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TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa is celebrating its annual “813 Day” on February 13th, with a city-wide array of events and specials recognizing the area code synonymous with the city. From fitness events to pet adoptions and live music, residents and visitors have numerous opportunities to participate in the festivities.
hyde park Village is a central hub for the celebrations, beginning with a complimentary community workout led by Barry’s and [solidcore] at 9 a.m., accompanied by donuts from The Salty Donut, located at 365 Bayshore Blvd.
The Humane Society of Tampa Bay will host a pet adoption event from 10 a.m. to noon during Storytime in the Snow Circle, offering potential pet owners a chance to find a new companion. The Humane Society is located at 3607 Armenia Ave.
Later in the day, the Bayshore Breakfast Club will organize a sunset walk and social for $20, with proceeds benefiting the Children’s Dream Fund. Concurrently, a school supply drive at the Capital One Cafรฉ will collect donations for the Hillsborough Education foundation. Throughout the day, shoppers can enjoy live music, in-store discounts, and unexpected pop-up experiences.
For a complete schedule of events at Hyde Park Village, click here.
Beyond Hyde Park Village, 813 Day specials are available across Tampa. These include discounted admission to the Tampa Museum of Art, located at 120 Gasparilla Plaza, and special lagoon entry deals at Epperson, Mirada, and Southshore Bay – all part of the Crystal Lagoon network.
READ: Do you know the history of the 813 area code?
The History of 813
Rodney Kite-Powell, Director of the Touchton Map Library at the Tampa Bay History center, explains the significance of the 813 area code. “813 didn’t come around until 1950, when the area code for the entire state was 305, and that was established in 1947. But there were so many people moving to Florida, thay had to have a second area code – imagine that – and that second area code was set in on the west coast of Florida, and that is 813.”
COVID-19 Cases surge in Florida Driven by Nimbus adn Stratus Variants
Table of Contents
Hillsborough County –
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is closely monitoring a significant summer uptick in COVID-19 cases nationwide, with Florida experiencing some of the most pronounced increases. In Hillsborough County, the trend is starkly reflected in healthcare data, where emergency room visits, urgent care visits, and wastewater surveillance have reportedly tripled in recent weeks, according to Dr. Steven Goldberg, Chief medical Officer of HealthTrackRx and a clinician at the University of Louisville Health.
New Variants Fueling the Current Wave
The current surge is primarily attributed to two distinct COVID-19 variants: Nimbus and Stratus.
- Nimbus: This variant is now responsible for approximately 43% of cases across the United States. It has been associated with symptoms described as “razor blade throat” and other upper respiratory issues.
- Stratus: This variant presents with a broader range of symptoms, including fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, and gastrointestinal complaints.
Public Health Perspectives on Mitigation
amidst the rising case numbers, discussions around public health strategies continue. Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo has previously expressed skepticism regarding the necessity of COVID-19 boosters and has advocated for expanded federal research into potential vaccine-related injuries.
Conversely, Dr. Goldberg emphasizes the continued importance of vaccination as a protective measure, especially for vulnerable populations. He highlights its meaning for seniors, children with chronic health conditions, and individuals residing with high-risk adults.
Why This Matters: Preparing for Fall and Beyond
With the back-to-school season on the horizon and continued summer travel, health experts are urging the public not to let their guard down. Proactive measures such as consistent testing, isolating when feeling unwell, and considering updated booster vaccinations for at-risk groups are recommended as crucial steps to help curb the spread of the virus.
Florida Launches Free WeightWatchers Program for Residents in Select Counties
Tampa, FL – The Florida Department of Health is offering a complimentary one-year subscription too the WeightWatchers program for eligible residents in Leon, Hillsborough, and Palm Beach Counties. This initiative aims to combat chronic diseases associated with obesity and promote overall well-being by fostering long-lasting healthy habits.
Dr. Douglas Holt, director of the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County, emphasized that the program is designed for extensive wellness, extending beyond mere weight loss. “it will have effects such as reducing the risks of chronic diseases, but also improve the overall health of the individual,” Dr. Holt stated. He further elaborated that the program aims to prevent illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and certain cancers, while together empowering individuals to cultivate enduring healthy lifestyle choices.
WeightWatchers is a well-established weight-loss and wellness program that provides a structured framework and supportive resources to assist individuals in improving their health and managing their weight. The program assigns points to various foods based on their nutritional content, enabling participants to effectively monitor their caloric intake.
The WeightWatchers offering includes customized food plans, access to workshops, consultations with registered dietitians and coaches, and, for those who qualify, prescriptions for weight-loss medications. Residents participating in this pilot program will gain access to basic WeightWatchers components,including the dietary plan,self-monitoring tools,round-the-clock coaching,a collection of recipes,activity trackers,and personalized food plans.Eligibility for the free WeightWatchers subscription is extended to Florida residents aged 18 and older residing in Leon, Hillsborough, and Palm Beach Counties who have a Body Mass index (BMI) of 25 or greater. The comprehensive membership encompasses all program elements,such as individualized plans,community support,coaching,user-kind tracking tools,and continuous 24/7 assistance.The complimentary membership is valid for one year. Participants who wish to continue their WeightWatchers journey beyond the initial year will need to opt for paid continuation.Individuals who are already enrolled in a paid WeightWatchers membership can transfer their existing account to be covered under this Florida Department of Health plan by contacting 866-204-2885.For more information about this program, interested individuals can visit
TAMPA, Fla. – Researchers are looking to use artificial intelligence to detect when a baby is in pain.
The backstory:
A babyโs cry is enough to alert anyone that somethingโs wrong. But for some of the most critical babies in hospital care, they canโt cry when they are hurting.
READ: FDA approves first AI tool to predict breast cancer risk
“As a bedside nurse, it is very hard. You are trying to read from the signals from the baby,” said Marcia Kneusel, a clinical research nurse with TGH and USF Muma NICU.
With more than 20 years working in the neonatal intensive care unit, Kneusel said nurses read vital signs and rely on their experience to care for the infants.
“However, it really, it’s not as clearly defined as if you had a machine that could do that for you,” she said.
MORE: USF doctor enters final year of research to see if AI can detect vocal diseases
Big picture view:
Thatโs where a study by the University of South Florida comes in. USF is working with TGH to develop artificial intelligence to detect a babyโs pain in real-time.
“We’re going to have a camera system basically facing the infant. And the camera system will be able to look at the facial expression, body motion, and hear the crying sound, and also getting the vital signal,” said Yu Sun, a robotics and AI professor at USF.
Yu heads up research on USFโs AI study, and he said itโs part of a two-year $1.2 million National Institutes of Health grant.
He said the study will capture data by recording video of the babies before a procedure for a baseline. Video will record the babies for 72 hours after the procedure, then be loaded into a computer to create the AI program. It will help tell the computer how to use the same basic signals a nurse looks at to pinpoint pain.
READ: These states are spending the most on health insurance, study shows
“Then there’s alarm will be sent to the nurse, the nurse will come and check the situation, decide how to treat the pain,” said Sun.
What they’re saying:
Kneusel said thereโs been a lot of change over the years in the NICU world with how medical professionals handle infant pain.
“There was a time period we just gave lots of meds, and then we realized that that wasn’t a good thing. And so we switched to as many non-pharmacological agents as we could, but then, you know, our baby’s in pain. So, I’ve seen a lot of change,” said Kneusel.
Why you should care:
Nurses like Kneusel said the study could change their care for the better.
“I’ve been in this world for a long time, and these babies are dear to me. You really don’t want to see them in pain, and you don’t want to do anything that isn’t in their best interest,” said Kneusel.
MORE: California woman gets married after lifesaving surgery to remove 40-pound tumor
USF said there are 120 babies participating in the study, not just at TGH but also at Stanford University Hospital in California and Inova Hospital in Virginia.
What’s next:
Sun said the study is in the first phase of gathering the technological data and developing the AI model. The next phase will be clinical trials for real world testing in hospital settings, and it would be through a $4 million NIH grant, Sun said.
The Source: The information used in this story was gathered by FOX13โs Briona Arradondo from the University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital.