Northwestern Medicine

Northwestern Medicine’s Dr. Bob Manam is encouraging those 50 and older to seek a second COVID-19 booster shot amid the recent uptick in reported coronavirus cases and hospitalizations among older adults.

If you're planning to visit a Northwestern Medicine health facility or hospital in northern Illinois, here's what you should know, according to the health system's visitor policy recently updated:

Area blood banks are again asking for donations. “We’re always looking for any type, but O positive and O negative are the two that are historically in the more critical supply," said Amanda Haynes of Northwestern Medicine.

The formula shortage is “unprecedented,” a McHenry County Department of Health spokeswoman said. Some area stores are limiting how much customers can buy and some are reselling formula online for a profit.

First-time mother Hannah Boor of Cortland describes struggling to find baby formula for her 2-month-old daughter Iris as “one of the scariest things I have been through in my entire life.” Experts also weighed in on why parents shouldn't try to make their own.

Some area stores are limiting how much customers can buy and some are reselling formula online for a profit.

A breast milk dispensary opened May 11 at Family First Women & Children’s Healthcare in Sycamore, providing families with safe, pasteurized milk from donors to feed their babies. “There is definitely a need in the community,” said Karen Federici.

DeKalb County residents will soon have the opportunity to safely dispose of old or unwanted prescription or over-the-counter drugs from their homes.

Northwestern Medicine health system has begun a three-year process to address health priorities a public survey identified for DeKalb County, including access to care, resources for mental health and substance use disorders, and chronic disease.

The latest in a phased renovation of Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital’s emergency department opened Monday, offering a new entrance for ambulances and more patient trauma rooms, among other features.

Fielding job stress and pandemic burnout, some nurses like Taylor Zarris with Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital have turned to traveling positions to keep the love for the job alive, for a bump in pay and added flexibility in the workplace.

Face coverings will still be required in all clinical areas and when entering the Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Health and Wellness Center, but not required for vaccinated people within the fitness area.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Kristy Jones’ work as a bedside nurse typically involved patients who were relatively stable. Now, her floor assists patients in need of oxygen and care as they battle COVID-19.

Issues concerning Sycamore residents about potential lead exposure from their water hits home with Northwestern Medicine pediatrician Kristina Stibitz, from Flint, Michigan. She's sharing signs for parents to watch for if they're concerned about health side effects.

When Rochelle native Carlie Hamburg, 21, got married in September, she didn’t realize weeks later she’d be fighting COVID-19 at Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital in DeKalb. Hamburg was unvaccinated and says she "went through hell." She came home Friday, 121 days later.