Tag: transforming Health

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Districts and families consider mask mandates as school year plans take shape, while the American Academy of Pediatrics urge “back to class, wear a mask”

Listen to Smart Talk every weekday at 9am and 7pm on WITF 89.5 & 93.3. You can also stream WITF radio live on our website or ask your smart speaker to “Play WITF Radio.”

It has been a whirlwind month with pandemic news.

The Biden administration set July 4 as a target for 70 percent of Americans to receive at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. They conceded in July that goal would not be met. At the time, though, the delta variant of the virus was not the dominant strain in the US. Now it is and infections are spreading rapidly, primarily among the unvaccinated.

The federal government set off a domino affect at the end of July when the CDC published new masking guidelines causing confusion, and in some cases anger, at the changing recommendations.

Now school districts around Pennsylvania are finalizing school health and safety plans, including whether children will be required to wear face masks.

Governor Tom Wolf elected not to impose another mask mandate, giving control of that decision to local districts. Many are deciding not to require masks, others have not made a final decision.

Appearing on Smart Talk Wednesday to discuss masking and keeping children safe from COVID is Dr. Swathi Gowtham, MD, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Director, Pediatric Infection Prevention, Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital and member of PA Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics. Also on the program to share how their school district is approaching to issue is David Christopher, Ph.D., Superintendent of Schools, Cumberland Valley School District and Dion E. Betts, Ed.D., Superintendent, Chambersburg Area School District. 

For more on health issues plus a deeper look at the changing tide of healthcare–check out WITF’s Transforming Health. Online at TransformingHealth.org, a partnership of WITF, WellSpan Health and Capital Blue Cross.

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Shawn’s Law; a bill to combat aided suicide

When 25-year-old Shawn Shatto died by suicide in May, her family was left struggling to understand why their daughter would take her own life. Imagine their horror to learn that she died with the help of an on-line chat room.

Republican State Rep. Dawn Keefer, who serves parts of York and Cumberland Counties, wants to make sure other families are spared the same pain.

Keefer introduced new legislation called Shawn’s Law that would increase criminal penalties for people convicted of aiding or encouraging another person to commit suicide.

Representative Keefer joins Smart Talk to discuss how the bill will increase sentences and strengthen the justice system’s response.

Also, as people age, maintaining the ability to remain at home may become more of a challenge.

Healthcare is complicated, especially for anyone dealing with health problems and limited resources.

Pennsylvania is launching a state-wide program to help Pennsylvanians manage their health care and, hopefully, remain in their homes longer.

The program is called Community HealthChoices and it is targeted toward the elderly who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid and adults with physical disabilities.

How do you know if you qualify and what, if anything, will change in your healthcare plan?

Appearing on Smart Talk on Monday to offer program details are Kevin Hancock, Deputy Secretary for Long Term Living, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and Laval Miller-Wilson, executive director of the Pennsylvania Health Law Project.

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