Health - Chattanooga Times Free Press

West Coast states issue joint vaccine recommendations ahead of CDC advisers meeting

Four Democratic-led Western states announced joint recommendations Wednesday about who should be vaccinated for seasonal respiratory viruses, including the flu and COVID-19.

By GENE JOHNSON / Associated Press September 18, 2025

Clinic support supervisor May Fengmei Lin, CMA, displays a syringe of the Fluarix flu vaccine at International Community Health Services, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

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Hamilton County school-based mental health services up for vote again

For the past four years, Kerry Alonge's son, Shawn, has met once a week with a counselor from private mental health care provider Centerstone to talk about his problems and things that would agitate him at school.

By Shannon Coan September 17, 2025

Staff photo by Shannon Coan / The Hamilton County school board is seen June 20, 2024. The board Sept. 18, 2025, will discuss forming a new agreement with a mental health center to provide school-based services after the board voted to not renew the contract in August.

Fired CDC chief Susan Monarez warns senators that RFK Jr. is endangering public health

The U.S. public health system is headed to a "very dangerous place" with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his team of anti-vaccine advisers in charge, fired Centers for Disease Control and Prevention chief Susan Monarez warned senators on Wednesday.

By AMANDA SEITZ and MARY CLARE JALONICK / Associated Press September 17, 2025

Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez testifies before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing to examine reviewing recent events at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and implications for children's health on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Ask a Doctor: Strength training can help prevent osteoporosis

Q: I'm in perimenopause and keep hearing that strength training can help prevent osteoporosis. Is that really true?

By Dr. Bradford Mitchell September 15, 2025

Schumer warns of a shutdown if Republicans don’t accept Democrats’ health care demands

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer is willing to risk a government shutdown at the end of the month if Republicans don't accept Democratic demands on health care.

By MARY CLARE JALONICK / Associated Press September 13, 2025

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, left, and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, both of New York, tell reporters that they are united as the Sept. 30 funding deadline approaches, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

RFK Jr.’s latest ‘Make America Healthy Again’ report calls for more scrutiny of vaccines and autism

The Trump administration directed the nation's public health and environmental agencies to prioritize investigations into vaccine injuries, prescription drug use and autism's causes in its latest "Make America Healthy Again" report released Tuesday.

By AMANDA SEITZ / Associated Press September 10, 2025

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., appears before the Senate Finance Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Water-contaminated sugar, onions on the floor: Chattanooga area restaurant inspection reports for week ending Sept. 9, 2025

The Hamilton County, Catoosa County and Walker County health departments inspect food service establishments twice a year, grading them on a 100-point scale.

By Sam Still September 9, 2025