MACOMB/MOLINE, IL — COVID-19 surveillance testing is underway at Western Illinois University and will continue as the semester progresses. Additional open appointment times may be added periodically for those who would like to be tested,but have not been selected as part of the surveillance test population. In addition, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has added select dates for free test clinics on the WIU-Macomb campus (see below). Each week, approximately 700 students, faculty and staff* will receive an email encouraging them to get a free COVID test provided by Beu Health... Read More

During the COVID-19 pandemic, creative, intelligent people are being asked to find new ways to meet unexpected challenges. That was the case when West High School teachers Greg Smith and Jason Franzenburg received a request from TJ Schneckloth, Superintendent of Davenport Community School District, back in June 2020. At that time, Schneckloth needed a reliable source of face shields for District employees. Smith and Franzenburg, industrial technology instructors, teach Project Lead the Way Engineering and Career and Technical Education. “TJ was looking for an efficient, creative way to take care... Read More

A Davenport barbershop will have a permanent health station installed that will provide access to health information, resources, and education, and be the site of health screenings and in-person provider education. The health station, part of the “Medicine in the Barbershop” partnership between UnityPoint Health – Trinity and 4 Sher Cut & Style, is partially funded through a grant from the University of Iowa College of Public Health, Business Leadership Network Community Grant program. It will help advance health and wellness for African-American men while offering a health access point... Read More

By Craig Cooper The coronavirus sweeping across the globe may seem to be unlike anything most have experienced. But if you are 60 years old or older, mass COVID-19 vaccination efforts may seem vaguely familiar. You may remember another frightening and uncontrolled viral outbreak. We have been down this path before. There was danger in the water for parents and their children 60 years ago. The warm months of summer were polio season. Exposure to waters polluted by human fecal matter and ingested by others could be life altering and possibly deadly. Polio outbreaks were striking American children,... Read More

Teams were on the court of TaxSlayer Center warming up for the opening game of the 2020 Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Championship basketball tournament last March 12. Within hours, our world changed. The following hours and days were globally historic. The balls stopped bouncing in the TaxSlayer Center because of a virus the world was only beginning to comprehend. Change and disruption continued in blurred days to follow. Scott Mullen, executive director of the TaxSlayer Center, said the arena was ready to host the Missouri Valley Women’s Championship a year ago when the virus rapidly... Read More

Everyone needs help sometimes. Join us on Wednesday, February 24th at 1:00 pm on Zoom and learn about resources that are available to you and how to find reliable information and treatment options. Your Life Iowa. a division of the Iowa Department of Public Health has information on alcohol, drug use, vaping, e-cigarettes, mental health, suicide, and gambling problems. Registration is required to receive Zoom meeting details. Register here: http://bit.ly/dpl-yourlifeiowa Keep up with our virtual programming on our Virtual Branch Calendar of Events at https://davenportlibrary.libcal.com/calendar/virtual. This... Read More

The Quad City International Airport is getting a $2.8 million boost from the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program. The program, funded under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020 (CRRSA), awarded $2 billion total to U.S. airports. This funding will continue to offset lost revenue and provide operational and payroll support. The Q-C airport previously received $8 million from the CARES Act. “As a facility that supports nearly 500 jobs, nearly 100 of which are employed directly by the Metropolitan Airport Authority,... Read More

Heart Health is always important, and Davenport Public Library is helping Quad-Citians learn more about it during Heart Health Month. Did you know heart disease is the #1 killer of Americans? Join us Thursday, February 18th at 6:30 pm on Zoom for our February Heart Month program, “Learn the Numbers: Signs of Heart Attack and Effects of COVID on the Heart.” Presented by Dr. Rafat Padaria, Cardiologist with Cardiovascular Medicine, P.C. Registration is required to receive Zoom meeting details. Register here: https://bit.ly/dpl-learnthenumbers Keep up with our virtual programming on our... Read More

The first step to be fully prepared for an outstanding sports season isn’t taken in a gym, on a track, or on a field of play. Before the first sports workout, young athletes will need a sports participation exam to assess ability to compete safely. Parents and their athletes are asked to schedule their required school/sports participation exam with their Genesis provider. For those without a primary care provider (PCP), call 421-DOCS (3627) or visit the Genesis Sports Medicine Walk-In Clinic or a Genesis Convenient Care location. Genesis recommends all parents establish a primary care provider... Read More

Nearly 4,000 Roku Streaming Sticks were donated to frontline health care workers at Unity Point and Genesis Health centers on Thursday, February 4. Despite blizzard-like conditions and freezing temperatures, Group O employees loaded up the devices at the company’s Milan warehouse and delivered them to Unity Point Health-Trinity Health Foundation in Rock Island and Genesis Medical Center – East Campus in Davenport to show appreciation for months of hard work during the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic. Both organizations will manage the distribution of the devices to their various locations. “Group... Read More