health

Jackson Hospital CEO Concerned With Capacity, Town Council Looking At New Variances

By • 19 hours ago

St. John's Health CEO Dr. Paul Beaupre wrote a letter to the Jackson Town Council saying the hospital is at capacity and at risk of being overwhelmed. The council held an emergency meeting after receiving the letter.

Thanksgiving Week Lull Belies Coming COVID-19 Surge, Health Officials Say

By • Dec 1, 2020

Despite a drop in confirmed COVID-19 cases across the Mountain West last week, public health officials are warning folks not to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Here [in Utah] a lot of the facilities that were doing testing were closed completely on Thanksgiving," said Utah Department of Health spokesperson Charla Haley. "I think that had a big impact on the smaller numbers of people testing positive as well as people just being tested in general."

Nevada Rural Health Conference Explores ‘Cross-Jurisdictional Sharing’

By • Nov 27, 2020

Nevada recently hosted its annual rural health conference, with a particular focus on infrastructure as COVID-19 continues to ravage rural America.

Gov. Gordon Tests Positive For COVID-19

By & • Nov 25, 2020

Wyoming's Gov. Mark Gordon has tested positive for COVID-19. His office said he has only minor symptoms at this point, including a dry cough, and "plans to continue working on behalf of Wyoming remotely."

Worsening Healthcare Crisis Forces Hospitals To Look Across State Borders

By • Nov 24, 2020

The Mountain West is facing a hospitalization crisis, and even states that cracked down early are feeling the effects of those that didn't.

In Washington State, the frustration is palpable.


Washakie County Commissioners Vote To Remove Public Health Officer

By • Nov 24, 2020
https://www.nursetogether.com

Washakie County Commissioners have voted out their public health officer, after what some describe as a miscommunication between the commission and Dr. Ed Zimmerman.

Camping Could Be A Safe Way To Celebrate Thanksgiving With Family

By • Nov 20, 2020

As the pandemic surges across the nation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday advised against families and friends gathering for Thanksgiving. But there is one potentially safe way to see relatives and celebrate the holiday – camping.

Western Hospitals Filling With COVID Patients With Few Places To Send Them

By • Nov 20, 2020

Hospitals continue to fill up across the Mountain West, and that means some patients may have nowhere to go.


Goshen County School District Takes On COVID-19 Contact Tracing

By • Nov 20, 2020
Goshen County School District

Wyoming's COVID-19 surge is having an overwhelming effect on state and local contact tracers. Public health officials might not be able to reach everyone that may have been exposed. That could have a major effect on K-12 schools around the state, since it's up to the county and district how they handle it. Wyoming Public Radio's Catherine Wheeler spoke with Goshen County School District Superintendent Ryan Kramer about how the district has begun contact tracing all of its cases.

Why You Should Follow Health Guidelines No Matter Your COVID-19 Symptoms

By • Nov 20, 2020
Nichol Bondurant

Back in early March when COVID-19 still seemed distant, Nichol Bondurant had just finished a workout in her basement.

"When I came back upstairs, I just didn't feel very good," Nichol said. "And it just kept getting worse and worse by the minute."

Wyoming Hospitals Face Rising Demand, Staff Shortages As Pandemic Rages

By • Nov 20, 2020
Ivinson Memorial Hospital


Hospital capacity is one metric that has stayed relatively stable throughout the pandemic, but in the past month, that's changed as hospitals run out of space and staffing is stretched thinner.

How Campbell County Is Handling An Extreme Spike In COVID-19 Cases

By • Nov 20, 2020
Catherine Wheeler

Since late September, the number of overall cases of COVID-19 in Wyoming has risen by more than 400 percent.

At a recent press conference, Gov. Mark Gordon expressed his anger over the dilemma the state finds itself in.

Nursing Home Staff And Residents Face Stress During The Pandemic

By • Nov 20, 2020
Google Maps

Since the start of the pandemic nursing homes and long term care facilities have been on pins and needles. With some huge outbreaks in facilities across the state, leading to a number of deaths, that anxiety has skyrocketed.

Jonni Belden oversees The Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center in Campbell County. She joined Wyoming Public Radio's Bob Beck to describe the challenges they've faced keeping their older residents safe and the impacts this is having on their staff. She started the conversation by discussing challenges faced by residents.

12 Wyoming Counties Now Have Mask Mandates

By & • Nov 18, 2020
Surgical Face Mask by NurseTogether is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Nine counties have joined three others and the Wind River Reservation in mandating masks in indoor public settings.

Sweetwater, Sheridan, Park, Lincoln, Goshen, Carbon, Sublette and Hot Springs now have a county mask mandate effective Wednesday through Friday, Dec. 4.

Moderna Vaccine's Long Shelf Life, Small Doses Make It Ideal For Rural West

By • Nov 18, 2020

The vaccine developed by the pharmaceutical company Moderna may be easier to distribute in the rural West, according to regional public health experts.

It can survive up to a month in a freezer, is shipped in small doses, and it doesn't need a special, ultra-cold freezer to survive – unlike the vaccine developed by the company Pfizer.


Eight Counties Apply For Local Mask Mandates

By • Nov 17, 2020
Mask Up Park County

Last week, public health officers sent a letter requesting Gov. Mark Gordon to create a statewide mask mandate as COVID-19 cases surge and hospitals are filling up. But at a press conference, Gordon did not announce any new restrictions.

Online Tool Gauges How Risky It Is To Visit Local Bar Or Restaurant During Pandemic

By • Nov 16, 2020

Going to a bar tonight in Boise, Idaho or Reno, Nev.?

There's about a 50-50 chance someone carrying COVID-19 will be there too.

 


Almost Half Of State's Coronavirus-Related Deaths Are Resident Of Long Term Care Facilities

By • Nov 13, 2020
stux (pixabay.com)

As of Thursday, November 12, almost half of Wyoming's coronavirus-related deaths were residents of a long-term care facility. That's according to a report by AARP, a non-profit dedicated to the wellbeing of people over 50. 

Idaho Still Shuns Mask Mandate, And Neighboring States Bear The Burden

By • Nov 13, 2020

As hospitals around the Mountain West run out of space, some patients are fleeing to states that have more health mandates, which further burdens states that have been more aggressive in fighting COVID-19.


Gordon Considering New Restrictions Amidst COVID-19 Surge

By • Nov 13, 2020
Wyoming PBS

Gov. Mark Gordon expressed frustration and anger at the toll the COVID-19 pandemic is taking on state residents.

Spike In COVID-19 Cases Overwhelms Wyoming Contact Tracers

By • Nov 13, 2020
Lakshmiprasad / Adobe Stock

Since the spring, contact tracing has been a crucial way to limit the spread of the COVID-19. But the current surge of cases in Wyoming and beyond has health departments struggling to keep up.

With COVID-19 Vaccine Hopes High, Obstacles Remain For Rural Areas

By • Nov 12, 2020

The news of a promising COVID-19 vaccine from pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and the German company BioNTech is generating optimism this week.

But in the Mountain West, there will be significant challenges in storing and distributing this type of vaccine in rural areas.

COVID-19 Crisis Will Likely Worsen Across The Mountain West, Infectious Disease Experts Warn

By • Nov 12, 2020

COVID-19 is surging across the Mountain West, and the Infectious Diseases Society of America held a briefing Wednesday on the many challenges facing the region as the pandemic surge continues.

New Poll Shows Growing Number Of Wyomingites Are Concerned About COVID-19

By • Nov 9, 2020

A new poll shows that half of Wyomingites are worried the worst is yet to come for the spread of COVID-19 in the state. That number is up 11 percentage points since October and 21 points since September, according to a new poll by the Wyoming Survey and Analysis Center (WYSAC).

An Entire County Health Department In Montana Resigns Over Lack Of COVID-19 Support

By • Nov 6, 2020

The entire four-person staff of a county health department in northwest Montana resigned this week.

Albany County Mask Order Goes Into Effect

By • Nov 6, 2020
https://www.nursetogether.com

Albany County will join Laramie County in requiring face coverings to be worn when people are in a public place and if they are lined up outside. 

Hostile Crowd Shuts Down Informational Casper Meeting

By • Nov 3, 2020

A joint news conference between the Casper City Council and the Natrona County Board of County Commissioners meant to address the current surge of COVID-19 cases in Casper had to be adjourned when a hostile crowd would not stop shouting over local officials and medical experts. Most of the heckling downplayed the seriousness of the virus.

Northern Arapaho Chairman Tests Positive For COVID-19 After Meeting With Gov., White House Official

By • Nov 2, 2020
Savannah Maher

Chairman Lee Spoonhunter of the Northern Arapaho Business Council has tested positive for COVID-19. According to a statement released Monday afternoon, Spoonhunter is experiencing mild symptoms and self-isolating under the supervision of the Northern Arapaho Tribe's clinic, Wind River Family and Community Healthcare.

When Employees Catch COVID, Business Owners Have To Make Tough Decisions

By • Oct 30, 2020
Jeff Victor


Wyoming, like many states, has tried to strike a balance between letting businesses operate and slowing the spread of COVID-19. But businesses are struggling to keep their doors open amid a rapid rise in coronavirus cases.

The Crowbar and Grill in downtown Laramie had to radically alter its operations when COVID-19 hit Wyoming in March.

Al Simpson Recovering After Minor Stroke

By • Oct 29, 2020
Alan Simpson

Former U.S. Senator Al Simpson is in stable condition after experiencing a minor stroke Monday night. His son Colin said his mother noticed a change of character when she asked him to say his name earlier that day.

Simpson didn’t respond immediately so she called Cody Regional Hospital. He was flown to Denver the next day. Colin said his father is still at the hospital receiving tests and being evaluated for any other risks. He said his father is back to his old self now.

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