Health & Wellness News

The US is mailing Americans COVID tests again. Here's how to get them

Hosted by LehighValleyNews.com health and wellness reporter Brittany Sweeney, the hourlong program covers the emergence, efficacy and availability of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss and diabetes treatment. “A Community Conversation: New Weight Loss Meds, Cure or Craze?” airs at 6 p.m. on PBS39.

An art exhibit and auction are set to raise funds for a program that teaches children and adults about mindfulness. The Shanthi Project aims to use the funds to expand their programming in Lehigh Valley schools.

St. Luke's University Health Network is teaching parents where to look for drug paraphernalia and other dangerous substances in their teen's room. It's all part of their Drug Abuse and Recovery week.

September is recognized as a time to pay homage to service dogs and the guidance they provide. Lehigh County commissioners approved a resolution in support of guide dogs and their handlers.

The Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley will hold its first Nonprofit Impact Conference on Oct. 23 at Wind Creek Bethlehem. The event will give nonprofit staff the chance to connect, network, and discover new resources.

Join Megan Frank at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. every Friday for Insights with LehighValleyNews.com on WLVR. This week, she's joined by politics reporter Tom Shortell and health and wellness reporter Brittany Sweeney.

September is Fall Prevention Month. A Lehigh Valley handyman is sharing ways to lower the risk of falling at home before it's too late.

Easton City Councilman Frank Pintabone announced Wednesday that two community health organizations will offer free and low-cost health screenings via mobile units on Oct.14.

The “Stanley Jr. Kids Wheelbarrow and 7-piece Garden Set" has been recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission after the paint on the hoe and rake were found to contain lead levels exceeding the federal content ban.

Lehigh Valley Health Network and Capital Blue Cross rolled out a new mobile dental unit in Lehigh Valley. The van is equipped with two dental chairs to see children who need oral health care.

A local Boy Scout working on his Eagle Scout project is receiving grant money from Capital Blue Cross. His is one of a handful of initiatives receiving the money for community and educational projects.

The project would consist of a Lehigh Valley Health Network medical facility and 190 residential units near Lehigh Street and MacArthur Road.

Subclade K, the new flu variant, emerged after U.S. pharmaceutical companies developed their vaccines for the current flu season.

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Lehigh Valley, and 16 other Republicans voted for a Democratic bill to extend tax credits for the Affordable Care Act on Thursday night. Mackenzie called on senators to reject the House version but find a deal to keep the credits and reform the health care system.

An Idaho-based meat company has issued a recall for ground beef potentially contaminated with E. coli, which may have been sold in Pennsylvania and several other states.

Carissa Corneil and Victor Caraballo-Bourdier of Lower Milford Township welcomed baby Isabella Mia Bourdier-Corneil at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest at 12:11 a.m., Jefferson Health system announced.

Of the thousands of stories covered and told in 2025, our staff picked some of their favorites. They included a bald eagle looking for love in the Hellertown area and an $11 million "sky dome" planned for Easton.

Pennsylvania’s distracted driving law will take full effect in 2026, marking one of the most consequential legal shifts for motorists in years and headlining a slate of new laws set to roll out across the Commonwealth.

As the New Year approaches, minds turn to the classic resolution. But who still makes New Year's resolutions? What are the most popular ones? And how many follow through?

Railroad officials estimate cleanup of the "informal living areas of unsheltered individuals," led by a third-party contractor, will take about two weeks. More work may be needed for the city-owned land, according to a document shared by the city.

Families of children who are patients at Lehigh Valley Health Network were treated to a toy giveaway on Tuesday morning.

Influenza cases are rising rapidly across the Lehigh Valley and Pennsylvania, with local hospitals reporting a sharp uptick in patients and state data confirming sustained growth in flu activity.

The state Game Commission is coordinating a response, which includes "safe removal, testing and disposal" of the impacted birds.