T-Squared: How (and why) we’re covering the coronavirus in Texas

The World Health Organization has declared the new coronavirus a pandemic, and already Texas has reported at least 50 cases — a number that is likely to grow. The Texas Tribune’s newsroom has been working around the clock to help Texans navigate this ordeal by providing trusted information and helpful context about these rapidly changing events.

As always, our coverage is free for all to read and republish, thanks to generous support from our members and donors. That’s important to us, and it’s essential during a public health crisis.

Our reporting on the novel coronavirus that causes the disease known as COVID-19 has appeared in 140 publications to date. That means an even broader reach for our reporting on how Texas is addressing its limited testing capacity and how the state’s high rate of uninsured residents complicates the response to the virus.

Here’s how we’ve committed to providing you with useful, reliable coverage of this essential story:

Keeping you informed in multiple formats and places

• We’re reporting the biggest and most important breaking news as it happens, while also working on in-depth accountability journalism fueled by our policy expertise.
• We’re implementing best practices to keep our community safe and taking all our in-person events online. Stay tuned to our events page for the virtual Q&As we’ll be hosting, and watch our live Q&A with coronavirus expert Jason McLellan here.
• We’re doing everything we can to make it easy for people to find our coverage. That includes optimizing our pieces to be easily found in search, keeping you updated with regular social media posts and publishing a dedicated new newsletter for those who want the latest news right in their inbox. Sign up for our evening coronavirus updates here.

Involving the community

• We’re involving the community in our reporting, and we’ve already heard from more than 800 Texans. Right now, we’re especially interested in hearing from medical professionals (especially those in rural areas), people who tried to get tested for coronavirus and people who have gone through quarantine. Submit your tips to our callout.
• We’re prioritizing answering reader questions — and you’ve now sent us more than 200! You can read a summary of what we know so far here and submit your questions here.
• And finally, we strive in all our coverage to be responsible and fair in our reporting on affected communities. This pandemic is no exception. We’re reading, discussing and implementing best practices and industry guidelines, like the Asian American Journalism Association’s recommendations and this advice on responsibility from Poynter.

We’ll be sticking with this story for the long haul, because we know how critical it is to have information that is accurate and readily available in a crisis.

Several news organizations have dropped their paywalls to make their reporting more accessible to the public. Accessibility has always been a key part of our mission at the Tribune. Our ability to provide our journalism for free to all who need it depends on the support of readers like you.

If you want to help us keep the public informed on this important topic, please consider supporting our nonprofit newsroom with a donation or sharing our coverage with your network.

Have thoughts about how we can better help you navigate this story? Email us at community@texastribune.org. We’re here to serve, and no matter what the news brings, that won’t change.