The latest health care news from The Texas Tribune.
At least four conferences were canceled in Austin because of the lack of a statewide mask mandate. The cancellations have caused the Hilton Austin hotel to lose out on $350,000 of revenue, according to Austin Convention Enterprises. Full Story
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Grassroots organizers and county employees are organizing registration events in some of the underserved neighborhoods in the city. But they still worry it won't be enough. Full Story
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On this week’s TribCast, Matthew talks to Karen and Julián about the state’s plan to expand vaccine eligibility starting Monday and the increase in apprehensions at the border. Full Story
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In Texas, 59% of Republicans either said they are reluctant to get the vaccine or would refuse it outright, according to the February University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
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For many residents, birthday parties and holiday celebrations took place largely through windows and over video calls. Full Story
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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
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Ricardo Ramos, Ramon Fuentes III and Andres Arguelles were all 45. Loving husbands. Strangers who died with the coronavirus in neighboring South Texas cities. They left behind young widows who found each other in Facebook groups and bonded over the similarities in their stories. Full Story
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Texans face challenges trying to book a vaccine appointment through a time-consuming process that inherently favors people who have easy access to internet and transportation. The situation is contributing to inequitable access for many people in the state. Full Story
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As more people become eligible for the coronavirus vaccine, some of the most vulnerable Asian American communities struggle to access it at all. Full Story
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White Texans are being vaccinated at nearly twice the rate of Hispanic Texans and more than six times the rate of Black Texans, according to state data. Full Story
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The provisions are packaged in one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s priority measures, dubbed the “heartbeat bill.” Senate Bill 8 would ban abortions as early as six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant. Full Story
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The legislative session that began in January has been driven by the coronavirus pandemic and the response to last month’s power crisis. But abortion-related measures dominated a Senate State Affairs committee hearing Monday, and lawmakers advanced all of the proposals. Full Story
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The deaths occurred in at least 25 counties. And 25 of the fatalities occurred in Harris County. Some Texas deaths were caused by carbon monoxide poisoning and medical equipment failure. Full Story
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This timeline tracks COVID-19’s rampage through Texas over the last year: the growing death toll, the policy decisions made in response to the pandemic that often influenced its course, and the stories of some of the Texans claimed by the virus. Full Story
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In cities with diverse populations, people of Asian descent say they continue to be encouraged to help their fellow Texans weather the health crisis. Listen in the weekend edition of The Brief podcast. Full Story
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Austin and Travis County residents will be required to keep their masks on after a district judge delayed action on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s request to end the mandates immediately. Full Story
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Experts say testing is still a crucial step as Texas continues to deal with the pandemic, but the public messaging has shifted away from testing and toward vaccinations. Full Story
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Texas lawmakers expected to be sweating over a very tight budget right now, after strong early signs that the pandemic would stall the economy. But an improved economy and a huge infusion of federal aid is erasing those fears. Full Story
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Some schools are letting students have a full week off. Others are spreading out free days to discourage travel. And some plan on-campus alternatives to leaving for vacation. Full Story
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Texas' mask mandate was lifted this week, and Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered that "no jurisdiction" can implement a local one if coronavirus hospitalizations don't meet a certain metric. Full Story
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