Stephanie Colombini
ReporterI cover health care for WUSF and the statewide journalism collaborative Health News Florida. I’m passionate about highlighting community efforts to improve the quality of care in our state and make it more accessible to all Floridians. I’m also committed to holding those in power accountable when they fail to prioritize the health needs of the people they serve.
Since March 2020, I’ve covered all things COVID-19 and continue to work hard to ensure you have fact-based information to keep yourself and your loved ones safe. I’ve focused on amplifying the voices of people in our community affected by the pandemic, including doctors on the front lines, teachers juggling hybrid learning and residents who have survived the illness.
You can also hear me on WUSF as a fill-in news anchor and midday host on Sundays.
I joined the news team in 2016 and started out producing our weekly public affairs show Florida Matters. I went on to cover military and veterans affairs for the national reporting collaborative the American Homefront Project and continue to report on these topics through a health care lens.
I got my start in radio at WFUV while attending Fordham University in the Bronx. I also covered tri-state area news as a reporter for WCBS Newsradio 880. Some fun highlights include reporting from the field at Yankee Stadium and doing live coverage of the ball drop in Times Square on New Year’s Eve.
I’m forever a New Yorker, but have loved calling Tampa home these past five years. You might see me around town rocking out to live music, enjoying our delicious craft beer scene or paddling out on the water in my kayak. Shoutout to my two fur babies, Frank and Hazel.
Contact Stephanie at 813-974-8705, on Twitter @Steph_Colombini, or by email at scolombini@wusf.org.
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As we enter the third year of the pandemic, Health News Florida reporters Stephanie Colombini and Verónica Zaragovia sat down to discuss COVID fatigue and what to expect in the coming year. -
A bill being considered by legislators would cut the required time that a nurse or certified nursing assistant spends with a patient in a long-term care facility from 3.6 hours to one hour. It would also permit nonmedical staff to replace CNAs for 2.5 hours every day.
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Thousands of kids in Florida are testing positive for the coronavirus. Doctors say hospitals are seeing about as many patients as they did during the delta surge.
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Florida Hospital Association president Mary Mayhew says staff having to isolate due to the virus and workers taking lucrative travel jobs are posing challenges for hospitals amid the omicron surge.
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DeSantis wants more monoclonal antibodies as COVID-19 cases surge. Some may not work against omicronThe monoclonal antibody treatment that does appear to be effective against the omicron variant is in short supply, so many patients aren't able to access it.
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The new Lakeland clinic could help reduce wait times and how far veterans in Polk County have to travel for care.
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USF Health expert Jason Salemi says omicron seems to be less deadly than delta, but cautions Floridians should still take the surge in cases seriously.
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Officials say the site will test everyone in need, but are asking people who received booster shots and don't have symptoms to hold off on coming to the site to ensure there are enough tests for those who are sick.
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Moffitt Cancer Center helped study the imaging drug, which the FDA recently approved. It draws attention to hard-to-spot tumors during surgery.
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Researchers say the round-the-clock nature of storm reporting and increased exposure from phones and social media can fuel stress.
