Robert Roose News Today

The grant is renewable until 2032 and could total $6.5 million.

CT issued an initial denial of a request to close Johnson Memorial Hospital’s birthing unit, but Trinity Health can appeal the decision.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong weighed in with concerns Thursday on Trinity Health of New England’s request for permission from state regulators to formally discontinue labor and delivery services at Johnson Memorial Hospital in Stafford.

Johnson Memorial Hospital in Stafford cited low patient volume and difficulty recruiting staff in arguing to close its birthing unit.

4:28      In a sharp acceleration of the timetable for fully reopening Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker announced today that all COVID-19-era business restrictions will end on May 29th.   Also on that day, the mask mandate will be lifted and replaced with one that follows current CDC guidelines.  Whether all municipalities in the state will go along, or choose to keep some restrictions in place a bit longer, remains to be seen.    Reacting minutes after the governor’s announcement,...

New COVID cases in Springfield continue to plummet Updated May 17, 2021; SPRINGFIELD — As the state and federal government continued to ease coronavirus regulations in recent days, city officials reported Monday that new cases of COVID-19 here continue to plummet. There were 154 new cases of COVID-19 last week, May 9-15, as compared to 265 cases the prior week, May 2-8, a reduction of 111 cases in one week, or 41.9%. That followed a reduction 160 cases, approximately 37%, from the week befor...

Mercy Medical Center will begin transitioning away from its hospital-based Vaccine Clinic on Friday, May 14.

Western Mass providers prepare to vaccinate younger teens Updated May 11, 2021; Posted May 11, 2021 Baystate Health is preparing to vaccinate those 12 to 15 against coronavirus disease 2019 at locations that include its High Street Health Center. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention meets Wednesday to review data the Food and Drug Administration used in its emergency use authorization Monday of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for younger adolescents. Approval from the CDC is considered ...

    Coronavirus infections are rising in Springfield, Massachusetts even as vaccines become more widely available.     While COVID-19 cases have fallen statewide in Massachusetts for three consecutive weeks after a new wave of infections crested in mid-March, Springfield has seen its weekly case counts climb during that time.    The city recorded 548 cases last week, an increase of  27.  Springfield is one of 59 municipalities in Massachusetts still considered to be at high risk for ...

Springfield, 6 other Western Massachusetts communities remain at ‘high risk’ of COVID Updated 12:14 PM; SPRINGFIELD — Springfield recorded 548 new cases of COVID-19 last week bringing April’s total to 1,278, said Mayor Domenic J. Sarno during a weekly update on the pandemic at City Hall. “We are still in the red, we cannot be lax. We must wear still wear our masks and take the necessary precautions,” Sarno said Tuesday. Other Western Massachusetts communities still at high risk inc...