Racquel Stephen
Health/environment reporterRacquel Stephen is WXXI's health reporter. She joined the newsroom in 2021.
Racquel’s multifaceted radio background includes reporting for WAER in Syracuse and as a host for WLGZ-HD2 in Rochester.
Racquel holds a bachelor's degree in English literature from the University of Rochester and a master's degree in broadcasting and digital journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
Racquel’s interest in health reporting stems from navigating through the developmental disabilities of her toddler son, and witnessing inequities within the health care system.
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Now that the CDC has endorsed the COVID-19 vaccine for children under age 5, some parents are eager to get their young ones immunized. But local pediatricians say it can still take up to a week before practices are ready to administer the shots. -
Finding a place to get your nails done is almost never an issue in New York state. With the second-highest nail salon population in the nation, there’s almost one on every corner. But research shows that working in this industry comes with health and financial challenges. A report aims to raise awareness of these issues.
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Local state leaders announced a new bill that aims to expand mental health services by providing additional clinical training to mental health professionals.
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The last thing a mother wants to worry about is where her baby’s next meal is going to come from. This nightmare turned into reality for many parents as the baby formula shortage continues to sweep the nation. One local mom tells us how she's coping with this crisis.
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If you’ve been thinking, “Wow, my allergies seem worse this season,” one local specialist said you’re not imagining it.
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On Thursday, AutismUp, the Golisano Autism Center and Homesteads for Hope held a news conference in support of two pieces of state legislation that would expand housing programs for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
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The University of Rochester Medical Center and Rochester Regional Health have joined forces to host a free community wide skin cancer screening on Saturday.
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Local scientist says don’t expect new variants anytime soon, but more small adaptations from omicronThe new COVID-19 variants that have been emerging are all directly related to the omicron variant. Scientists are calling them sub-lineages, and say this is all a part of the virus’s plan.
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A new study reveals that taking antibiotics may have a negative effect on vaccine-induced immunity in younger children.
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Monroe County and several other area counties are now considered to be in the high risk category, in terms of the impacts from COVID-19.
