CDC orders changes after confusing COVID-19 pandemic response

The agency has long been criticized as too ponderous, focusing on collection and analysis of data but not acting quickly against new health threats.

Most people infected with COVID-19 Omicron variant didn’t know it, study says

More than half of people who were likely infected with the COVID-19 Omicron variant last fall didn’t know they had the virus, which could be why it spread so fast, a new study finds.

Palm Harbor parents call for empathy, kindness after daughter dies by suicide days before start of senior year

McKenna Brown, 16, was a star athlete with a bright future, but just days before the start of her senior year at East Lake High School she took her own life. Her parents are now sounding the alarm on the needs surrounding teenage mental health.

2 Floridians die from bacterial infections linked to raw oysters from Louisiana

A restaurant customer in Fort Lauderdale has died of a bacterial infection after eating raw oysters. A Pensacola man died the same way this month. Both cases involved oysters from Louisiana.

Human brain not meant to stay awake past midnight, researchers say

Changes in the brain during the nighttime hours can make a person more likely to view the world negatively, engage in harmful behavior, and make impulsive decisions, according to the researchers.

Parentless 16-year-old in Florida Panhandle not 'mature' enough for abortion, judge says

A Florida judge ruled that a parentless 16-year-old girl in the Panhandle was not “sufficiently mature” to end her pregnancy. She was seeking a waiver due to a state law that requires minors to get parental consent for an abortion.

What's in the Inflation Reduction Act? Health care, climate change goals become law

President Joe Biden arrived at the White House promising to “build back” America, and now he has signed into law legislation with a slimmer version of that idea.

Owners spread monkeypox to their dog, doctors report

Health officials are warning people who are infected with monkeypox to stay away from household pets, since the animals could be at risk of catching the virus.

First lady Jill Biden tests positive for COVID-19, has 'mild' symptoms

First lady Jill Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 while vacationing in South Carolina, the White House said Tuesday. It comes weeks after the president's recovery.

Scottish government makes period products free for all

The Scottish government said it became the first in the world to legally protect the right to access free period products.

Election seasons are stressful; here are ways to cope

With midterms well underway and the next presidential election right around the corner, here are some tips on how to stay sane through election season.

6 Austin Public Library locations to reopen Sundays

The Central Library, four branch libraries, and the Austin History Center will be open to the public on Sundays for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic starting September 11.

How to reset your child’s sleep schedule for back-to-school

Children who get the recommended hours of sleep on a regular basis are more likely to have improved focus, behavior, and learning at school.

WHO to rename monkeypox over stigmatization concerns

Monkeypox was first named in 1958 when research monkeys in Denmark were observed to have a “pox-like” disease.

Carnival Cruise Line removes pre-cruise testing for vaccinated guests, unvaccinated guests welcome to sail

In a release Friday, the cruise line said they're making it easier for more guests to sail with simplified vaccination and testing guidelines, including no testing for vaccinated guests on sailings less than 16 nights, and eliminating the exemption requests process for unvaccinated guests.