Good news on the Quad-Cities covid front! This morning for the first time in 466 days, Genesis Health System has no COVID-19 positive patients hospitalized. The last time Genesis hospitals did not have a COVID-positive patient was March 13, 2020, when Genesis had its first positive patient hospitalized. Since everyone hospitalized with any condition is tested, there may be Patients Under Investigation (PUI) in the hospital, but there are no COVID-19 patients who have tested positive this morning. More great news; the symptomatic 7-day positive rate has dipped to less than one percent at 0.95%,... Read More

Next to the Mighty Mississippi River sits a hidden gem. Our own little Jewel of the Nile if you will. Taste of Ethiopia will bring you a new way of experiencing the Quad Cities, in a more flavorful way. Today’s review is somewhat sponsored and two parts. I sat down with Consumed Foodie , too experience this restaurant. While it maybe a new experience to us, I have a feeling we’ve been missing out. Families and couples flow through during our lunch break and order large dinner plates and laugh and carry on as if they were right at home. The patio which offers an amazing view of the... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – Western Illinois University-Macomb COVID-19 summer test clinics will be held from 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, through Thursday, Aug. 12, in the University Union Sandburg Lounge. Fall 2021 test clinic times and days will be announced prior to the start of the fall semester, which is set to begin Monday, Aug. 23. WIU-Macomb faculty, staff and students will have the SHIELD Illinois fast-turnaround saliva-based COVID-19 tests created by the University of Illinois available. The SHIELD test requires individuals to deposit a small amount of saliva in a vial,... Read More

BREAKING NEWS: Illinois will reopen tomorrow after over a year in various stages of covid lockdown! Governor JB Pritzker announced earlier this week that the metrics had been met to put Illinois into Phase 5, which is the least restrictive of all the mitigation phases for the pandemic. So what does that mean for you? How will your life change, for the better, with fewer restrictions? And what restrictions, if any, still remain? According to the Illinois Department of Health, under Phase 5 (the new phase), fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask except where required... Read More

After its first ride in 1978, the ride known affectionately as “TOMRV” (pronounced tom-rahvv) returns this weekend.  TOMRV stands for Tour of the Mississippi River Valley.  Hosted by the Quad Cities Bicycle Club, it has grown in ridership over the years.  In 2019, most of the 950 riders were from Iowa and Illinois, although 15 other states were represented.  It was cancelled in 2020.  This year 500 people have registered so far. TOMRV is a two-day cycling adventure on scenic paved roads, through rolling Midwest farmland, quaint little towns, and along the big, beautiful Mississippi River. ... Read More

Each year in the United States, more than 600 deaths are attributed to excessive natural heat.  Many of the deaths are preventable. Genesis Medical Center emergency physician David Dierks, D.O., offers these tips to avoid being a victim of the heat: Stay out of the heat when possible. The young and old are particularly vulnerable. People with other chronic conditions, for example, heart disease, mental health conditions, asthma and high blood pressure are also at higher risk for heat illnesses. Make certain you don’t leave small children or pets in a vehicle.  Temperatures can rise quickly... Read More

UnityPoint Health – Trinity and Encompass Health are partnering to build a new Quad Cities Rehabilitation Institute, which will be at the intersection of 52nd Avenue and 7th Street in Moline. The specialty hospital expects to begin serving patients in the summer of 2022. On Monday, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the future home of the facility. Speakers included Robert J. Erickson, UnityPoint Health – Trinity President & CEO; Albert Park, UnityPoint Health – Trinity Medical Director for Inpatient Rehabilitation Services; U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos; Troy DeDecker, President of Encompass... Read More

BREAKING NEWS: At long last, after the pandemic has kept the state under lockdown for most of the past year-plus, Illinois is looking to reopen (mostly) on Friday. “After a tremendously challenging year, Illinois has now reached a defining moment in our efforts to defeat COVID-19,” Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said. “Thanks to the hard work of residents across the state, Illinois will soon resume life as we knew it before – returning to events, gatherings, and a fully reopened economy, with some of the safety guidelines we’ve adopted still in place.” According to the Illinois Department... Read More

Genesis Health System has repeated on the IBM Watson Health 15 Top Health Systems list. No other Iowa health system has made the list even once. Of course, it’s nice to be recognized as one of the top health systems in the U.S. We’re extremely proud of Genesis medical staff and all of our 5,000 employees for the contributions they make to the region’s health on a daily basis. But more important than our personal satisfaction is our confidence the recognition will be meaningful to Genesis patients. The recognition makes a difference. Here is what IBM Watson Health data demonstrates about the... Read More

The Milan Camden Centre mass vaccination site will be open through Saturday, May 29. Starting the week of June 1, the health department will have twice-weekly vaccination clinics. Tuesday is for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson (18 and older) vaccine and Friday is for Pfizer (12 and older.) Hours are 9 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m. both days and by appointment other weekdays. If those times don’t fit in your schedule, find your shot at vaccines.gov. #vaccinateqc #vaxupIL  Read More