Health

Today on Stateside , making sense of breakthrough COVID-19 cases. Then, a chat with podcaster and lifelong Flint resident Rayvon Taylor, whose episodes reflect a new vibe in Flint. And, we talk about the 200th anniversary of a treaty that changed the story of several tribal communties in Michigan.

Amelia Haywood’s story is the kind that doctors say they’ve been hearing over and over again for months now. “I’m 15 years old. I play volleyball,” Haywood says, tucking her long brown hair behind her ear, “and six months ago I was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa.”

Federal health officials recently declared the current COVID-19 spike to be a “ pandemic of the unvaccinated ”. The announcement is a national public reminder that the pandemic is not yet over.

Long COVID is a range of prolonged symptoms after a COVID infection. It can include brain fog, fatigue, gastrointestinal issues—not to mention anxiety and depression. But there can also be some financial side effects: high out-of-pocket costs and medical debt. Fifteen months after getting COVID, Becca Meyer from Kalamazoo is still dealing with some serious side effects. She’s also trying to manage the financial burden of Long COVID.

Today on Stateside , we look into how Michigan cities have responded to calls from activists to defund the police. Then, Governor Whitmer has officially lifed most of the pandemic restrictions, despite a large number of vaccine-hesitant Michiganders, including in the city of Detroit. Plus, we talk to a Michigan State University sociologist about their research on the frustrating interactions transgender people experience at the doctor’s office.

Today on Stateside , a look at where Michigan stands with COVID-19 infections, vaccinations, and power machinations. Also, an exploration of writer Ernest Hemingway’s summers in northern Michigan. Plus, a West Michigan musician discusses how performance and therapy intersect in her work, and how her creative life has changed amid the pandemic.

Now that the FDA has expanded its emergency use authorization for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, allowing it to be used for kids 12-15, the whole thing gets kicked over to the CDC’s advisory council on Wednesday. The Advisory Council on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has scheduled an emergency meeting for Wednesday to talk about best practices, or “clinical considerations and implementation” for getting this vaccine to kids.

Today on Stateside , what Michigan parents should know about the news that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine will soon be available to kids as young as 12 years old. And speaking of vaccinations, the state hit its first benchmark in Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s “MI Vacc to Normal” plan with 55% of Michiganders now having received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Plus, why recycling in Michigan isn’t as green as it could be.

Today on Stateside , Michigan sees a boom in the use of monoclonal antibodies to keep COVID-19 patients out of the hospital. Plus, the coach of the University of Michigan's women's gymnastics team talks about a tough pandemic year that ended in a national championship. And, singer-songwriter Rachel Curtis talks about new ways of producing and releasing music during a pandemic.

When we first realized COVID would be the biggest public health crisis of our lifetime, Governor Gretchen Whitmer came out swinging. She set up mask mandates and physical distancing recommendations. That earned her respect from many public health officials both within Michigan and around the country. But the governor’s message now is very different. So, what changed?

Today on Stateside , a look at the messaging behind Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s latest public health guidelines. Also, an athlete and coach discuss winning streaks in women’s college athletics despite the challenges of practicing amid the pandemic. Plus, a Black-led food cooperative partners with local farmers in preparation for its 2022 opening in Detroit’s North End neighborhood.

Until recently, Michiganders struggled to find open vaccine appointments. Some even crossed state lines to get their shots. Now that vaccine supply has increased, the state is facing an opposite challenge: finding enough people who are able and willing to sign up for a dose — and soon.

Updated: 05/07/2021 Misty Evans stands in her client Ric’s living room in Midland, helping him pick out a record to play on the turntable.

Today on Stateside , we revisit how one year of pandemic life has changed our relationships — from close connections, to pod problems, to loved ones lost. A funeral director discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted mourning in 2020. Then, a counselor and psychologist talk us through how pod life, solitude, and mental health challenges during the pandemic have affected the ways we interact with other people.

Today on Stateside , the 2020 census results are in and Michigan has lost a congressional seat. What this means for the state’s political landscape. Plus, the story of a Filipino Michigander serving in the Civil War. And, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed on why now is not the time to let up on the pandemic.

Today on Stateside , a look inside a hospital ward caring for a bunch of younger COVID patients. Plus, a Detroit council trail-blazer Raquel Castaneda-Lopez talks about why she’s leaving politics to go back to advocacy. And, we get up close and personal with one of the biggest fish in the Great Lakes, the sturgeon.

Jeanne Bishop and Kathleen Marble are huddled together over their laptop and notes, quietly trying to figure out where they’re going to put all the kids and infants coming into Sparrow Hospital with COVID-19. It’s Tuesday, April 20, and the 8 a.m. incident command meeting has just wrapped. Now the real work begins.

Today on Stateside , what it could take to get Michiganders who are hesitant about the COVID-19 vaccine to roll up their sleeves. Also, no, you’re not imagining it — why your seasonal allergies seem to be getting worse. Plus, the effort to make the great outdoors safe and accessible for Black and brown Michiganders.

Michigan's college towns are quieter this spring than they would be in a normal year. As University of Michigan students and faculty wrap up another COVID-19 semester, UM President Mark Schlissel hopes the fall will bring impressive vaccination rates and the return of an ebullient campus. The pandemic school year “We’ve had to learn as we go. We’ve had to rely, of course, on our experts, but also bring our community along. We’ve had to approach this with really great humility,” Schissel...

Michigan’s largest health system is straining under the weight of the state’s third COVID-19 surge. Beaumont Health System CEO John Fox says it currently has around 800 COVID-19 patients in its eight hospitals. Fox was a guest on Stateside on Tuesday. He says this COVID surge puts Beaumont and other Michigan hospitals in an incredibly difficult situation.