Healthcare Desk
Coronavirus Update, January 27, 2021
On Friday, Governor Cuomo announced he would allow higher risk sports to resume on February 1st, subject to local health department approval. Tompkins Public Health Director, Frank Kruppa, DID approve sports locally with additional requirements and precautions. Approved high risk sports for Tompkins County include; football, wrestling, ice hockey, rugby, and basketball. In addition to…
Read MoreMonday, April 20 6-7pm Coronavirus Virtual Town Hall: Public Health [AUDIO]
Join the conversation and TUNE IN and Monday, April 20 from 6-7pm for WRFI’s second coronavirus virtual town hall meeting. Monday’s meeting will feature YOUR QUESTIONS and Dr. David Evelyn, the Vice President of Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer for Cayuga Medical Center from 6:00-6:30pm and, in the second half-hour (6:30-7pm), Frank Kruppa, Public Health Director at Tompkins County Health Department, and Gen Meredith, Associate Director of Cornell University MPH Program (Public Health). More panelists may be added.
Read MoreIthaca resident Angela Zhang returns to WRFI to further reflect on the impacts of the pandemic [AUDIO]
In February 2020, WRFI first spoke with Angela Zhang, an Ithaca resident, about the impacts of the novel coronavirus on her, and her family in China. At the time, there were 34 cases of Coronavirus in the US and no cases in New York State. A lot has changed since then. Now, New York is…
Read MoreFoodnet Meals on Wheels Serves Clients Amid COVID-19 Pandemic [AUDIO]
Jessica Gosa, Executive Director of Foodnet Meals on Wheels, discusses how her organization is adapting amid the COVID-19 pandemic. She describes how Foodnet is changing its procedures to ensure the safety of its clients and its staff. Gosa also talks about recent innovations in their operation, such as moving to a rotating schedule and creating…
Read MoreIthaca Community Members Sew Face Masks To Meet Local Needs During the COVID-19 Pandemic [AUDIO]
Local volunteers are sewing face masks in response to shortages of protective gear for health care providers, people in the service sector and community members from COVID-19. Here we speak with three people in the community who have been organizing these efforts: Carol O’Driscoll, Director of Surgical Services at Cayuga Medical Center, Ithaca Mask Makers…
Read MoreCoronavirus Update, March 17, 2020
It was announced today that Ithaca College will be switching to remote instruction through the end of the semester, according to a message from President Shirley Collado. The school had planned to originally start up classes again on Monday, April 6th. Additionally, Ithaca College has set August 1st as the new target date for commencement.…
Read MoreCoronavirus Update, March 16, 2020
Effective 8PM Monday in New York State, New Jersey, and Connecticut, crowd capacities must be reduced to 50 people, restaurants and bars will be takeout and delivery ONLY, Gyms will close, Movie theaters will close, and Casinos will close. That’s according to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Grocery stores will remain open. In the last…
Read MoreCoronavirus Update, March 13, 2020
Cornell University announced that all classes have been suspended for the next three weeks, and that students are strongly encouraged to go home. Virtual instruction for all classes is set to begin on Monday April 6. In the announcement, Cornell University President Martha Pollack provided a number of reasons for the suspension. First, it would…
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