White House plan would help schools skirt Ducey ban on mask mandates
WASHINGTON - Gov. Doug Ducey's threat to withhold funding from schools that impose mask mandates took a severe hit Thursday, when the White House said local school districts can apply directly to the federal government "to restore funding withheld by state leaders."
Poor nutrition heavily influences COVID-19 death toll, studies find
Obesity and dietary issues are contributing to complications and deaths from COVID-19 infections, multiple studies and health officials say.
Delta variant continues to strain Arizona hospitals, nearly all patients are unvaccinated
PHOENIX – Although COVID-19 cases remain stable at Arizona hospitals, nearly all of them are caused by the delta variant. Valleywise Health says 97% of its hospitalized COVID-19 patients are unvaccinated.
Few masks, much excitement: High school football returns with look of pre-COVID era
PHOENIX – Unlike the start of the 2020 season, when masks, hand sanitizers and social distancing was the norm, the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to be an afterthought for many at Friday’s high school football games.
Pandemic unemployment relief ends, cutting off 45,000 jobless in state
WASHINGTON - A federal pandemic relief program that provided extra financial aid to jobless workers ended Monday, hitting more than 45,000 unemployed Arizonans who had already seen the state pull away another source of federal aid in July.
Maricopa County health care workers ask for school mask mandate as COVID pediatric cases rise
PHOENIX – Health care workers across Maricopa County signed a letter to the county Board of Supervisors asking for mask mandates in K-12 schools as more children are being hospitalized with COVID-19.
‘A cliff effect’: As federal benefits drop, food insecurity likely to rise again
An enormous influx of federal dollars helped stem the rising tide of hunger during the COVID-19 pandemic, but what happens when those benefits end?
How COVID-19 and red tape pushed millions to the brink of homelessness
Across the U.S., as many as 1 in 5 renters have fallen behind on rent during the pandemic. For families who have no financial safety net to fall back on, the economic consequences of the pandemic have pushed them to the precipice of homelessness. The situation is made worse by bureaucracy.
As COVID-19 testing numbers rise, Embry Health hopes to expand services
MESA – COVID-19 testing numbers are increasing as schools reopen and the delta variant spreads. To counter the rise in numbers and reduce wait times, Embry Health is bringing in hundreds of new workers.
Essential but ignored: How day care powered the pandemic workforce
The pandemic exposed how vulnerable and essential child care providers are in America. The median hourly wage is $10.31, and most workers receive no benefits, but they play a crucial role in getting people back to work.
Experts hope FDA’s full Pfizer vaccine OK boosts Arizona vaccinations
WASHINGTON – Health officials expressed hope Monday that the Food and Drug Administration's full approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine will boost vaccinations in Arizona, which lags well behind the national average.
ClipDart barber business snips away inequities of Black hair styling
Kyle Parker created the ClipDart network after having trouble finding barbers who could cut and style Black hair. The business platform allows people to find barbers or have barbers come to them.
