Health and Wellness

County health officers don’t need approval from elected officials to issue orders, the Michigan Court of Appeals said in a precedent-setting decision related to protests over COVID-19 school mask mandates. Mask orders were controversial when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration changed course and left key decisions to local health departments. The result: blistering criticism and tense confrontations at county board meetings in some …

White Pigeon Township Library wishes to remind the public that it is still distributing COVID-19 home tests free of charge. Anyone interested in a kit is welcome to stop by the library. The kits are available to anyone, whether they are a White Pigeon resident or library-card holder. In an unrelated statement, director Perri Saunders said the library is planning Camp …

Pfizer announced a $750 million project Monday toward expanding capacity at the western Michigan pharmaceutical plant where the company first mass produced its COVID-19 vaccine. Company officials said the project will boost the plant’s manufacturing of sterile injectable medications and could lead to 300 new jobs at the Portage plant near Kalamazoo that now has about 3,000 workers. Pfizer executive David …

Risk level – Low Positive test rate – 23.8% Vaccination rate – 45.8%  (percent of total population, completed primary series) (Source:  CDC)

Deaths linked to COVID-19 have now surpassed 40,000 in Michigan since the pandemic began in 2020, the state health department reported. More than 36,400 deaths have been confirmed while 3,676 were probably caused by COVID-19, the state said Tuesday on its coronavirus website. There were 113 in the past week. “Throughout the pandemic, we have seen deaths predominantly occurring in … …

Starting the week of November 28th, Van Buren/Cass District Health Department will transition to appointment-only clinics for COVID-19 and flu vaccines. With the high demand for COVID-19 and seasonal flu vaccines, the agency will revert to appointment-only clinics starting Thursday, with walk-ins accommodated on a case-by-case basis and as time permits on specific clinic days. Appointments can be made online …

Ashley Lefebvre hugs her unborn daughter’s urn each night. Sarah Halsey treasures the tiny hat worn by her baby who lived just 38 minutes. Abi Frazier moved away from her home with a furnished nursery. All ended wanted pregnancies because of grave fetal medical problems. It’s a side of abortion seldom discussed in national debates — the termination of pregnancies because of …

Covered Bridge Healthcare of St. Joseph County Board of Directors has announced the appointment of Sturgis resident Stacy Linihan as its new chief executive officer. The search committee reviewed more than 60 resumes and interviewed six candidates. In the end, Linihan was offered a two-year contract, which she accepted last week. Linihan has been with Covered Bridge Healthcare since its …

Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency has been notified by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development a confirmed case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in St. Joseph County. Health officer Rebecca Burns said the discovery underscores the need for horse owners and Michigan residents to take precautions. Burns said in this case, the animal was an unvaccinated, 3-year old filly that has …

New coronavirus cases leaped in Michigan in the week ending Sunday, rising 34 percent, as more than 14,000 cases were reported. The previous week had more than 10,600 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19. St. Joseph County reported 59 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 37 cases and one death. …