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.
Coronavirus in Texas
As the coronavirus spread across the state, The Texas Tribune covered the most important health, economic, academic and breaking developments that affected Texans. Our map tracker showed the number of cases, deaths, tests and vaccinations in Texas from 2020-22.
Dallas County axes plan to prioritize vaccinating communities of color after state threatens to slash allocation
State officials told Dallas leadership the plan was “not acceptable,” and threatened to cut the county’s vaccine supply.
Texas has a problem with its COVID-19 vaccination data, and the stakes are high. Now the state is scrambling to solve it.
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of distributing the coronavirus vaccine, early data problems left state officials with immunization records that were outdated, incomplete and sometimes misleading.
Texas has administered most of its 1.7 million vaccine doses as it prepares to receive 333,000 more
Some 78% of the 1,725,575 doses already shipped to providers have been used, including second doses, Gov. Greg Abbott said, and Texas is set to receive 333,650 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Texas-based anti-vaccine group received federal bailout funds in May as pandemic raged
The Austin-based group founded by anti-vaccine activist Del Bigtree regularly posts information questioning the safety of the coronavirus vaccines. Doctors and scientists say both the Moderna and the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective.
Analysis: Is the Texas Capitol a government building or a petri dish?
Legislating is a social enterprise. It draws crowds of Texans who want to testify, to be heard, to sightsee and to watch government in action. And itโs tailor made for spreading a contagious disease.
โLives are at stakeโ: Three Texas regions battered by coronavirus are out of intensive care beds
Hospitals in the Abilene, Bryan-College Station and Laredo areas have run out of intensive care unit beds. State health officials are โgreatly concernedโ about high numbers of hospitalized people throughout Texas.
Texas lawmakers arenโt all eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Austinโs top health official is trying to get them vaccinated anyway.
Dr. Mark Escott, the interim medical director for Austin Public Health, told The Texas Tribune that he asked Ascension Seton hospital system โif they would be willing to vaccinate lawmakers and key staff if they had availability.โ
Texas House member Joe Deshotel tests positive for coronavirus, forcing other state lawmakers into quarantine
State Rep. Joe Deshotel, D-Beaumont, told The Texas Tribune he tested positive Thursday โ three days after lawmakers gaveled in for this yearโs legislative session
Balancing Texas’ budget is always complicated. The pandemic and recession will make it even harder in 2021.
Lawmakers could face a multibillion-dollar budget deficit due to the coronavirus pandemic and its accompanying recession. That will only compound the difficulties of balancing the budget.


