Health and Wellness

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. …

Registered nurses at Three Rivers Health-Beacon Health System have ratified a new contract that will help recruit and retain nurses and enable them to provide safe, quality care. According to a media release from Michigan Nurses Association, nurses had been working under a contract that expired March 31 and voted Friday to approve the tentative agreement reached between them and …

Sturgis Hospital is facing mounting financial deficits, and officials from the medical facility have turned to the city for help. Hospital officials approached Sturgis City Commission last week to ask for a $645,000 loan to keep the facility open until a decision is made for $15 million in emergency funding. If approved by the state, that $15 million to fund …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is now offering booster doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines for children ages 5-11 years who have completed their primary series at least 5 months ago. Pfizer-BioNTech is the only COVID-19 vaccine currently authorized for those ages. COVID-19 booster doses may be given at the same time as other vaccines. Health officer Rebecca Burns said vaccination …

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed the first influenza-related child death in Michigan for the 2021-2022 flu season, the agency announced. The reported death involves a child from Kalamazoo County who contracted flu strain known as A/H3, the agency said Friday. It did not reveal the age of the child. A/H3 was first identified in U.S. …

Michigan insurers that require health providers to get pre-approval to cover treatment would have to promptly respond to doctors’ requests or those requests would be automatically granted under a bill headed to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for her expected signature. The legislation received final, unanimous Senate approval on Thursday. Advocates said the measure would speed delays in care and provide more transparency around …

The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is reporting that on Feb. 25, the CDC updated guidance for the general population regarding wearing masks indoors, as well as the requirement for facemasks on school buses and vans. These changes come as a result of the drop in COVID-19 cases in the country. Masks are no longer required on buses or vans …

On February 25th the CDC updated their guidance for the general population regarding wearing masks indoors, as well as the requirement for face masks on school buses and vans.  These changes come as a result of the drop in COVID-19 cases in the country and moves us towards a system that asks the individual to assess risk and determine the …