Many Texans have died because of the winter storm. Just how many won’t be known for weeks or months.
Dozens of deaths have been tied to this week's storm, but experts say the death toll is likely far larger. Full Story
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Shawn Mulcahy
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Shawn Mulcahy was a coronavirus reporting fellow in 2020 and a contract politics reporter in 2021. Shawn received his bachelor’s degree from Florida State University and his master’s degree at Northwestern University. He worked as an investigative reporter for Northwestern’s Medill Investigative Lab and has written stories for The Washington Post about abuse and neglect in nursing homes during the coronavirus pandemic. He’s also worked as a reporter, producer and host for WFSU Public Media, an NPR and PBS member station.
Past Contributions
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![The Blanco Vista neighborhood of San Marcos is blanketed with several inches of snow as a massive winter weather system causes power outages across Texas on Feb. 15, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
"What happened is completely unacceptable": Gov. Greg Abbott calls for winterization of Texas energy system
Abbott also blasted the Electric Reliability Council of Texas for its handling of the recent winter storm. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a press conference regarding Texas’ emergency response to an unprecedented winter storm gripping Texas. Feb 13, 2021.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Eligible Texans can’t get answers about the COVID-19 vaccine. It’s not clear who — if anyone — has them.
Getting the COVID-19 vaccine to the people eligible to receive it has proven far from easy. Its rollout in Texas has been marred by poor messaging from state officials, technical errors, logistical delays and supply shortages. Full Story
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![A patient received a COVID-19 vaccine at DHR Edinburg Conference Center. Dec. 19, 2020.]()
Credit: Jason Garza for The Texas Tribune -
The coronavirus vaccine rollout in Texas is leaving some with more questions than answers
While all eligible Texans under the first phase of the rollout can now receive the COVID-19 vaccine, doses remain in short supply and many Texans who are desperate to get vaccinated can't get clear answers. Full Story
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![Critical Care Pharmacist Jennifer Cortes prepares the first Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Medical Center in Houston on Dec. 15, 2020.]()
Credit: Annie Mulligan for The Texas Tribune -
Texas officials push hospitals, local health authorities to administer COVID-19 vaccines faster as infection rate reaches "red flag" levels
Texas officials' push for providers to administer more vaccines comes as Texas’ seven-day average COVID-19 positivity rate has remained above 15% for one week, according to data the state released Tuesday. Full Story
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![Medical personnel wear personal protective equipment as they register residents at a COVID-19 testing site at Nations Tobin Park in El Paso on Nov. 19, 2020.]()
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One Texas health district received 900 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Then, it closed for Christmas.
The move in Williamson County drew a sharp rebuke from local leaders, who felt that health officials shirked their duties by failing to promptly administer doses of the vaccine. Full Story
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![Holly Ainsworth, a nursing intern at the University of Texas, prepares to administer a COVID-19 vaccine to Stephanie Vasquez, a PACU Nurse at UT HS-ASC, on Dec. 15, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Here's what you need to know about getting a COVID-19 vaccine in Texas
Texas health officials have told vaccine providers that they could resume using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in all adult recipients. Use of that vaccine had been paused for nearly two weeks. Full Story
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![A vile containing the Pfizer-BioNTech CODID-19 vaccine is prepared to be administered to health care workers at the UT Health/Dell Medical School in downtown Austin on Dec. 15, 2020.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott allows only limited COVID-19 restrictions for Texas' worst hot spots. Local leaders say it's not enough.
A Texas Tribune analysis of state data shows that in regions with the worst outbreaks, including El Paso, Amarillo and Lubbock, the restrictions have done little to ease an overburdened health care system. Full Story
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![Guests dance at Billy Bob’s Texas, a honky-tonk in Fort Worth. Billy Bobís has been operating since August 13 under food and beverage guidelines after previously being classified as a bar. Bars that did not already get the food and beverage license were allowed to reopen October 14 at 50% capacity, and must stop selling alcohol by 11 pm.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Texans who are over 65 or have certain medical conditions are next in line for COVID-19 vaccine
The vaccine, which arrived in Texas on Dec. 14, has been available so far only to front-line health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities. Full Story
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![Syringes for the COVID-19 vaccine at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance in Edinburg on Dec. 19, 2020.]()
Credit: Jason Garza for The Texas Tribune -
Ahead of the holiday season, Texas' ICU capacity is the lowest since the start of the pandemic
Intensive care units were full in at least 28 Texas hospitals for the week ending Nov. 27, according to a Texas Tribune analysis of data released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Full Story
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune
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