A boisterous political battle over a proposed expansion by the largest and most expensive hospital system in Massachusetts is spotlighting questions about whether similar expansions by big health systems around the country drive up health care costs.

WORCESTER, Mass. - Through much of December and into January, a surge in COVID-19 cases overwhelmed Massachusetts. Since then, many are questioning the need for a fourth booster shot.

Dr. Robert Klugman, Medical Director of Employee Health Services at UMass Memorial Medical Center, said at this point there is no clear evidence of a fourth shot is beneficial. 

WORCESTER, Mass. - Between now and the end of the month, UMass Memorial Health and the Worcester Red Sox are partnering on a social media campaign to ask for support for hospital caregivers.

UMass Memorial and the WooSox are asking people on social media to use the hashtags #ShareASmile and #UMassMemorialStrength along with a photo or story about UMass caregivers.

WORCESTER — Lines for COVID-19 testing at the Mercantile Center have shrunk considerably from the hours-long waits that residents dealt with at the beginning of the month. 

UMass Memorial Health, which operates the testing site, has recorded a week-over-week decrease in people seeking PCR tests at the facility. According to numbers provided by the health system, 1,986 tests were conducted over three days at the Mercantile Center over three testing days, while 3,197 tests were conducted two weeks ago over three testing days. 

Federal officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated mask guidance this week to suggest Americans choose N95 or KN95s if possible, as respirators better stem the spread of SARS-CoV-2 spread this winter.

Experts have previously confirmed that Omicron spreads at a faster, more effective rate compared to earlier virus variants, and respirators like the N95 provide those in public a boost in subsequent filtration abilities if worn correctly.

As the coronavirus sickens hundreds of health care workers across Massachusetts, some hospitals are in the dark about how many more National Guard members, if any, they should expect to receive in the coming days.

WORCESTER -  Over a dozen beds fill the room at the American Red Cross blood donation center on Plantation Street. During a 45-minute visit on Wednesday afternoon, only one of them was occupied. 

“Donations are down over half nationwide,” Jeff Hall, a spokesperson for the American Red Cross of Massachusetts, said at the door. He explained that the organization likes to keep a 3-day supply of blood; he said the state currently has just over a 1-day supply.

Six in 10 Americans have a chronic disease, and 4 in 10 have received a diagnosis of 2 or more chronic diseases.¹ Millions of Americans live with and manage cancer; diabetes; epilepsy; Alzheimer disease; heart, lung, and kidney disease; rheumatoid arthritis; and other conditions. Many participate in ongoing medication therapy, prescribed regimens, and regular medical support.

The American Red Cross has declared its first-ever national blood crisis in the U.S., warning the public about the worst shortage in over a decade.

The nonprofit said in a statement this week that U.S. blood centers in recent weeks have reported "less than a one-day’s supply of blood of certain critical blood types—a dangerously low level." It noted a decline in donor turnout since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to blood drive cancellations, staffing challenges and donor eligibility misinformation.