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Brian Myszkowski/LehighValleyNews.comMembers of the Lehigh Valley DUI/Highway Safety Task Force and community partners came to Moravian University Friday to educate students first-hand on how being distracted or impaired can severely impact the ability to drive safely. -
Cheyanne Mumphrey/AP PhotoFederal health officials say 31 babies in 15 states have been sickened in a growing outbreak of infantile botulism tied to ByHeart infant formula. ByHeart recalled all of its products sold throughout the U.S. No deaths have been reported. Health officials say parents and caregivers who have the formula in their homes should stop using it immediately and dispose of the product. Botulism is a rare but serious disease that can cause paralysis and death. Symptoms can take weeks to develop. The most recent case was reported Nov. 11.
Lehigh Valley Heart and Vascular Institute now offers treatment for atrial fibrillation (AFib) with a new system that uses pulsed electrical fields to target problematic heart muscle cells instead of extreme heat or cold.
Health & Wellness News
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Northampton County and Northampton Community College will offer a free workplace safety training later this month aimed at employees of municipal governments, nonprofits and similar organizations. -
The funding, through the Livable Landscape program, was unanimously approved at the county council’s June 18 meeting.
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Legislators worked to establish penalties for xylazine use and trafficking in an attempt to lessen its presence in Pennsylvania's illicit drug supply. Some say doing so made way for a new, unclassified veterinary tranquilizer to take its place — medetomidine.
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Nearly a year after the Biden administration designated xylazine as an "emerging threat" to the United States, Gov. Josh Shapiro classified it as a schedule III drug, making unauthorized possession a crime in Pennsylvania. Experts say the move has partly served to clear the way for new illicit substances to enter the drug market.
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Proposed federal budget cuts would impact programs such as the free summer meal program for children in the Allentown School District.
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The $2.75 million payment to the federal government resolves allegations that a pharmacy technician stole controlled substances on about 40 occasions and the health network failed to institute proper controls.
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Despite not being approved for human consumption, veterinary tranquilizers are infiltrating the illicit drug supply in Pennsylvania. Harm reduction specialists and health care professionals say these overdoses can't be approached solely with naloxone, the opioid overdose reversal drug.
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A generous donation from a Lehigh Valley native and others funds free swim lessons for children and adults in the River Crossing YMCA's Safety Around Water, or SAW, swim education program.
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The bill would limit the manufacture, sale, distribution and use of firefighting foam containing PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, beginning in 2026.
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Xylazine, an animal-grade tranquilizer that's not approved for human use, has taken Pennsylvania's illicit drug supply by storm. Known on the streets as "tranq," it accounted for almost 1 in 4 overdose deaths in Pennsylvania by 2023. Last year in Lehigh County, it was a contributing cause of death in 20 of the 112 deadly overdoses, or 17.9 percent of cases.
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The funding comes from the commonwealth’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program, a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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Known as "tranq" on the streets, an animal tranquilizer named xylazine infiltrated drug supplies throughout Pennsylvania since 2019. Its presence in the Lehigh Valley has grown, with deadly consequences.
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Now only fully-vaccinated visitors will be allowed.
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The No Surprises Act stops health providers from automatically charging for out-of-network costs.
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Doctors repeat, the best way to stay out of the hospital is to get vaccinated and then get a booster.
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The best defense against the omicron variant is still vaccination or and/or a booster shot, officials say.
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Advocates say a disparity in pay leaves families without the care they need.
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Orthopedic massage can ease pain brought on by repetitive stress, heavy lifting and more.
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Beam took the job in January when Dr. Rachel Levine was named to a post in the Biden administration.
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Individual school districts must now decide if their students will mask or not.
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Between masking and vaccines, conditions are ripe for a dramatic jump in new cases.
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Nearly 87 percent of cases in the middle and high schools are in students who haven't been vaccinated.
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Doctors had said amputation would be the most likely outcome after a 2020 car crash.
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The ruling comes as COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations rise dramatically in Pennsylvania.
