Teghan Simonton stories, Page 5
Western Pa. health experts cautious about CDC’s mask-shedding guidance
Western Pennsylvania health professionals say the newest public health guidelines about maskless gatherings are a “measured step toward normalcy” — but they also come with some concerns. “I worry a little bit, frankly, that people will maybe misinterpret this particular guidance, and think it gives more freedoms than it really...
Pitt campuses to loosen coronavirus restrictions
The University of Pittsburgh will loosen restrictions at three campuses starting Thursday, including the Pittsburgh campus, citing lower coronavirus infection counts and easing public health guidance. Pitt announced the change in an update from the Covid-19 Medical Response Office on Friday. The Pittsburgh, Bradford and Titusville campuses will move from...
Vaccination for Pittsburgh teachers to start next week, details still uncertain
Following Gov. Tom Wolf’s announcement this week that teachers would be moved first in line to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, Pittsburgh schools are poised to begin inoculating teachers next week. “The vaccinations of our teachers and school staff will add an additional layer of mitigation strategies we already...
Semper Gratus charity 5K race returns to West Leechburg
The Shamrock Shuffle race is back and scheduled for March 13 in West Leechburg. The annual 5K race/one-mile walk by the nonprofit Semper Gratus will return this year, about a year after the 2020 race was postponed and ultimately canceled because of the covid-19 pandemic. “Our efforts as an organization...
Appointments filled after Giant Eagle extends Heinz Field covid vaccine clinic
Appointments for the covid vaccine clinic at Heinz Field next week have been filled, only hours after becoming available. Giant Eagle announced it would extend its covid-19 vaccination clinic at Heinz Field “after receiving an overwhelmingly positive response” this week. The chain made more appointments available to eligible individuals for...
Western Pa. hospital leaders endorse J&J vaccine in letter
Leaders of regional hospitals and health systems have asked people to accept the Johnson & Johnson vaccine if given the opportunity. The Western Pennsylvania Regional Chief Medical Officer Consortium, made up of 12 hospital leaders in the region, released a letter Thursday endorsing the benefits of the newly-authorized one-dose shot...
Allegheny County officials: ‘We’re not there yet’ on reopeningVideo
Allegheny County’s covid-19 case numbers are no longer declining, but they’re stable, Dr. Debra Bogen, health director, said Wednesday. The county’s test positivity rate increased slightly from last week, from 5.5% to 5.9%. Hospitalizations and deaths continue to decline. But Bogen said she is concerned about the results of recent...
Pa. asks for money to extend school meals benefits
The Pennsylvania Departments of Human Services and Education asked for federal approval Tuesday to issue more than $1 billion in benefits to families with children in remote school during the covid-19 pandemic. The families would have otherwise had access to free and reduced priced meals during the 2020-21 school year....
Phone appointments filled for Heinz Field covid vaccine clinic
Both phone and online appointments for Giant Eagle’s covid vaccination clinic at Heinz Field have been completely filled, a spokesman for the chain said Monday. The multi-day clinic will take place this week, from Tuesday to Friday. Online appointments became available last Friday, Feb. 26, through Giant Eagle’s scheduling tool....
Pa. teachers could move to vaccine’s phase 1A distribution, task force says
Discussions are in progress in Pennsylvania’s General Assembly to possibly move teachers to phase 1A of the state’s vaccine rollout. State Rep. Tim O’Neal, R-Washington, sent an email Sunday alerting House GOP members of the possibility, according to WPXI. He explained that the National Guard would be involved in the...
Point Park University union speaks against layoffs of 17 faculty
Point Park University’s faculty union spoke up in opposition of the school’s move to eliminate 17 full-time, non-tenured faculty members this week. Point Park officials announced the contracts of 17 full-time, non-tenured faculty members would not be renewed at the end of this academic year, citing financial difficulties related to...
Pittsburgh-area health experts praise Johnson & Johnson covid vaccine
The likely addition of a third covid vaccine option next month will be a “blessing,” health professionals in the Pittsburgh region said. “It means vaccine will be available to people faster,” said Graham Snyder, medical director of Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiology at UPMC. “It means that for whatever reason,...
Some Pa. school district leaders frustrated with return of standardized tests during pandemic
Gennaro Piraino Jr. said his distaste for state standardized tests has only grown in the past year, despite their absence. “Given the pandemic, what we know our students need to know and be able to do has become even more evident,” said Piraino, superintendent of Franklin Regional School District. “And...
Giant Eagle fills online appointments for Heinz Field covid vaccination clinic
All online appointments have been booked for a multi-day mass covid vaccination clinic at Heinz Field in March. Giant Eagle announced the clinic late Thursday afternoon, in partnership with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Appointments could be made starting Friday morning for the clinic days: March 2-5, with a “significant number of...
Allegheny County to administer Pfizer vaccine at Castle Shannon site
The Allegheny County Health Department will start administering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at its Castle Shannon distribution site next week. County officials said the health department received four trays of the Pfizer vaccine to be used for first doses. Appointments are required to receive a dose — and individuals must be...
Vandergrift Borough’s website no longer being maintained
Vandergrift Borough’s website went offline sometime last weekend, but there are no concrete plans at this time to replace it. Visitors to the site will now see a message in huge font reading, “This site is no longer being updated or maintained. If you have any questions or suggestions, please...
Allegheny County officials ask for vigilance as 3 cases of UK variant identifiedVideo
Allegheny County officials said there are at least three cases of the U.K. covid-19 variant in the county — but they remain optimistic about overall case numbers and the increasing rate of vaccination. “We continue to see good levels of drop,” county Executive Rich Fitzgerald said. “There’s a lot of...
Point Park won’t renew 17 faculty contracts
Point Park University will not renew the contracts of 17 non-tenured faculty members, the university announced this week. A university spokesman did not answer questions about what specific academic departments would be affected in the Downtown institution, which serves around 4,000 students. The change was allowed through a collective bargaining...
Officials: More than 600 Pa. nursing homes have received 2nd covid vaccine doses
State officials said they have surpassed an “important milestone” in the mission to vaccinate long-term care residents in Pennsylvania. As of last week, Walgreens has conducted first-dose clinics in nearly 100 locations, while CVS Health has conducted both first- and second-dose clinics at all of its participating skilled nursing facilities....
Western Pa. school districts cope with teacher, staff shortages
When Thomas Shea had to quarantine in October, he never stopped teaching. From his home, he continued giving and recording lessons for his 10th-grade social studies students at Kiski Area High School. Shea said about two-thirds of his students are still learning from home, though the school district offers up...
Red Cross schedules blood drives across Western Pa.
Last week’s winter storms across the U.S. forced the cancellation of hundreds of blood drives and donations, the Red Cross said Monday. The organization is holding dozens of drives in Western Pennsylvania this week in attempts to make up the difference. The record-breaking cold and storms canceled events in around...
Pharmacist drives through winter storm to vaccinate homebound Donegal womanVideo
It was 19 degrees, but Ed Christofano had his GMC Acadia in four-wheel drive, climbing the snow-covered roads through the Allegheny Mountains. Also in his car was a cooler, and inside that was precious cargo: three doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. “It’s just par for the course,” said Christofano, owner...
More Kiski Area students struggling during pandemic
Kiski Area School District officials continue to be concerned about significant drops in student progress compared to last school year at every educational level. Principals at each school building have been reporting how students are faring during this pandemic school year at recent school board meetings. Students who have not...
As vaccine waiting lists grow, community pharmacies unsure when supply will arrive
The federal government has announced direct partnerships with pharmacy chains to speed up vaccine distribution, but pharmacists say independent stores are better equipped to administer doses quickly — and more efficiently. Independent pharmacists in Western Pennsylvania say they have solid relationships with people scrambling to get vaccinated against covid. They...
Allegheny County plans to administer 2nd covid vaccine doses in timely fashionVideo
The Allegheny County Health Department is working to ensure people who received first doses of the covid vaccine will get their second dose, as planned, after state officials announced a likely shortage of more than 50,000 doses next week. State officials on Wednesday described a “perfect storm of circumstances” after...
