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State health officials are recommending that Wyoming residents update their COVID-19 protection with a new COVID booster. They're also recommending that residents get their annual flu vaccine to protect against this year's strain.
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COVID-19 hospitalizations are rising across much of the Mountain West and nation. This trend mirrors patterns from previous years, but healthcare experts say the U.S. is well-equipped to handle another surge in infections and emergency room visits.
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COVID-19 numbers have dropped substantially, as have other things, such as hospitalizations due to the virus. Recently Governor Gordon ended the public health emergency. State Health Officer Doctor Alexia Harrist joined Wyoming Public Radio's Bob Beck to assess the situation and discuss the past couple of years.
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The nation is experiencing a blood shortage. Companies that collect blood in Wyoming are also desperate for more donors.
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At one point earlier this month, Teton County had the highest COVID-19 case rate per capita in the country. Many other Western mountain towns were also at the forefront of the Omicron surge in our region, but hospitalizations and deaths have so far remained low in the resort communities. KHOL's Will Walkey reports.
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Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the federal health care worker coronavirus vaccine mandate to go through. A lower court had put the mandate on pause in late November. Now any employee, volunteer, or contractor working at health care facilities receiving Medicaid or Medicare funding have to be fully vaccinated or provide an exemption by Feb. 28. Leading Age and Wyoming Hospital Association President Eric Boley told Wyoming Public Radio's Kamila Kudelska they expect to see staff shortages in hospitals and nursing homes border to border in the state.
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In November, vaccines were approved and recommended for children between the ages of five and 11. While some parents and children eagerly took the vaccine as soon as it was available, others were more hesitant. Wyoming Public Radio's Jeff Victor reports that the childhood vaccination rate is far lower than the rate for adults. That fact could land more children in the hospital as omicron washes over Wyoming.
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Omicron cases are surging across the Mountain West. In several states, more than 80% of ICU beds are filled. While these COVID-19 infections tend to have milder overall symptoms for individuals, they’re still landing people in the hospital and stressing health care systems and workers.
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Big cats like lions are susceptible to COVID-19. So are mink and some hoofed animals, like deer. So many zoos are using a vaccine specifically made for animals to try and keep their often-endangered residents healthy.
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The University of Wyoming announced last week that it will not require members of the campus community to get tested for COVID-19 before returning for the spring semester, reversing its previous plans.