Schlossberg, would dedicate American Rescue Plan money to training mental health care providers, creating more suicide prevention programs and supporting specialty courts.

As smoke from the Canadian wildfires continues to shroud the skies of the Lehigh Valley, air purifiers have become a hot-ticket item at just about every retailer.