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Sami Sparber was a reporting fellow at The Texas Tribune from 2020 to 2021. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, she has been a political unit intern at NBC News and a reporting intern at the Houston Chronicle. She has also worked as managing editor and projects editor at The Daily Texan.
The facilities are still only testing residents and patients who are symptomatic or were potentially exposed to the virus, despite concerns raised by employees and family members about outbreaks. Full Story
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Health care workers are being recruited for trials to test whether a decades-old TB vaccine might help people fight off the coronavirus. It's not a cure, but it could be a crucial treatment. Full Story
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A&M officials say they have the largest public lab capacity in the state, but the federal government won't let them use it for humans. Full Story
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County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s order, which carries a penalty of up to $1,000, drew harsh criticism from GOP officials and members of law enforcement. Full Story
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Residents' families, restricted from visiting in an effort to stop the spread, are pleading for information. Even they aren’t being told how severe the outbreaks are where their loved ones live. Full Story
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GOP officials called it "tyranny" and "government overreach," taking issue in particular with the $1,000 fine associated with violating the mask requirement. Full Story
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The courts volleyed back and forth this week, siding in turns with the state and then with abortion providers. But clinics across the state are responding inconsistently, with some shutting down altogether while they await a final answer. Full Story
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Officials say they're ramping up support by providing more testing across Texas and additional personnel for facilities where the virus has been detected. But people close to the facilities have reported that the state is responding too slowly to the emergency. Full Story
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The court granted abortion providers’ motion to temporarily block the state from enforcing the order, which was set to expire April 21, as it relates to abortions. Full Story
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With Gov. Greg Abbott resisting calls for a statewide stay-at-home order, local officials are tasked with deciding which businesses and employees are essential. This strategy means the rules differ from county to county, and many employees are confused about why they're being called in to work. Full Story
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