COVID-19 Coverage

By ASHRAF KHALIL Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) – Food banks are experiencing a critical shortage of volunteers as the omicron variant frightens people away from group activities. Individual volunteers are shying away from their usual shifts, and companies and schools that regularly supply large groups of volunteers are canceling their participation over virus fears. The

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By WVUA 23 News Reporter Elise Anzaldua Tuscaloosa City Schools will be closed Friday, Jan. 21 and holding a virtual learning day on Monday, Jan. 24. As of Sunday, the system is scheduled to return to classrooms Tuesday, Jan. 25. Tuscaloosa City Schools Superintendent Mike Daria said why this decision will have a positive impact

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The University of Alabama System published its first COVID-19 Dashboard update of the spring 2022 semester on Tuesday. As expected, the numbers are a lot higher than the ones that closed out the fall 2021 semester. According to the dashboard, 358 students and 140 faculty and staff members at the Capstone tested positive for COVID-19

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By WVUA 23 Digital Reporter Zhoee’ Williams Nearly 500 students, faculty and staff at the University of Alabama were positive for COVID-19 since the beginning of the spring semester, the UA System released Tuesday. The data, focused on Jan. 10 to Jan. 16, showed 358 students and 140 faculty and staff with positive test results.

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By WVUA 23 Digital Reporter Kyrsten Eller With the rapid spread of the omicron variant, hospitals around the country are struggling to meet the demand for patients requiring tests and treatment while employees also battle COVID-19. At DCH Health System an uptick in hospitalizations is putting a strain on short-staffed doctors and nurses. As of

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By WVUA 23 Digital Reporter Kyrsten Eller With the recent shortage of COVID-19 tests because of a spike in cases, the U.S. Postal Service announced that they will be taking orders for at-home test kits starting now. The kits will include four rapid tests per household and will be free of charge to those residing

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Several Tuscaloosa County schools are reopening today after an increase in faculty and student absences forced an abrupt swap to remote learning on Tuesday. In all, Holt, Brookwood, Cottondale and Flatwoods elementary schools, Duncanville Middle School and Lloyd Wood Education Center were closed Tuesday. Tuscaloosa County School System Public Relations Director Terri Brewer said the

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Six schools within the Tuscaloosa County School System are closed today because of COVID-19 related staffing shortages. In a message sent out Monday, the system said Holt Elementary, Flatwoods Elementary, Cottondale Elementary, Brookwood Elementary, Lloyd Wood Education Center and Duncanville Middle will be closed Tuesday. All other schools in the system remain open. Read the

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By WVUA 23 News Reporter A’Leeyah Ponder Lines for COVID-19 tests are backing up as residents find themselves contending with symptoms that may or may not be caused by the omicron variant. According to the Alabama Department of Public Health, 46.7% of COVID-19 tests in Tuscaloosa County taken over the past seven days have come

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COVID-19 and its variants are passing the second year of existence inside the U.S., and the pandemic remains far from over. So what comes after the transmission-heavy but symptom-light omicron variant? Alabama Hospital Association President Dr. Don Williamson said all viruses mutate — that’s how they continue spreading. That means in all likelihood, another variant

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MOBILE, Ala. (AP) – Alabama health officials say a record number of children are hospitalized with COVID-19 as the state’s largest public school district prepares to switch to virtual classes because so many staffers have contracted or been exposed to the coronavirus. The Alabama Department of Public Health said in a statement Friday that 71

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The omicron COVID-19 variant is spreading much faster than the delta variant, which was a lot deadlier. But University of Alabama at Birmingham Division of Pediatric and Infectious Diseases Co-Director Dr. David Kimberlin said Thursday that UAB Hospital and Children’s Hospital in Birmingham are still approaching the maximum number of patients they can care for.

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It’s the worst blood shortage in over a decade, and the American Red Cross wants your help ensuring hospitals have enough blood for anyone who finds themself in need. “This need is very great,” said Misty Hester with the Central-West Chapter of the American Red Cross. “This is the first time that we’ve been in

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