COVID-19 is once again spreading quickly across the country, including the Tampa Bay area. If you think you’re sick or have been exposed to COVID-19, here is what you need to do to help protect yourself and others.

There are eventful pregnancies and then there’s the story of the birth of Ava Victoria Kudaisi. Her mother, Queshonda Kudaisi, already a mother of four, knew early on that this pregnancy would be different. For one thing, she was closing in on her Ph.D at the University of South Florida in Tampa as she maintained her full-time job as a math coach for the Polk County School Board. She was also continuing to build a nonprofit organization, Narrow Path Outreach Incorporated, aimed at making a positive impact in the lives of children and youth.

Just as the COVID-19 pandemic stabilizes in our region, a new variant called Omicron has emerged in the United States. If you have questions about Omicron, we provide the latest information and what you can expect.

The holiday season is here! That means festive gatherings and celebrations kick into high gear across the country. To help you celebrate the holiday season safely, BayCare's Chief Medical Officer Dr. Nishant Anand provides some ways you can minimize COVID-19 risks.

As COVID-19 continues to spread unpredictably in our communities, the Pfizer vaccine is now available under emergency use authorization for 28 million children ages 5 to 11 across the United States.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved under emergency use authorization (EUA) a single COVID-19 booster shot from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson for vaccinated individuals in certain populations.

With the waning of the most recent surge of COVID-19 infections in our community, all of BayCare’s 14 acute care hospitals have resumed non-urgent surgeries and are lifting some visitor restrictions. Starting Tuesday, Oct. 12, hospital patients will be allowed multiple visitors a day – but they must visit one-at-a-time to enable social distancing in patient’s rooms and inside the hospital facility.

BayCare Pediatric Service Line Medical Director Dr. Christina Canody provides answers to common questions about the flu and the importance of vaccination during a pandemic.

As our region's health care resources have been taxed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, BayCare is proud to announce the opening of a new patient tower at Mease Countryside Hospital that will improve health care delivery in Pinellas County.

Mark Metzger, a bodybuilder and gym owner, almost died of COVID. Read his story and his vaccination message.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, so does increased media coverage of “breakthrough” COVID-19 infections among vaccinated people. BayCare wants to help the community understand this phenomenon and how individuals can protect themselves.

I am CEO of BayCare, West Central Florida’s largest health care system. Like every major health care system in the country, we are on record encouraging everyone who is eligible to obtain the vaccine. It is safe and effective and it is saving lives.

BayCare will host its annual Employer Symposium on Sept. 30, bringing local employers together to focus on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. During the virtual event, attendees will discuss how they’re operating in the midst of COVID and the challenges they face in a pandemic environment.

As COVID-19’s Delta variant continues to spread across the country, pregnant women are at higher risk for severe illness from the virus. To help provide insight into COVID’s effect on pregnancy, here are some ways pregnant women can protect themselves and their unborn babies.

The COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer received full approval by the FDA. What does this new development mean for you? Here is everything you need to know about the Pfizer vaccine and its full approval. ​

For the second consecutive year, the surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations has led Triathlon organizers to make the difficult decision to cancel the race weekend. The race has been scheduled for April 30-May 1, 2022.

A treatment for mild to moderate COVID-19 cases that was approved in late 2020 is becoming increasingly available locally. But understanding some of the intricacies of the monoclonal antibody therapy, or REGN-COV2, is important.

As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc in the Tampa Bay area and across Florida, BayCare gives you the latest on hospitalization numbers, visitation information, treatments, testing, other options of care and more.

BayCare will pause elective surgeries and procedures at all of its hospitals in Pinellas, Pasco and Polk counties, regardless of whether they require an overnight stay, starting Saturday, Aug. 14. This will help reserve resources for the urgent and emergent needs of severely ill patients.

With a new school year underway in the midst of a rise in variants of COVID-19 that are more contagious, many families are now facing the question of how to keep their kids safe in the classroom. BayCare Pediatric Service Line Medical Director Dr. Christina Canody provides answers to common questions about COVID-19 and offers recommendations to help students, families and school staff stay healthy.

St. Anthony’s Hospital in St. Petersburg announced that starting Tuesday, Aug. 10, it will pause elective surgical procedures that require an overnight stay in order to reserve resources for the urgent and emergent needs of severely ill patients

To ensure that its hospitals can continue caring for those in our community with urgent health care needs, BayCare is pausing elective surgical procedures that require an overnight stay at most of its hospitals in Pinellas in Pasco counties.

In response to rising COVID-19 infections across West Central Florida, BayCare will tighten its temporary visitation rules at its 14 acute care hospitals to protect patients, team members, physicians, and the public. BayCare is also pausing all elective procedures at its six hospitals in Hillsborough County to ensure capacity for the community’s acute health care needs.

BayCare Health System is curtailing some elective procedures in its hospitals in Hillsborough and Polk counties due to a growing census in its hospitals. The change, for now, will only impact elective procedures that require an overnight stay in an inpatient bed.

Read answers to the most frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 Delta variant.

Been waiting to get a COVID-19 vaccine? You now have one more motivator to get the shot: The Delta variant. The new COVID variant is proving far more contagious than its predecessors, prompting a new wave of infections in Florida and nationwide.

The COVID-19 pandemic is finally turning a corner. COVID cases are dropping and demand for COVID-19 testing is diminishing. That’s why BayCare is ending its drive-thru test collection services after 15 months of providing access to COVID-19 testing at multiple locations throughout the Tampa Bay area.

Due to decreasing spread of COVID-19 in the community, BayCare hospitals are lifting visitation restrictions to allow patients to have more support from loved ones as they seek services.

More than 14 months after launching Tampa Bay’s first public access to COVID-19 testing, BayCare and partners this week closed drive-thru test collection sites in Pinellas and Pasco counties in response to dwindling demand and improved infection rates in the community.

In response to dwindling demand and improved infection rates in the community, BayCare and its Pasco County partners have agreed to close the drive-thru COVID-19 testing site at Gulf View Square Mall.

For Jennifer Plomatos, being a nurse is an honor and privilege. Her biggest passion is caring for patients and helping them live healthier lives.

COVID survivor Robert Sakoff of Northdale gifted his painting of a spring scene to St. Joseph's Hospital-North. He titled it a "Bridge to Recovery" with this inscription: "To staff on 4 West for saving my life.”

BayCare has paused administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in light of the April 13 guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.

With more people getting vaccinated, companies around the country are considering ways to reopen safely and begin to bring employees back into the office. If you are anxious about returning to work, Dr. Nishant Anand, chief medical officer at BayCare, provides tips on how to navigate work safely.

The good news for moving past the COVID-19 pandemic: More and more people are getting vaccinated. The bad news: Misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines continues to spread, fueling vaccine hesitancy.

At clinics like La Esperanza in Wimauma and San Jose Mission in Dover, BayCare has begun to vaccinate hundreds of people from communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

The story of the unprecedented challenges and opportunities the year 2020 brought to BayCare and its team members is told in stories, photos and videos in BayCare’s 2020 Report to the Community.

Several months after reducing visitor access to its hospitals in an effort to prohibit the spread of COVID-19, BayCare hospitals on Monday lifted the restriction limiting visitors to one visitor per patient per day.

As more COVID-19 vaccines become available, people are hoping to soon return to normalcy. BayCare medical experts say there is finally light at the end of the tunnel, but you need to continue to be vigilant and not let your guards down even if you’re vaccinated.

As COVID-19 vaccines become more accessible across the United States, people have questions about what they should and should not do when receiving the vaccine. To help provide some guidance, BayCare experts offer some helpful tips to keep in mind when getting vaccinated.

As nurse manager of 25 pulmonary unit beds at St. Joseph's Hospital, Jasmine Nicholas has been on the front lines of the fight against the new coronavirus for nearly a year. Now, she's on the jumbotron at a Major League Baseball game.

COVID-19 and seasonal influenza are caused by different viruses, which can make it challenging to differentiate between the two respiratory illnesses. To learn more about the viruses, BayCare provides information on symptoms, treatments, vaccines and how to distinguish between influenza and COVID.

Wayne Goff, a recovered COVID patient, thanks South Florida Baptist Hospital in a heartfelt and emotional message.

BayCare is here for growing families, no matter where they are in their pregnancy journey. Along with the mounting anticipation of welcoming a new baby into the world, parents-to-be are often anxious to know what to expect from their hospital stay.

BayCare will begin vaccinating medically vulnerable individuals 64 and under across West Central Florida this week in support of the Florida governor’s executive order. Due to the limited number of vaccines available, BayCare’s efforts will use a clinically-defined process to focus on individuals deemed most vulnerable to complications or death should they contract COVID-19.

After a year of taking care of COVID-19 patients in hospitals, medical offices and homes across West Central Florida, a lucky cadre of BayCare team members and providers will enjoy a welcome counterpoint this Sunday, Feb. 7: Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the St. Anthony’s Triathlon has decided to reschedule the weekend of events for the 38th annual race to fall, Oct. 1-3, 2021.

As COVID-19 vaccines continue to be distributed across the country, many people have questions about side effects and what they can expect after vaccinations. To help provide answers, BayCare offers helpful tips and signs to consider after patients receive the COVID vaccine.

While flu numbers have decreased this season due to COVID-19 safety measures, it’s still important to take precautions to protect yourself and your family from getting sick. That’s why Dr. Nathan Keith Waldrep provides helpful tips on how to keep flu, colds and viral infections at bay during this winter season.

BayCare plans to make service changes to drive-thru testing sites run in collaboration with government partners in Pinellas and Pasco counties to help accommodate current community needs for COVID testing and vaccinations

BayCare is pausing scheduling appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations due to lack of vaccine supplies. While vaccinations are still scheduled through next week, all existing inventory has been assigned to health care workers and providers from BayCare and the community or those 65 or older who have appointments in coming days.

Two weeks after receiving COVID-19 vaccines and inoculating thousands of frontline health care workers across West Central Florida, BayCare Health System has launched a process in support of Florida’s guidelines that prioritize vaccines for those 65 years of age and older.

BayCare is committed to serving our community as we continue to face the COVID-19 pandemic. We are working daily with government and health care partners serving West Central Florida to devise vaccination plans that will have maximum impact. However, at this time, BayCare is not scheduling vaccination appointments for the general public.

Tampa International Airport and BayCare Health System today announced the expansion of the airport's COVID-19 Passenger Testing Program into 2021 after the success of its first three months of operation.

Keep safe in the new year using lessons learned battling COVID-19 in 2020.

BayCare began vaccinating frontline staff with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine early this morning. This second vaccine enhances efforts that began last week to ensure that the health care system’s team members most at-risk for exposure get the protection they need.

As COVID-19 continues to spread, newly developed vaccines show promise as new tools in the fight against the pandemic. While information on COVID vaccines continues to develop, BayCare provides some answers about common vaccination questions and what you can expect.

BayCare, the largest health system in West Central Florida, today began vaccinating its frontline team members and providers considered most at-risk for exposure to COVID-19.

With COVID-19 still affecting many in the Tampa Bay area, BayCare received a grant from TD Charitable Foundation to help people in need looking to receive access to COVID-19 care.

Kimberly Demers received the award for the support she provided to Kathy Lowe, an ER nurse who was deployed in the National Guard and Reserve during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The holiday season can be a time filled with festivities and joyous celebrations for many. But, as COVID-19 continues to spread quickly, holiday events may look different this year. Health experts like Dr. Nishant Anand, BayCare’s chief medical officer, recommend modifying this year’s celebrations to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

For some, preparing for the upcoming holidays and moving on to 2021 cannot come fast enough. For others, just the thought of the holidays in 2020 stirs up a sense of fear and dread.

The dreaded call comes. Someone you’ve been in contact with in recent days -- or someone your coworker, friend, spouse, child, has been in contact with in recent days -- has received a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. Do you need to quarantine to protect your friends and family?

St. Joseph’s Hospital was named as one of the nation’s top performing cardiovascular hospitals in an annual study.

Starting Monday, Nov. 16, nine of BayCare’s Urgent Care centers will offer an effective and reliable rapid test that can detect both COVID-19 and the flu. The test is available to asymptomatic people wishing to confirm they are negative for both viruses before traveling or visiting loved ones during the holiday season.

When COVID-19 rocked the nation in March, the Morton Plant Mease Certified Diabetes Educators felt a sense of urgency. After all, their patients were deemed in a high-risk group. Now more than ever, they needed to be able to communicate with them.

In an effort to help mitigate the seasonal flu amid the coronavirus pandemic, BayCare is partnering with the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) to expand access to flu vaccinations. Starting Wednesday, Nov. 4, a limited number of free flu vaccines will be available to the public each day at two of BayCare’s COVID-19 drive-thru testing sites.

The Child Life team organized a day of fun-filled activities for hospitalized children.

Tampa International Airport and BayCare Health System today announced the expansion of the airport’s COVID-19 passenger testing program through the end of the year after a successful October pilot. The COVID-19 testing site is located in the airport’s Main Terminal, near the entrance to Airside F.

BayCare announced visitation hours at its 14 acute care hospitals will expand to 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. daily starting Wednesday, Oct. 21. The earlier start is in advance of the time change on Nov. 1, so visitors who wish to travel home before dark will still have extended time to visit.

Dr. Firas S. Almahasneh, affiliated with St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa, has joined BayCare Medical Group Cardiology at 4612 N. Habana Ave., Tampa. He is board certified in internal medicine, cardiology, interventional cardiology, endovascular medicine, vascular medicine, vascular interpretations, echocardiography and nuclear cardiology. He is accepting new patients age 18 and older.

Rishay Nathoo was headed to New Jersey for a family wedding, but changed his plans after testing positive for COVID-19 on the first day of a testing pilot at Tampa International Airport (TPA) run by BayCare.

An innovative new health care offering from BayCare, BayCare@Home™, will allow patients to receive safe and effective hospital-level care in the comfort of their own homes. The program is the first by a health system in West Central Florida.

Like most holidays that have occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, Halloween will look different this year. But with appropriate precautions and a little creativity, you can still make it a night of spooky fun for your little ghouls and goblins.

Traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic can be challenging. But taking proper precautions can help keep you and your family safe. BayCare's CMO Dr. Nishant Anand provides some helpful tips to stay safe while traveling.

BayCare Health System in partnership with Tampa International Airport announced the launch of the country's first airport testing pilot that will offer two types of FDA-approved COVID-19 tests for all departing and arriving passengers.

For a person who is sleep deprived, a long drive to a sleep center for in-lab testing or pickup of a home test might not make sense. The Mease Countryside Sleep Disorders Center now offers another option: home delivery.

After expediting the early opening of some patient rooms to serve an influx of COVID-19 patients in July, St. Joseph’s Hospital opened the front door of its $126 million dollar expansion.

BayCare announced that it will resume limited visitation at its hospitals starting Wednesday (Sept. 9), allowing most inpatients to have one visitor a day from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

As the COVID-19 pandemic enters its sixth month in West Central Florida, Seema Verma, administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and a member of the White House COVID-19 Task Force, visited BayCare Health System headquarters on Sept. 3 to meet with local health care and long-term care providers, patient advocates and government officials.

BayCare Health System, the leading organization dedicated to providing high quality and compassionate care to patients in West Central Florida, has been named one of the top companies in the United States by Great Place to Work and PEOPLE for supporting team members and the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At a time when individuals’ mental wellness may be under stress more than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic, BayCare Behavioral Health practitioners have found a safe way to keep serving their patients even when they don’t see them in person.

BayCare’s back-to-school resource hub offers parents and caregivers information to help get kids back to learning safely.

BayCare is proud to support a new COVID-19 drive-thru testing site in Pinellas County to open Monday, Aug. 10, at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater. Hours of operation will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.

To ensure hospital beds remain available to serve the community during the pandemic, Hillsborough County has created a new alternative care site for patients who are recovering from a COVID-19 hospital stay.

BayCare Health System announced Tuesday that starting on Monday, Aug. 10, it will resume all non-urgent surgeries and procedures at its six acute care hospitals in Hillsborough County.

BayCare Health System announced service changes Thursday to drive-thru test collection sites to align resources with community need and further collaborate with government partners.

BayCare Health System announced Wednesday that starting on Monday, Aug. 3, it will resume all non-urgent surgeries and procedures at its acute care hospitals in Pinellas, Polk and Pasco counties.

Regular exercise helps improve health and wellness but working out at a gym during a pandemic can be daunting. To help gymgoers feel at ease, BayCare Fitness Centers is taking extra safety and cleaning precautions throughout its facilities.

As COVID-19 continues to spread across the Tampa Bay area, the need for testing remains at an all-time high. But not all tests are the same. Different manufacturers and laboratories have different chemical recipes and technology platforms for test processing.

To help enhance the region’s resources to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, BayCare has expedited the opening of a new patient tower at St. Joseph’s Hospital, providing more capacity to serve patients.

Whether you are planning to start a family, currently pregnant or adjusting to being a new mom, BayCare is here for you every step of the way. From the comfort of your own home, you can access a variety of podcasts and online maternity resources to help you and your growing family amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an unexpected consequence for Ruskin resident Patti Greene. It may have helped to save her life.

With demand for COVID-19 testing continuing to grow, Polk County government and BayCare are coming together to establish a drive-thru test collection site at the Gil Jones Center, 3425 Lake Alfred Road, Winter Haven.

Florida’s first mobile field hospital has been deployed to Winter Haven Hospital to provide additional resources to help our community’s fight against COVID-19. The mobile unit, which has a 15-bed capacity, has been situated next to the new wing of the hospital, with easy access to the hospital facility.

BayCare Health System announced Monday it will begin reducing the number of non-urgent surgeries performed at its hospitals in Hillsborough and Polk counties due to the rising number of severely-ill COVID-19 patients.

In the interest of public health, BayCare Health System announced today it will begin reducing the number of non-urgent surgeries performed in Morton Plant North Bay, its Pasco County hospital, to ensure there is capacity for a growing number of severely-ill COVID-19 patients.

In the interest of public health, BayCare Health System announced Friday it will begin reducing the number of non-urgent surgeries performed in its Pinellas County hospitals to ensure there is capacity for a growing number of severely-ill COVID-19 patients.

With so many city fireworks displays being cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, families may turn to using personal fireworks to light up the night on the Fourth of July. But St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital reminds everyone to use caution during these socially distant Independence Day festivities.

The health and well-being of our athletes and volunteers are of the utmost importance to the St. Anthony’s Triathlon. Because of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, the weekend of Triathlon events will be cancelled this year.

With demand for COVID-19 testing continuing to grow, government and health care partners are coming together to establish a drive-thru test collection site at Tropicana Field in downtown St. Petersburg. Service for the public will begin on Monday, June 29.

Having cabin fever? Or feeling anxious about returning to any outside routine? After months of limiting movement, individuals are having dramatically different responses to the re-opening of businesses and other activities in West Central Florida.

Tom Garthwaite is the new president of St. Joseph's Hospital-North in Lutz. Previously, he served as operations director at St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa since 2014.

BayCare Health System is moving the location of its COVID-19 drive-thru test collection site in Pinellas County after growing demand led to disruptions for neighboring businesses.

To protect the health and well-being of the community, BayCare is helping local businesses reopen safely amid the COVID-19 pandemic. BayCare, which operates 15 hospitals and hundreds of other health care locations in Tampa Bay and central Florida, is providing businesses with consultants doing on-site safe-work assessments, return to work evaluations for employees, COVID testing and antibody testing.