Health & Wellness News

News Director Jen Rehill talks with journalists Tom Shortell and Brittany Sweeney.

The Easton Area High School student is under a doctor's care, officials said. Whooping cough, or pertussis, spreads easily from person to person and outbreaks can occur in schools, child care centers and hospitals, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The number of people developing cancer is on the rise, but the survival rate is also going up according to the American Cancer Society. Doctors believe there are two contributing factors.

Pennsylvania's Supreme Court made a ruling pertaining to abortion rights across the state. The issue being disputed is whether government funds should be used for the procedure and if there's a constitutional right to abortions in the state.

St. Luke's officials said Thursday that the family practice on Front Street in Hellertown is "at capacity."

A lack of educators, a retiring generation, and a pandemic that produced stress and burnout all have contributed to the shortage of health care workers, such as nurses. Lehigh Valley Health Network and St. Luke's University Health Network are both focused on attracting new talent.

A local blood bank is urging new donors to give blood and existing donors to increase the number of times they give. Miller Keystone is also encouraging younger and more diverse people to take the time to donate blood.

A ribbon cutting was held for Counseling Solutions of the Lehigh Valley’s new location. The West Tilghman Street location offers bilingual drug and alcohol counseling.

A group of firefighters dressed as superheroes to brighten the day of pediatric patients at St. Luke's University Health Network. The group is called Humble Heroes of the Fire Department of the City of New York.

The cold winter weather can often lead to dry cracked skin. A Lehigh Valley skin care expert has some ways to fight the rough feeling on our outer layer.

Allentown's mayor and police chief are backing Sen. Bob Casey's legislative efforts to stop more fentanyl at the U.S./Mexico border.

If stores have them, they're limiting how many customers can buy.

The new variant is responsible for three quarters of all new cases in the U.S.

Now only fully-vaccinated visitors will be allowed.

The No Surprises Act stops health providers from automatically charging for out-of-network costs.

Doctors repeat, the best way to stay out of the hospital is to get vaccinated and then get a booster.

The best defense against the omicron variant is still vaccination or and/or a booster shot, officials say.

Advocates say a disparity in pay leaves families without the care they need.

Orthopedic massage can ease pain brought on by repetitive stress, heavy lifting and more.

Beam took the job in January when Dr. Rachel Levine was named to a post in the Biden administration.

Individual school districts must now decide if their students will mask or not.

Between masking and vaccines, conditions are ripe for a dramatic jump in new cases.

Nearly 87 percent of cases in the middle and high schools are in students who haven't been vaccinated.