You probably won’t get a serious case, but Delta is a much different foe, doctors say.

Lewisburg Middle School in DeSoto County will transition to virtual learning Thursday, Aug. 26, after a recommendation from the Mississippi State Department of Health.

This virtual school discussion comes as the Delta variant’s rise led to the latest COVID-19 surge throughout Shelby County with pediatric cases increasing compared to previous surges in the pandemic.

The university faced a $55 million shortfall last year; it now expects to be $75 million to $80 million to the good.

Rudd says the COVID vaccine should be added to the list that the state requires on all college campuses.

There are 8,742 active cases reported in Shelby County.

Collierville Schools Board Chairman Wright Cox asked residents Tuesday, Aug. 24, to remember their choices impact everyone.

The most recent data available is from Aug. 13-19, the second week of school.

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Westwood High COVID-related death identified

By getting the vaccine, you are protecting not only yourself but your family, co-workers and the entire community. You are also helping to ensure that our health care facilities retain the capacity to care for patients who are seriously ill with other disorders.

Houston Middle is seeing the largest number of parents opting out of the Shelby County Health Department mask mandate — with 22% of 834 HMS students receiving parental permission to not mask.

Germantown Municipal School District will not fire the educator following its investigation regarding her social media post.

It is offering two hours of administrative leave, per dose, for faculty and staff not yet vaccinated.

A youth who died at Le Bonheur over the weekend has been identified as 16-year-old Westwood High student Azorean Tatum.

If you want to eat at RP Tracks, starting this week, you have to show your vaccination card or negative COVID test. The first day of the new practice went smoothly for the University area restaurant. 

Last week, president M. David Rudd said he would pursue making shots necessary as soon as FDA lifted emergency-use approval.

Parents are expressing growing concerns about the safety of their children in schools. They want an option to send children back to school virtually.

The Shelby County Commission asked Gov. Bill Lee to rescind his executive order allowing parents to opt-out of school mask mandates. It also passed resolutions supporting a countywide mask mandate and spending funds on masks for all county public school systems.

“The Delta variant has hit children harder than any of the other variants since the start of the pandemic,” said Dr. Barry Gilmore, chief medical officer.

Out of the 1,826 COVID-19 deaths reported by the Shelby County Health Department since the coronavirus pandemic began, 10 were among vaccinated individuals. 

Danton Barto, the all-time leading tackler in Memphis football history, has died of COVID-19. Before he died, he asked his wife to get vaccinated. The best way for Tigers fans to honor him would be to roll up their sleeves for No. 59. 

The vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech now carries the strongest endorsement from the Food and Drug Administration, which has never before had so much evidence to judge a shot’s safety.

Former Memphis linebacker Danton Barto, 50, has died from COVID-19.

The 1918 influenza pandemic killed tens of millions worldwide, but 30 to 40 years later, it had evolved into a much less serious disease. COVID-19 will likely follow a similar path — never going away, but becoming less deadly over time.

Travel nurses filling the gaps make two to three times more an hour than staff RNs; it rankles, nurses say. But there are other reasons, including appreciation, exacerbating the nursing shortage.