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Almost a year into the pandemic, COVID-19 is still rampant across the state. More than 34,000 people have died, hospitals are running out of beds in their intensive care units and many Texans cannot find available vaccine doses.
We’ve heard from countless people who have lost loved ones and others who have lost their livelihoods. The pandemic’s ripple effects continue to harm people everywhere. The state’s unemployment rate was 7.2% in December 2020, up from 3.5% in December 2019. Students are failing classes while they attempt to navigate virtual learning. We’ve spoken with people who have lost their health insurance, people who can’t access their unemployment benefits and people who have lost their homes.
While doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have begun to arrive — and more are coming — it will be months still before it is broadly available to the public. So we want to hear your stories about how the ongoing epidemic is affecting you and your life. Some of the stories we’re working on include:
- How is Texas rolling out its vaccine to its 29 million residents, especially those who are most at risk? Simply put: Who can get a vaccine, and who can’t?
- Despite an order from the federal government halting evictions, we’ve heard from many people who lost their homes or faced eviction threats. We want to speak with more evicted tenants from across the state about their court proceedings.
- The state’s unemployment system can be confusing and frustrating to navigate. As unemployment benefits continue to change, we want to hear from workers who are trying to get the help they need but are meeting roadblocks.
Some of the most important stories may be ones we haven’t even thought of yet. Please share your story below. And for the latest news on the coronavirus pandemic, you can sign up for our newsletter here.
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