Schools, desperate to keep their doors open but worried about health risks to their students, are being put in the uncomfortable position of having to govern young adult behavior that is mostly happening off university property.
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.
Student athletes get COVID-19 tests three times a week, while experts say testing for other university students is lagging
Public health experts say colleges need to dramatically ramp up testing in order to catch “silent spread” fueled by students who are infected but don’t have symptoms.
Coronavirus cases postpone TCU-SMU game, the season’s first college football matchup involving a Texas Big 12 team
The game had been scheduled for Sept. 11.
“It’s pretty hard to learn how to draw an IV online”: This nursing student is grateful for hands-on training this semester
In the weekend edition of The Brief podcast, listen to why a University of Texas at Austin sophomore says attending in-person labs during the pandemic is worth the risk.
An Austin doctor got a COVID-19 test from his own company. They billed his insurance company nearly $11,000
Physicians Premier ER charged Dr. Zachary Sussman’s insurance $10,984 for his COVID-19 antibody test even though Sussman worked for the chain and knows the testing materials only cost about $8. Even more surprising: The insurer paid in full.
Dallas and Harris county judges criticize Gov. Greg Abbott’s coronavirus response for putting politics ahead of science
At The Texas Tribune Festival, Clay Jenkins and Lina Hidalgo, both Democrats, said local officials and health experts stepped into a leadership vacuum left by state and federal leaders.
Analysis: Voting in Texas could be as easy as a trip to the grocery store
Some of the biggest private-sector companies in Texas adapted quickly to customer service during the pandemic. Unfortunately, they’re not in charge of voting.
Analysis: With schools opening, Texas enters a critical two weeks of the pandemic
Texas is poised right now as it was in late April: COVID-19 numbers are moving in the right direction, and reopenings — schools this time — are underway. Everyone’s hoping for a different result this time.
Millions of Texans could be shielded from evictions under new Trump administration order
A previous federal order, which only protected renters in federally backed housing, expired in July.
Pandemic politics ripple through Texas races, forcing U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw to defend his coronavirus response
In Crenshaw’s bid for reelection, the fight over masks and rhetoric has become particularly pitched, drawing in dozens of Houston-area doctors.

