Parents struggling to find baby formula could soon find some relief. Abbott Nutrition is one of the largest formula manufacturers in the United States. Abbott had shut down its facility in Michigan in February after several babies became ill after drinking formula and two of them died of bacterial infections. Now, it is reopening one of its closed factories and increasing production of baby formula. Abbott said in a written statement that production could restart within two weeks after FDA approval. It would take another six to eight weeks before formula from the plant would be available on store shelves.
Florida families who are desperate to find baby formula during this shortage are turning to the state’s donor milk bank for help. WJCT reports that The Mother’s Milk Bank of Florida is seeing a spike in demand from about a dozen calls a week to a dozen calls a day. They’ve also seen a dramatic increase in women offering their extra milk. About 92% of the supply goes to meet the needs of babies in hospitals — but anything beyond that can help moms in need during this crisis. If you’re looking for help or want to make a donation, you can visit “milk-bank-of-florida-dot-org.”
You can now order a free COVID-19 test from the federal government by visiting COVIDtests.gov. The Postal Service will deliver eight free rapid antigen tests to any household in the country that wants them. The highly transmissible sub variants of Omicron have driven a rise in cases in some parts of the country. Nationally, COVID cases have risen more than 60% in the past two weeks. According to the White House, free and accessible tests will help slow the spread of the virus.
The Florida Department of Health in Lee County will be administering Tdap immunizations at various locations for the start of the new school year. The Department of Health is encouraging parents of kindergartners, 7th graders, out-of-state, transfer, and college students to make sure their children’s immunizations are up to date. All students have to receive the Tdap booster before entering 7th grade. Vaccines are free of charge for children. The Department of Health is accepting appointments for all back-to-school immunizations at the Michigan Avenue office Monday-Friday or during the organization’s Saturday clinics. You can find more information at lee.floridahealth.gov.
Support for the WGCU News En Español is provided by Rev. Gary and Christine La Croix, and the Scripps Howard Foundation.