SUPERIOR, Wis. — The Superior City Council voted Tuesday night to immediately lift the city’s mask mandate. Councilor Craig Sutherland said it was a unanimous decision by councilors. This comes as the state of Wisconsin hasn’t had a mask mandate for more than a month, and after the CDC announced last week that fully vaccinated people can stop wearing masks…
SUPERIOR, Wis.–With the Pfizer vaccine now being available to children ages 12 and up, more locations are opening its doors to give the vaccine to children. The Wessman Vaccine Site in Superior has been giving vaccines since April 13th, but staff at the site say they are seeing even more people come in due to the recent age change on…
DULUTH, Minn.– With the recent approval from the CDC allowing children as young as 12 to be vaccinated, Northland healthcare providers are getting even busier as more people come in to get the shots. Children have always dreaded shots and vaccinations, until now. It was finally announced that the COVID-19 vaccine is available for kids ages 12-15, which means, they…
DULUTH, Minn.- A new nutrition store in Duluth is offering not only supplements, but also diet planning and personal training programs. All-Star Nutrition opened right across the street from the Miller Hill Mall last week. The owner says he’s seeing a boom in people focusing on improving their health after being stuck at home. And he says his store is…
DULUTH, Minn. – The FDA now says the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is safe and offers strong protection for younger teens based on the testing of 2,000 volunteers. Shots could begin soon once a federal vaccine panel issues recommendations for using the vaccine in that age bracket. St. Louis County Public Health is already planning. Officials with the county say they’re…
HERMANTOWN, Minn.- The ribbon was cut Monday for a new therapy center in Hermantown for children on the autism spectrum. Caravel Autism Health celebrated its grand opening. The center is filled with brightly colored, sensory-friendly spaces where therapists will work with kids on skills, relationships and confidence building. According to specialists, Caravel staff will also work with families to continue…
DULUTH, Minn.– A Duluth non-profit has been helping pregnant mothers in need for almost two years, but the Star of the North Maternity Home needs to find a new location. The current Star of the North Maternity House has been sold, and relocation to a new place has to happen by the end of the month. $60,000 is needed for…
DULUTH, Minn. – If you’ve packed on a few pounds over the past year, you’re not alone. In a poll of more than 1,000 WebMD readers, nearly half of the women and almost one-quarter of the men said they’d gained weight “due to COVID restrictions.” St. Luke’s Clinical Dietitian, Mary Cherne, says she’s seeing an influx of patients coming in…
DULUTH, Minn.- On Tuesday and Wednesday Duluthians could not only catch a bus at the Duluth Downtown Transit Center — but also get a COVID vaccine there if they wanted. St. Louis County partnered up with the Duluth Transit Authority to open up a clinic at the DTC, the latest in their vaccine outreach efforts. Health officials say they have…
DULUTH, Minn.- Local breweries across Minnesota are teaming up with a nonprofit to raise money and awareness for brain cancer research. Ursa Minor in Duluth’s Lincoln Park is partnering with nonprofit “Stache Strong.” they focus on supporting brain cancer researchers, survivors, and those suffering from disease. This weekend Ursa Minor will debut their “Smash for Stache” brew. $2 of every…
DULUTH, Minn.– The first Monday in May is nationally recognized as “Melanoma Monday” to remind Americans of the risks of skin cancer as we head into summer. Twin Ports Dermatology in Duluth offered free skin checks on Monday for new patients to raise awareness. Dermatologists are teaching patients about the ABCDE’s, which is an acronym representing possible signs of of…
GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – Itasca County Public Health and area residents are reflecting on the gratitude of science after surpassing the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Public Health Department reports new cases of COVID-19 to continue to rise in Itasca County, especially among residents aged 30 – 50, and school-aged children. As of Thursday, April 29, in the…
SUPERIOR, Wis.- Faith United Methodist Church in Superior continued its 20 plus year food pantry tradition Tuesday – although a little different because of the pandemic. People could drive up, tell a volunteer how many people were in their family, and boxes of food would be loaded into their car. “We serve those who feel like they were in need…
DULUTH, Minn. – A recent report released by the CDC shows nearly eight percent, or five million Americans have not received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. St. Luke’s Infectious Disease Specialist, Dr. Andrew Thompson, has mixed reaction to the new data. Thompson says while the number is somewhat cause for concern, 92 percent of adults who have received…
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.- Some University of Minnesota Medical School students have complied research that suggests tear gas can have long-lasting health impacts. The short-term reactions to tear gas such as breathing problems and skin and eye irritation are well-known already. So, the PHD Graduate Neuroscience students analyzed other studies on the longer-term health consequences, and summarized those findings. They found one…
DULUTH, Minn. – A multi-million dollar development is changing the skyline of Duluth’s downtown district. Ground broke on Essentia’s Vision Northland Project in 2019, and if you’ve recently driven by, you’ve noticed a large amount of progress has been made on the exterior of the new structure. What started as a vision in 2017 is now becoming an impressive reality….
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – The number of COVID-19 infections in Minnesota continues to rise. State health officials reported 1,805 newly confirmed cases on Saturday. Eight more people died. The state has now seen 529,353 confirmed cases since the pandemic began in March. The state’s death toll stood at 6,685 as of Saturday. Nearly 30,000 people have been hospitalized. As…
DULUTH, Minn. – It’s National Volunteer Week, and one healthcare clinic is happy it has its volunteers back in action. St. Luke’s Hospital had to say goodbye to its volunteers who work in the hospital for almost a year after the pandemic hit, but now they’re allowed to return. Volunteers are placed in areas they may want to work. They…
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – The Twins’ games against the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday and Sunday have been postponed due to Minnesota’s COVID-19 problems. Major League Baseball didn’t immediately announce when the games will be made up. Kyle Garlick, another unnamed Twins player and a team staff member tested positive in the two days before the postponements, manager Rocco Baldelli…
GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – Even with the pause of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID vaccine, the rollout continues to be strong in Itasca County. Public health leaders say only 6.6 percent of the vaccines delivered to Minnesota have been from Johnson & Johnson. As of Thursday, April 15, 78 percent of the 65-plus population in Itasca County has been vaccinated while…
DULUTH, Minn. – With the pause of the Johnson & Johnson single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, many are left wondering what comes next regarding safety and efficacy. Dr. James Conniff is a family medicine physician with Essentia Health in Duluth. Conniff says the pause is reassuring as the FDA takes a closer look into the problem. The CDC says six women between…
DULUTH, Minn.- Researchers with the University Of Minnesota Medical School says they have discovered a rise in unhealthy eating behaviors and eating disorders among young adults during the pandemic. Up to 53% of young people transitioning out of high school experienced one or more unhealthy eating or weight control behaviors. These ranged from binge eating or skipping meals to self-induced…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – 64 percent of residents living in Douglas County have not been vaccinated against COVID-19. That’s why health officials in the county can’t wait for shots to start being administered into arms Tuesday, April 13th. The fifth community-based vaccination site will be located on the campus of UWS inside Wessman Arena. Appointments are now open, with the Pfizer…
GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – In Itasca County, the COVID-19 case rate per 10,000 people continues to increase steadily, however, there is light at the end of the tunnel. 41 percent of the county’s population has begun their vaccination efforts. Over 45,000 residents live in the county, and health officials report nearly 10,000 have completed both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine….
SUPERIOR, Wis.- Starting next Monday, Wisconsinites 16 and older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Now Douglas County Health Officials look to add to the more than 19,000 people in the county who’ve already gotten one dose. “With eligibility opening up to Wisconites next week, especially with the holiday weekend upon us, we need folks to be as diligent…
MADISON, Wis. (AP) – The first Wisconsin case of a potentially more severe COVID-19 variant known that originated in Brazil was confirmed Friday by the state Department of Health Services. The variant known as the P.1 is believed to spread more rapidly and easily than the original strain of COVID-19. Wisconsin health officials also said the variant has unique mutations…
DULUTH, Minn. — The COVID-19 vaccines were all designed to protect people against the virus, but they may not be as effective against some of the variants spreading throughout the world right now. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, the vaccines may offer less protection against certain variants such as B.1.351, the variant first discovered in South Africa,…
GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – The vaccine rollout continues to be strong in Itasca County. The county has a population of over 45,000 residents. So far, just over 20,000 have received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. As of Thursday, Mar. 18, 12,382 residents have received at least one shot, while 7,752 residents are fully vaccinated. Health officials report…
DULUTH, Minn. – Expecting a newborn is stressful for parents at any time, then toss in a global pandemic, and anxiety can soar through the roof. Dr. Michael Kassing is an OB-GYN with Essentia Health in Duluth. He says many of his patients are coming in with questions regarding whether or not they should receive the COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant….
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – CVS Health and Goodrich Pharmacy have been added to the expanding network of pharmacies vaccinating Minnesotans across the state. Three CVS in-store pharmacies at Target stores in Duluth, Rochester and Eden Prairie will receive 3,510 vaccine doses this week. The announcement Saturday by Gov. Tim Walz means Minnesota now has five pharmacies with dozens of…
DULUTH, Minn.-Enger Tower in Duluth was lit up blue Tuesday in honor of Colon Cancer Awareness Month. It’s an initiative led by the city, and Colorectal Cancer survivor Anna Dahlgren. Dahlgren was screened earlier than the recommended age, catching the disease in her early 30s. Doctors say if she had waited until the typical screening age of 45 — it…
DULUTH, Minn.- The State of Minnesota reached a new milestone in vaccinations, as Governor Tim Walz announced one million Minnesotans have been vaccinated Saturday, the one-year anniversary of the first case of COVID-19 appearing in the state. Gov. Walz shared the news on his Facebook page Saturday. Today, exactly one year after Minnesota’s first confirmed case of COVID-19, we reached…
WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. now has a third vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The Food and Drug Administration on Saturday cleared a Johnson & Johnson shot that works with just one dose instead of two. Health experts have anxiously awaited a one-and-done option to help speed vaccinations. The virus has already killed more than 510,000 people in the U.S. and…
DULUTH, Minn.- As vaccine supplies and vaccination initiatives increase throughout the country and the Northland, efforts have started zeroing in on helping racial and ethnic communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. According to the CDC, many racial and ethnic minority groups can face economic, social, and geographical barriers to healthcare such as difficulties finding affordable and quality housing and health…
DULUTH, Minn.- St. Luke’s in Duluth is sharing how they process their vaccine shipments. The hospital is one of the medical facilities designated as hubs, shipping to five different smaller “spokes” across the state. St. Luke’s processes 1,120 doses per flat of vaccines, stored at negative 60 to negative 80 degrees Celsius. Pharmaceutical staff at St. Luke’s says it’s a…
DULUTH, Minn. – Many Northlanders are left wondering what comes next in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. As concerns remain high, local hospital officials want to remind residents it’s safe, and important to continue scheduling routine medical exams and screening procedures. Dr. Jon Pryor, President of Essenita Health in Duluth, says his facility is seeing a 33 percent decrease…
DULUTH, Minn. – As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on healthcare systems across the nation, locally, Northland hospitals are thankful to see a decrease in new cases and severe hospitalizations. Dr. Jake Powell is a hospitalist with St. Luke’s in Duluth. He says as COVID-19 cases are decreasing, his daily routine continues to be inundated with many patients…
CLOQUET, Minn. – According to the Minnesota Department of Health, over one million Minnesotans have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Locally, in Carlton County, a region with a population of over 35,000, data shows more than 10,000 residents have received at least their first shot. Dr. Charles Kendall with Community Memorial Hospital in Cloquet says he’s…
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Wis. – Wisconsin is set to open four more vaccination clinics across the state including one in Douglas County. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers says the Douglas County site will be split with Barron County. Those sites are expected to open within the next two months. On Tuesday, Evers said although case numbers are down, we are not out…
DULUTH, Minn.- The severe winter weather across other parts of the country has once again delayed COVID vaccine appointments at the DECC and other sites in the state Sunday. A spokesperson with the Minnesota Department of Health said the winter storms have delayed the Federal Government’s ability to ship at least part of this week’s COVID-19 vaccine doses to…
GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – The vaccine rollout continues in Itasca County, but demand is still far greater than the supply they’ve received. Health officials say nearly 16 percent of the population in Itasca County has received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine. According to Itasca County Public Health, phase 1a of vaccinations should be complete within the next…
DULUTH, Minn. – February serves as National Children’s Dental Health Month. Dr. Kyle Hammer with Port City Dental and Miller Hill Dental in Duluth says it’s a time to raise awareness and educate patients about what they should be doing at home, when to start routine dental care for children, and how to keep good oral health throughout your lifetime….
SUPERIOR, Wis.- A free COVID-19 testing site is back open on the campus of U-W Superior for anyone in the area. The state-funded nasal swab testing site has moved from the gymnasium to UWS’ Marcovich Wellness Center. The new location is away from student traffic, and makes room in the gym for basketball practice. According to campus staff, the smaller…
DULUTH, Minn. – As the coronavirus pandemic continues to have a grip on the nation, health experts are now worried it could cause patients to delay cancer screenings or treatments. Research suggests even a two-month delay in cancer screenings or treatments could lead to a more progressive diagnosis and increased deaths. The shutdown of cancer screenings at local health facilities…
Doctors say they’re facing increasing threats of violence for refusing to prescribe opioids or trying to wean patients off the addictive painkillers. The issue was underscored by Tuesday’s shooting at a Minnesota clinic that left one person dead and four injured. Authorities say 67-year-old Gregory Paul Ulrich was angry about his medical treatment and had threatened a similar mass shooting…
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota hospitals are criticizing the state’s coronavirus vaccine distribution system as inequitable, leaving some clinics and hospitals without doses for older, vulnerable patients. The Minnesota Hospital Association, in a letter to state health officials, says some clinics haven’t received vaccine doses in days. In January, the state opened up vaccinations to people 65 and older…
DULUTH, Minn- Essentia Health is continuing to see a lack of patients coming in for a check-up. They are instead waiting until it’s too late, which is creating an uptick in emergency room visits. Now that restrictions have loosened, Health experts believe many people may have become used to being home… or still do not want to visit a hospital…
DULUTH, Minn. – On the first Friday each February, American Heart Month, the nation rallies together to ignite a wave of red from coast to coast. Go Red for Women Day serves to raise awareness for heart attack and stroke among women. According to the American Heart Association, more women than men die from cardiovascular disease each year. It’s estimated…
SUPERIOR, Wis. – Superior Police Chief Nicholas Alexander sat down with FOX 21’s Dan Hanger to talk about his priorities for 2021, which include an increased focus on the department’s community policing efforts while investing in a virtual training simulator for officers. The company behind the simulator is called Survivr – and Alexander says his department will be the first…
GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. – COVID vaccinations continue to roll out for residents in Itasca County. Public health officials say they are currently in the process of inoculating those working in schools and childcare facilities, as well as residents who are 65 and older. In the past seven days, 35 new cases of the virus have been confirmed in Itasca County….
