PRAYAGRAJ, India / NBC News — Police are investigating hundreds of bodies that were either buried in shallow sand graves or have washed up on the Ganges River banks, with some speculating on social media that they are remains of COVID-19 victims. In jeeps and boats, the police used portable loudspeakers with microphones asking people not to dispose of the bodies in rivers. “We are here to help you perform the last rites,” police said. On Friday, rains exposed the cloth coverings of bodies buried in shallow sand graves on the riverbank in Prayagraj, a city in Uttar Pradesh state. Navneet...
SOUTHWEST, Fla.– The Diocese of Venice in Florida announced a change to it’s mask policy on Friday. Masks and social distancing are no longer mandatory during mass. They are also not required at Parish activities or gatherings. “Masks remain encouraged and certainly permitted, particularly for those who are not yet vaccinated,” said Bishop Frank J. Dewane in a Facebook post. Children in a Catholic School or religious education program will continue to wear masks for the rest of the school year. Bishop Dewane mentioned in the Facebook post that this decision was made...
LEE COUNTY, Fla. – Feeling weird about taking the mask off after months of having to put one on? Experts said it’s normal. “It was hard for us to put our masks on, so of course it’s going to be more challenging for some of us to take them off,” said Florida Gulf Coast University Counseling Center Director Dr. Alise Bartley. This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released new guidance saying anyone who is fully vaccinated can opt not to wear a mask in most situations, indoors or out. Dr. Bartley said getting used to...
FORT MYERS, Fla. (WBBH) — In 1980, after a massive global effort, the World Health Organization declared that Smallpox had been eradicated. The CDC says it’s often considered the biggest achievement in international public health. “Smallpox is the only (human) disease that the world has been able to completely eradicate,” Dr. Sharon Isern, a professor of Biological Sciences at FGCU, explained to NBC2. Can it be done again with COVID-19? Can the world eradicate — completely wipe out — this deadly disease? VACCINES: A CRUCIAL TOOL IN FIGHTING DISEASES The rapid...
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Millions of people are suffering in India, with high COVID-19 case numbers and low levels of medical supplies. A Southwest Florida nurse is doing her part to help. Sonal Payne will travel with dozens of nurses to the country’s capital for a month-long trip. She was born and raised in India, and pursued her nursing career after moving to the United States. Payne said updates from her family and friends living in India have gotten worse over time. “Talking to my friends who are very well-affiliated and have a lot of money and everything,” Payne...
NAPLES, Fla.– A Naples teen has found a job that brings her closer to her grandparents amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In September, Ashley Duval started working as a server at the Lakeside Grille located within the Vi at Bentley Village senior living community. Ashley’s grandmother, Cindy, and great-grandmother, Lydia, both live at Bentley Village. “It was definitely difficult not seeing my grandma or great-grandma knowing they are in the area,” Ashley said. “Now that I work here, I get to see them a lot more often.” At the height of the...
(NBC News)– The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 12 to 15 on Monday afternoon. As reported by NBC news, this decision will make millions of shots available. Previously, the Pfizer vaccine was approved for those ages 16 and up Dr. Janet Woodook, the agency’s acting commissioner, called the authorization “a significant step in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.” At the end of March, a clinical trial showed that Pfizer’s vaccine is 100% effective in preventing hospitalizations and death for those ages 12...
COVID-19 brought many changes to how we live, think, and feel. “Something as typical as going to the grocery store became a challenge. We all can empathize with the feelings of helplessness, of worry, of fear,” said Meaghan Palumbo, a business development officer with Park Royal Hospital. Feelings health experts say can take a toll on our mental health. “We all, to a certain extent, experienced symptoms of mental illness and now we can normalize seeking help for those feelings,” said Palumbo. To help Southwest Florida better manage the behavioral health surge caused by the pandemic, health...
LEE COUNTY, Fla. — Gone are the days of 3 a.m. alarms just to score a coronavirus vaccine appointment. Now, people can walk into a Publix, CVS or Walgreens in Florida and get a COVID-19 shot. No appointment needed. At Publix, customers can choose from the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Although walk-ups are allowed, Publix recommends that people make online appointments to help with efficiency. CLICK HERE to sign up for an appointment.
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