Past Contributions

• As vaccine eligibility widens, some vulnerable Texans are still fighting for access

  By Karen Brooks Harper March 31, 2021

  The state is still directing providers to prioritize older and vulnerable Texans, and cities are continuing their efforts to reach Texans who have trouble accessing vaccine doses. Full Story 

• Vaccinated Texas nursing home residents can now hug their families and receive more visitors after a year of isolation

  By Karen Brooks Harper March 23, 2021

  For many residents, birthday parties and holiday celebrations took place largely through windows and over video calls. Full Story 

• Texas opens COVID-19 vaccine to everyone 16 and older on March 29

  By Karen Brooks Harper Updated: March 23, 2021

  The Texas Department of State Health Services is asking providers to prioritize appointments for people 80 and older, and to prioritize walk-ins from anyone in that age group who shows up without an appointment. Full Story 

• Unmasked: Across Texas, elation and caution as COVID-19 restrictions end after a year

  By Karen Brooks Harper, Duncan Agnew and Marissa Martinez Updated: March 10, 2021

  A newly "open" state will likely look very different in rural towns and suburban neighborhoods compared to more populous areas and coronavirus hot spots, residents and business owners say. Full Story 

• Texans don’t have to prove they’re eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, and some are jumping the line. Here’s why.

  By Karen Brooks Harper Updated: March 9, 2021

  Providers are not allowed, under state health guidelines, to require vaccine recipients to prove a medical condition that would qualify them because it could create barriers at a time when Texas is trying to vaccinate most of its 29 million residents. Full Story 

• Keep wearing your mask, health officials say after Gov. Greg Abbott lifts mask mandate

  By Karen Brooks Harper Updated: March 2, 2021

  Some variants of COVID-19 are more contagious and researchers believe they can reinfect people who already have gotten the virus. Doctors and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommend wearing masks. Full Story 

• Texas National Guard deployed to get COVID-19 vaccines to older Texans who are homebound

  By Karen Brooks Harper Feb. 25, 2021

  Gov. Greg Abbott said he wants the majority of Texans who are 65 and older to be inoculated against COVID-19 by the end of March. He said the state could announce more eligibility for the vaccines next month. Full Story 

• Texas’ COVID-19 vaccinations begin to rebound after plunging during last week’s winter storm

  By Karen Brooks Harper Updated: Feb. 23, 2021

  Texas expects to see about 1.5 million doses arrive this week, including last week’s undelivered doses, and the opening of three new federally supported vaccination hubs. Full Story 

• “An emergency on top of a pandemic”: Texas hospital workers scramble as winter storm hampered operations

  By Karen Brooks Harper Feb. 18, 2021

  Water disruptions, patient logjams, overflowing emergency rooms, exhausted workers, staffing shortages and power outages created challenging conditions for health care workers across the state. Full Story 

• “Please help us, please”: More than 100 older and disabled Texans were stranded without power in Austin high-rise

  By Karen Brooks Harper and Montinique Monroe Feb. 17, 2021

  Firefighters helped staff evacuate residents who wanted to go to shelters after more than two days of frigid temperatures and dwindling food supplies. Full Story