OSF Healthcare

Since the masks came off most of society, a lot of people have been coughing, sneezing and getting aches and fever. And that's not counting those who get COVID-19. Last year, flu was almost non-existent. Lockdowns, masks, and other pandemic precautions meant people didn't make each other sick.

Nurses caring for COVID patients must grieve their losses, over and over again.

Sherri Schlatter says the skyrocketing cost of insulin can lead to patients skipping critical doses.

Low vaccination rates, human behavior, and viral mutations may mean COVID-19 will never disappear. That's according to many experts, including OSF HealthCare Chief Operating Officer Mike Cruz.

Low vaccination rates, human behavior, and viral mutations may mean COVID-19 will never disappear. That's according to many experts, including OSF HealthCare Chief Operating Officer Mike Cruz.

There might actually be more vaccination hesitancy by parents considering the COVID shots for their kids than for any other group. At least one school district estimates just 20-30% of children ages 5-11 will get the vaccine.

Central Illinois health providers will receive a $5 million chunk of $18 million in new state money to transform health care for people on Medicaid and other underserved populations. It's part of the so-called Illinois Healthcare Transformation collaborative.

Bloomington-Normal hospital officials say they still have enough beds to handle the surge in coronavirus patients, but it continues to take a toll on medical staff.

In this installment of the Sound Health series, WGLT spoke to two leaders with OSF HealthCare’s Hospice program: social worker Laura Baker and manager Michelle Jackson.

Bloomington-Normal has just over two hospital beds for every 1,000 people. In terms of bed capacity, the twin cities ranks among the lowest of any major metro area in Illinois.