COVID-19

Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis was sworn in as the new director of the St. Louis Department of Health earlier this month. While the coronavirus is the infectious disease doctor’s first priority, she has plans to tackle the city’s other health problems.

Black people and Latinos in St. Louis are more likely to live in areas with polluted air. Long-term exposure to air pollution is linked to faster coronavirus transmission, new research finds.

Some major changes triggered by the pandemic have been made permanent. And the libraries are being honored for a top state award too.

A federal mandate will soon require all U.S. nursing homes to vaccinate their workers or risk losing government funding. But some worry vaccine mandates will worsen staff shortages.

In the past week, the region’s four largest hospital systems have admitted about 40 new patients a day, according to the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force. That’s down from a high of around 80 people a day in August.

Only 18 of Missouri’s 500-plus school districts have signed up for screening testing for COVID-19, even though the program is entirely free thanks to the federal government.

The vaccine mandate applies to state employees, contractors and vendors who work in congregate facilities and certain health care workers, school personnel and higher education employees.

For those who want their loved ones to be safe from the virus, trying to persuade people to get the shot is frustrating but not impossible.

The Board of Education in August passed a mandate requiring school district employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Friday to protect students and staff.

Making COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for workers at St. Louis hospitals has not sparked a mass exodus. Hospital officials in St. Louis say the vast majority of their employees have gotten the vaccine by the fall deadlines administrators set earlier this summer.