The latest health care news from The Texas Tribune.
In the latest episode of our podcast about the Texas Legislature, Evan Smith talks with Dr. Peter Hotez, a virologist at Baylor College of Medicine, about mask mandates, vaccine availability, reopening schools and businesses, and the trajectory of the pandemic. Full Story
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Medical experts say the state will struggle to immunize enough Texans to halt the chain of transmission through vaccination. But they hope to soon see evidence that vaccination efforts are helping to take pressure off the health care system. Full Story
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With the GOP in control of state government and “a favorable backstop from the courts, it’s going to be a no-holds-barred approach for Republicans on abortion,” one political science professor said. Full Story
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The virus has overwhelmed hospitals in the border town. One medical worker says the COVID-19 vaccine is giving people hope. Listen to her story in the weekend edition of The Brief podcast. Full Story
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As the state continues struggling with an uneven vaccine rollout, some Texans in far-flung areas are traversing the state to get immunized. Full Story
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The minimum wage in Texas pays $7.25 an hour, well below a livable wage and far lower than the minimum hourly pay in most states. Full Story
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Viruses constantly change by mutating, and the coronavirus is no exception. But health experts say it's difficult to know the exact number of variants currently around the world. Full Story
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National Guard teams will visit DeWitt, Marion, Real, Sherman and Starr counties as part of a newly created State Mobile Vaccine Pilot Program. Full Story
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The 2021 Texas legislative session will be unlike any other, as lawmakers work to get the people’s business done in the midst of a pandemic that shows few signs of slowing. Full Story
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To combat food insecurity during the pandemic, the new president is increasing assistance for families receiving help to make up for free and reduced-cost school lunches. He also wants to increase food stamp benefits. Full Story
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Raymond Reeves, a storybook Texas farmer and rancher, died of COVID-19 complications in November, one of Texas’ more than 34,000 deaths. Full Story
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The high court vacated two rulings from the lower U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that sided with Texas GOP officials arguing that Gov. Greg Abbott’s March 2020 executive order prohibited abortion under all but a few narrow circumstances in an attempt to preserve medical resources for COVID-19 patients. Full Story
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While COVID-19 guidelines will vary between lawmakers’ offices, communication between legislators and the public will largely consist of phone and video calls or small, in-person meetings by appointment. Full Story
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While doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have begun to arrive, the pandemic is far from over. Share your story with us. Full Story
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State leaders started their last legislative session, in 2019, with a call for unity. By their measure, they got what they set out to accomplish. They’re back to normal this year — not at odds, but not singing “Kumbaya,” either. Full Story
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Across Texas, hospital intensive care units are being battered as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in a post-holiday surge. Dozens of facilities have reported that their ICUs have been at or above 100% capacity for weeks, leaving staff overworked and stretched thin. Full Story
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The lieutenant governor's request comes as distribution of the vaccine in Texas has been beset with miscommunication and technical issues that have created confusion for patients and providers, even as Texas outpaces other states in administering the vaccine. Full Story
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The new weekly test requirement is possible with the help of a new multimillion-dollar, on-campus lab that produces test results in less than 24 hours. Full Story
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Wright, who was hospitalized in September while undergoing cancer treatment, said in a statement that he’s been in quarantine since Friday. Full Story
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As the state began the massive undertaking of distributing the coronavirus vaccine, early data problems left state officials with immunization records that were outdated, incomplete and sometimes misleading. Full Story
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