Health Archives

MU Health shifts staff as omicron surge keeps going

January 20, 2022 11:59 AM Kennedy Miller

Like many other hospitals, MU Health Care is facing staffing concerns. The hospital is now reassigning nurses from non-clinical areas to bedside shifts.

Holts Summit employer celebrates Supreme Court ruling on vaccine mandates

January 13, 2022 6:01 PM Hannah Falcon

Doolittle Trailer Manufacturing Inc. tells ABC 17 the Supreme Court ruling blocking the vaccine mandate for large workplaces was a sigh of relief.

Omicron surge increasing hospitalizations; patients may have long-lasting COVID-19 symptoms

January 12, 2022 5:49 PM Leila Mitchell

Experts say the omicron variant causes a milder case of COVID-19, but many hospitals in Mid-Missouri are at max capacity as the surge continues to infect thousands.

Mid-Missouri hospitals report staffing shortages amid omicron surge

January 11, 2022 9:41 PM Leila Mitchell

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Hospitals across Mid-Missouri continue to report staffing shortages as the omicron variant spreads rapidly across the state. Many hospitals have been experiencing a shortage since the beginning of the pandemic two years ago, but workers say this may be the biggest shortage they’ve seen. Dr. Lenora Adams, vice president of medical

University of Missouri declines to change COVID-19 protocols amid spike in student cases

January 11, 2022 5:30 AM Meghan Drakas

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The University of Missouri System Board of Curators declined to change its COVID-19 protocols amid a spike in the number of positive COVID-19 cases among MU students. On Monday morning, the board members released an agenda for the immediate review of the system’s COVID-19 protocols. During the 8 a.m. meeting Tuesday, MU

University of Missouri Board of Curators to review COVID-19 protocols

January 10, 2022 9:42 AM Zachary Farwell

According to an agenda released Monday morning, board members are scheduled to meet over the phone and virtually at 8 a.m. Tuesday. The agenda shows an item listed as COVID-19 protocols.

Boone County hospital limits COVID-19 testing

December 30, 2021 5:38 PM Leila Mitchell

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) MU Health Care is temporarily limiting its COVID-19 testing, the testing clinics will now only test people with COVID-19 symptoms. MU Health Care reported the change is in place until further notice, but it comes at a difficult time with the holidays and omicron variant COVID-19 cases rising fast. The hospital’s testing

Highway Patrol reminds everyone to celebrate New Year’s safely

December 31, 2021 4:56 PM Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Missouri State Highway Patrol is urging everyone to make good decisions regarding their New Year’s celebrations and to end 2021 on a safe note. MSHP says no one wants to start 2022 with a traffic crash or a DUI arrest. The Missouri State Highway Patrol began their New Year’s Holiday crash

Omicron variant found in Mid-Missouri

December 24, 2021 5:54 PM Hannah Falcon

Omicron, the highly-contagious COVID-19 variant, has been found in Columbia, Jefferson City, Fulton and other Missouri cities through wastewater surveillance, according to the Department of Health and Senior Services.

Coronavirus test demand rises as cases trend up ahead of the holidays

December 20, 2021 11:45 AM Erika McGuire

COVID-19 case levels and hospitalizations are rising in Missouri as the holidays approach — part of a nationwide trend of increasing COVID infections.

MSHP asks drivers to use caution in strong winds

December 15, 2021 6:42 PM Leila Mitchell

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Missouri State Highway Patrol is asking drivers to use caution Wednesday night. The patrol says strong winds can cause large vehicles to tip over. According to the ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather Team, strong winds are possible in Mid-Missouri through about midnight. Conditions are expected to improve by Thursday morning’s commute. Strong

A medical worker (MTA) draws up syringes with the Biontech/Pfizer vaccine for children during a vaccination campaign in the shopping centre "Stadtzentrum Schenefeld" near Hamburg.

Health officials say teens age 16 and 17 should get booster dose

December 14, 2021 8:57 PM Leila Mitchell

Health experts say now is the time to get 16 and 17 year-olds vaccinated as the omicron variant continues to spread and as more school districts across the state start to take away the mask requirements.

Columbia Board of Education votes to remove COVID mask policy

December 13, 2021 5:46 AM Meghan Drakas

Board members are set to review the plan at Monday night’s meeting at the Aslin Administration building off of Worley Street.

Mid-Missouri health departments respond to attorney general’s warning letter

December 10, 2021 6:32 PM Hannah Falcon

While several health departments across the state are changing orders due to the attorney general’s threat, Mid-Missouri health departments are either avoiding the question or experiencing no effect.

Time running out to get full coronavirus booster protection before Christmas

December 9, 2021 11:43 AM Kennedy Miller

More people became eligible to get booster shots after the FDA authorized Pfizer/BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine booster for 16- and 17-year-olds Thursday.

Missouri attorney general warns schools, local health agencies that continue to enforce health mandates

December 7, 2021 1:21 PM Hannah Falcon

The letters follow a Nov. 22 Cole County judge’s ruling in Robinson v. Department of Health and Senior Services. Judge Daniel Green ruled non-elected officials cannot issue and enforce public health orders in Missouri. Schmitt told ABC 17 News that his office took time to interpret how the ruling will affect the rest of Missouri before crafting the letters.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Should the federal government cap insulin prices?

December 7, 2021 1:46 AM ABC 17 News Team

President Joe Biden on Monday touted a provision of his Build Back Better plan that would cap prices on insulin, which is considered a vital medication for millions of Americans. However, the pharmaceutical industry opposes any price caps, saying they’ll cut into revenue and dampen innovation.

Local football coaches say the game has been made safer over time as MU Health care aims to continue the protocol process

December 5, 2021 7:36 PM Chanel Porter

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Local football coaches recognize that rules and protocols have progressed over the years to make the game safer, and MU Health Care aims to continue addressing the issue with the opening of a sports concussion clinic. The center, which is now opened in Columbia, is designed to accommodate a patient as early

SATURDAY UPDATES: Over 950 new COVID-19 cases recorded across the state

December 4, 2021 3:09 PM Chanel Porter

The state now has a seven day positivity rate of 13.1% on Saturday. An additional 953 new COVID-19 cases were added bringing the total of confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic is now 750,162. There have also been 170,572 probable antigen test results being positive, with 497 added Saturday. Three new deaths were

Missouri state officials dispute reports of mask mandate study

December 2, 2021 1:33 PM Hannah Falcon

By comparing the seven-day averages of Missouri counties with and without mask mandates in place, DHSS found that both case and death numbers were lower during the peak of the delta variant in counties that enforced mask-wearing.