5 things for Houstonians to know for Wednesday, Jan. 27

A vile of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is seen at an ambulance company in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) (Jae C. Hong, ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Here are things to know for Wednesday, Jan. 27:

1. Couple shot at, robbed of French bulldog near downtown Houston, police say

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Houston police are asking for the public’s help in tracking down a pair of men accused of a violent armed robbery that ended with a dog being snatched from its owners.

The incident was reported on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. in Houston’s EaDo neighborhood near downtown.

“I was terrified for the dog, for me and my fiancee’s safety,” said the victim, who we are not identifying.

The couple and their two-and-a-half-year-old French bulldog, Kirby, were out for a quick walk in the neighborhood.

As they approached the intersection of McKinney and Nagle, they said they were attacked from behind.

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2. Dog that mauled young girl in Old Town Spring to be euthanized, judge rules

A dog that mauled a 3-year-old girl in Old Town Spring will be euthanized after Judge Matt Beasley ruled in favor of the state.

The girl, Ronin Waldroup, was left with nearly 20 stitches after she was bitten in the face on Jan. 9 when she and her family walked into a restaurant. The family said the owner of the dog did not ask if they could help, they did not apologize, and they did not stick around. The Waldroups said the owners fled the scene and abandoned the dog.

The dog was found on Jan. 14 and was taken into custody at the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center.

Read more.

3. ‘We’re hurting’: Some residents say their neighborhoods aren’t being prioritized for vaccine sites

As the demand for COVID-19 vaccination sites throughout the Houston area reaches fever pitch, a pastor who serves a community in the city’s northeast region feels some neighborhoods are not being prioritized.

“I think it’s insensitive,” said Pastor Montari Morrison, of New Faith Baptist Church N.E., which is near the Trinity Gardens neighborhood of northeast Houston.

“We’re hurting. We were hurting before the pandemic. We’re hurting during the pandemic and we’re going to be hurting after this pandemic,” Morrison continued.

While the city of Houston and Harris County have pledged to open additional vaccination sites, how quickly that happens depends on vaccine distribution.

Read more.

4. WHO says Moderna vaccine is ‘not recommended’ for pregnant women

In a status report released Tuesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) advised against pregnant women receiving Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine.

WHO officials are recommending that pregnant women not get the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine unless they face a high risk of exposure, such as health workers.

“While pregnancy puts women at a higher risk of severe COVID-19, the use of this vaccine in pregnant women is currently not recommended, unless they are at risk of high exposure,” the official WHO status report reads.

Read more.

5. University of Houston to offer first-ever Doctor of Nursing program after ‘unanimous’ approval

The University of Houston will begin offering doctoral degrees in nursing after the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board voted unanimously to approve the program.

Nursing shortages, especially primary care providers, nursing educators and leaders, prompted the program’s approval, according to a news release from the university.

Founding Dean and Professor of UH’s College of Nursing Kathryn Dean said students who take national certification exams such as the NLCEX-RN score a 100% pass-rate average while on the program, bringing a competitive nursing education to a diverse student population.

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