Latest Contributions

• Amid a sharp rise in COVID-19 deaths this summer, more Texans under 60 are dying

  by Karen Brooks Harper and Mandi Cai Sept. 24, 2021

  Health officials say that the state’s high rate of unvaccinated people contributed to a summer surge in hospitalizations, which preceded the spike in deaths. Full Story 

• The delta variant is wreaking havoc on most of Texas — but not El Paso. Here’s why.

  by Karen Brooks Harper Sept. 13, 2021

  High vaccination rates, geography and a sense of community in the wake of 2019’s Walmart shootings help keep El Paso’s delta numbers low, experts and locals say. Full Story 

• “Do I or don't I?” Some Texas hospitals grapple with new mandatory vaccine rule

  by Karen Brooks Harper Sept. 10, 2021

  Stuck between Biden's and Abbott’s competing vaccine rules for employees, public hospitals consider their next move even as most private systems already require vaccination for employees. Full Story 

• COVID-19 hospitalizations in Texas level off just below the pandemic’s winter peak

  by Karen Brooks Harper Sept. 3, 2021

  The numbers have stayed within a few hundred of a grim milestone as the state battles the pandemic’s latest surge. Full Story 

• President Joe Biden says Texas’ new abortion law “unleashes unconstitutional chaos”

  by Abby Livingston and Karen Brooks Harper Updated: Sept. 2, 2021

  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the Supreme Court's decision not to halt the law "an injustice" and Vice President Kamala Harris promised the administration would defend abortion rights. Full Story 

• Verbal and physical attacks on health workers surge as emotions boil during latest COVID-19 wave

  by Karen Brooks Harper Sept. 1, 2021

  Stressed health workers are now confronting volatile visitors and patients. “The verbal abuse, the name-calling, racial slurs … we’ve had broken bones, broken noses,” said one hospital official in Dallas. Full Story 

• Texas' biggest county saw a sixfold jump in vaccine rates after offering $100 for first doses

  by Karen Brooks Harper Aug. 24, 2021

  Other city and county governments in Texas are offering incentives to unvaccinated people to get a shot. Statewide, vaccination rates have increased modestly. Full Story 

• At least 92 Texas hospitals were out of ICU beds last week, according to the latest federal data. Look up the ones near you.

  by Carla Astudillo and Karen Brooks Harper Updated: Sept. 13, 2021

  Every Monday, hospitals in Texas report their current ICU bed capacity to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Here’s the latest as the highly contagious delta variant of COVID-19 spreads and sends unvaccinated Texans to the hospital. Full Story 

• Desperate Texas doctors turn to antibody treatments to slow down surging COVID-19 hospitalizations

  by Karen Brooks Harper Aug. 23, 2021

  The infusions are more available and accessible to Texans than ever before, and new criteria for who can receive antibody treatment have led more doctors to prescribe it. Full Story 

• Federal judge rules for Texas, temporarily restores federal health care funding extension

  by Karen Brooks Harper Aug. 20, 2021

  The agreement was set to expire next year after federal health officials rescinded the Trump administration's 10-year extension to the 1115 waiver agreement. Full Story 

• The new Texas COVID-19 surge could be worse than anything the state has seen yet

  by Karen Brooks Harper and Carla Astudillo Updated: Aug. 17, 2021

  “It’s going to be close,” one health official said as a record number of Texas hospitals run out of intensive care beds and warn that they may soon have more COVID-19 patients than they can handle. Full Story 

• Texas hospitals hit by staffing crisis as burnout depletes workforce and COVID-19 surges

  by Karen Brooks Harper Aug. 5, 2021

  The lack of available nurses has driven up salaries and created a heated, competitive job market as thousands of positions remain open throughout Texas. Full Story 

• "On a crash course": Texas hospitals brace for another COVID-19 surge as delta variant burns through unvaccinated communities

  by Karen Brooks Harper Updated: July 29, 2021

  Hospital officials worry that "staggering and frightening" hospitalization rates will push facilities to capacity at a time when staffing is short and workers are exhausted. Full Story 

• CDC wants more vaccinated people and schoolchildren to mask up — but Texas keeps it voluntary

  by Karen Brooks Harper July 27, 2021

  Texas Republican state leaders held their ground against allowing local schools and governments to require masks. The CDC guidelines are not mandates and have no weight of law. Full Story 

• Austin announces stricter coronavirus protocols for unvaccinated residents as cases increase. But it can’t legally enforce them.

  by Karen Brooks Harper and Colleen DeGuzman Updated: July 15, 2021

  The city’s return to Stage 3 risk-based guidelines marks the first time a major Texas city has reversed direction in the trend toward normalcy. But others are also reporting surges in cases. Full Story 

• Texas Democrats’ decampment over voting legislation has echoes of 2003 redistricting fight

  by Karen Brooks Harper July 15, 2021

  Now, as in 2003, Democrats say their main motivator is protecting the voices of Texas voters. Can they stop legislation that would restrict voting in Texas? Full Story 

• Amarillo was vaccinating people at double the state’s pace. Then the effort hit a wall.

  by Karen Brooks Harper and Carla Astudillo July 6, 2021

  Local health officials are trying to boost vaccinations in this Panhandle city and its surrounding counties, which rank near the bottom of the state’s population centers in the percentage of residents fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Full Story 

• After a year of living carefully, nearly half of Texas voters have returned to their pre-pandemic lives, UT/TT Poll finds

  by Karen Brooks Harper June 30, 2021

  In the June poll, 47% of voters said they were coming and going as they were before the pandemic, while 39% said they were leaving the house but exercising caution. Full Story 

• Texas congressional Democrats propose bill to let local governments expand Medicaid without state consent

  by Karen Brooks Harper Updated: June 21, 2021

  The bill would let counties and cities apply to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for funds that were declined by their states. Full Story 

• Supreme Court tosses Texas-led Affordable Care Act challenge, preserving sweeping health care law

  by Karen Brooks Harper Updated: June 17, 2021

  The 7-2 ruling said the plaintiffs didn’t have standing to sue over the law. The court’s ruling did not include an official opinion on whether the law, commonly known as Obamacare, was constitutional. Full Story