Here are things to know for Friday, Feb. 5:
1. Mother of ‘Little Jacob’ sentenced to life in prison for boy’s slaying
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The mother of a boy known as “Little Jacob” has been sentenced to life in prison for killing the 4-year-old boy and dumping his body on a Galveston beach.
Rebecca Rivera was convicted of first-degree injury to a child causing serious bodily injury and sentenced Thursday.
The body of “Little Jacob” was found on East Beach in Galveston in October 2017. It took six months of DNA analysis by the FBI and pleas from law enforcement before the boy was identified as Jayden Alexander Lopez. Rivera and her girlfriend, Dania Amezquita Gomez, were arrested in June 2018.
2. Biden officials considering action on student debt relief
The Biden administration is reviewing whether it can take steps to provide student debt relief through executive action, even as it continues to call on Congress to pass legislation to help borrowers and their families.
A tweet by White House press secretary Jen Psaki appeared to go further than her comments at a briefing earlier Thursday, when she said President Joe Biden was looking to Congress to act next on student loan relief. Biden has said he supports up to $10,000 in student loan forgiveness per borrower.
“The President continues to support the cancelling of student debt to bring relief to students and families,” Psaki tweeted. “Our team is reviewing whether there are any steps he can take through executive action and he would welcome the opportunity to sign a bill sent to him by Congress.”
3. Johnson & Johnson asks FDA to approve its one-shot coronavirus vaccine
Johnson & Johnson asked U.S. regulators Thursday to clear the world’s first single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, an easier-to-use option that could boost scarce supplies.
J&J’s vaccine was safe and offered strong protection against moderate to severe COVID-19, according to preliminary results from a massive international study.
It didn’t appear quite as strong as two-dose competitors made by Pfizer and Moderna -- a finding that may be more perception than reality, given differences in how each was tested.
4. Texas Children’s Hospital begins vaccinating teens with chronic, underlying health conditions
A major effort is underway by Texas Children’s Hospital to vaccinate young teens and adolescents with chronic and underlying health conditions.
“An older adolescent or young adult unvaccinated is at risk and with a chronic underlying medical condition, they may be hospitalized and may suffer a real setback due to COVID-19. It may require advanced critical care,” said Dr. Jim Versalovic, the Interim Pediatrician in Chief at Texas Children’s Hospital.
Hospital leaders with Texas Children’s said they have already identified more than 85,000 patients who would be eligible through their equitable allocation framework and under the State’s 1B plan which includes those 16 and older with chronic and underlying health conditions.
5. Memorial Hermann to vaccinate thousands at drive-thru clinic in Sugar Land
Thousands of people are expected to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at the Smart Financial Centre in Sugar Land this week. But registration for the drive-thru event was limited.
According to Memorial Hermann’s website, the signup process was opened to people “who are 65 years of age and older, consistent with the state’s Phase 1B criteria.”
In Texas, Phase 1B also includes people ages 16 and older with certain health conditions.
So why was registration limited to older folks, even though others are also included in Phase 1B?
“Due to limited supply of the COVID-19 vaccine, we must take a staged approach to vaccinate individuals, who meet the state’s Phase 1B criteria,” the hospital said in an email. “At this time, Memorial Hermann has made the vaccine available to one of the most vulnerable populations, individuals 65 years of age and older.”