Publisher: WKNO FM


New Lyme Disease Vaccine Puts Immunity in Ticks’ Foodchain

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The only human vaccine for Lyme disease was discontinued in 2002 due to limited demand and concerns about potential side effects. But Dr. Maria Gomes-Solecki, a professor of microbiology, immunology, and biochemistry at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, had worked on that vaccine and believed it could continue to help reduce the spread… Read More


Did you know that June is Cataract Awareness Month?

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But what happens if you are poor and blind due to cataracts? Just ask the 24 people who had their cataracts removed last Saturday at the Sixth-Annual Cataract-A-Thon at the Hamilton Eye Institute. Patients from Mid-South Lions and Church Health who were all legally blind can now see once again because an army of volunteers… Read More


“U.K. Strain” May Have Arrived in Shelby County

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A recent COVID-19 case in Shelby County has been flagged as a possible variant strain from the United Kingdom, which threatens to undermine progress made in reducing transmission rates of the virus. The so-called B.1.1.7 or U.K. strain was first found in Tennessee in January with the state’s health commissioner, Dr. Lisa Piercey, predicting it… Read More


BTH: The Future of Vaccination Distribution in Shelby County

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The roll out of COVID-19 vaccines has been slower than expected, which public officials say is the result of a limited national supply chain. Chief Operating Officer for the City of Memphis Doug McGowen says Shelby County is ready to administer as many doses as the state of Tennessee can send.


The Memphis Neighborhood Where Get Togethers Include Nasal Swabs

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On Monday, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Robert Redfield, praised surveillance testing programs, specifically mentioning those on some college and university campuses that test students once or twice weekly. “Don’t underestimate the value of strategic testing as part of a mitigation strategy to identify the asymptomatic individual and get them… Read More


Countdown is On for Soft Reopening of Businesses

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Shelby County restaurants and retailers can join their counterparts in other rural parts of the state as “open-for-business” starting Monday. Local government and health officials say the county is prepared for a limited reboot based on hospital capacity and a flattening of new COVID cases.


COVID Testing Now Encouraged for Those with Less-Severe Symptoms

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As COVID-19 testing continues to expand in Shelby County over the next few weeks, officials say people who are feeling just slightly under the weather should be next in line for a screening.


Rapid Turnaround COVID-19 Testing Comes to Memphis

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For weeks, healthcare professionals have lacked the ability to rapidly test for COVID-19, but now the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s own testing lab is up and running—with capacity to process around 1,000 tests per day.