It’s season’s endings for “Word” as we close out 2021. What do a former hotshot from Arizona, a Valley poet with a new collection about addiction as well as a planetary scientist and writer from Tucson have in common? They’re part of “Word.” It’s a podcast about literature in Arizona and the region.

State health officials are seeking federal help for 14 Arizona hospitals dealing with the pandemic. The Federal Emergency Management Agency says it has been asked to provide staff to administer monoclonal antibodies at seven of the hospitals.

Hospitalizations are reaching the highest marks they’ve ever been during the pandemic as case numbers and deaths continue to climb. Dr. Ross Goldberg is the vice chair of surgery at Valleywise Hospital. The Show spoke with him to learn what he’s seeing as things unfortunately continue to get worse.

The Maricopa County Health Department is a couple weeks into a pilot program in a Phoenix school district. The goal is to see if unvaccinated kids exposed to COVID-19 can remain in school, following certain protocols.
→ Get the latest news on COVID-19 in Arizona

COVID-19 cases on the Navajo Nation appear to be plateauing after rising throughout November. But the rate of virus spread on the reservation is still high.

Over the course of 2021, the KJZZ News a wide range of stories. As 2022 approaches, here's a look back at the five most-viewed stories on KJZZ.org.

Starting Wednesday, booster shots became available in neighboring Sonora, Mexico. The so-called vaccine reinforcement campaign started in the capital Hermosillo.

A Republican state senator wants to make sure Arizona pharmacists don’t get between COVID-19 patients and ivermectin, an anti-parasitic drug the FDA warns can be “highly dangerous” and has not been approved for treating the virus.

The Arizona Department of Health Services reported more than 6,000 new COVID-19 cases today, more than the total on this day last year. 6,043 new cases were added to the state health department’s COVID-19 dashboard.