Texans who are over 65 or have certain medical conditions are next in line for COVID-19 vaccine
Texans who are 65 years old and older, and those who are at least 16 with certain chronic medical conditions will be next in line for the COVID-19 vaccine, the Texas Department of State Health Services announced on Monday. There are nearly 1.9 million Texans in that group, so it will likely take a few weeks before the state transitions to the next phase, state health officials said. The state expects to receive 1.4 million vaccine doses by the end of the month. A panel โ comprised of state lawmakers, state and local health officials, medical experts and researchers โ recommended those eligible for the next phase on Dec. 17. More than 42,000 doses of the vaccine had been administered in Texas as of Monday, state data shows.
Nearly 14% of new U.S. COVID-19 cases are recorded in Texas
On Tuesday, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported more than 10,000 new cases representing nearly 20% of the nations new cases for the day. There has never been a higher risk of getting COVID-19 in Texas, the states public health agency wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. #COVID19TX update: https://t.co/ofycOLqWQZCurrent #COVID19 hospitalizations continue to increase. There has never been a higher risk of getting COVID-19 in #Texas. We are going to be in a situation where we have to seriously consider sheltering in place again, said Dennis Perrotta, a former Texas state epidemiologist.
Students in Texas can get unlimited access to thousands of digital books to read over the summer
Through this partnership, students have access to digital books in English and Spanish on the myON by Renaissance platform. We couldnt be more excited to work with educators across the great state of Texas, said Chris Bauleke, CEO of Renaissance. In addition to digital books, students are able to read news articles that are reviewed by a child psychologist for age-appropriate content. To help readers, myON also provides optional reading supports like naturally-recorded audio, text-highlighting, and an embedded dictionary. Through this no-cost version of myON, available exclusively through TEA, every child in Texas is granted access to:
How many more are coming? What its like inside hospitals as coronavirus grips Texas Rio Grande Valley
Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneNurses prepare to enter the COVID-19 unit at the DHS Health Center in McAllen. Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneHealth care workers at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance prepare to enter the COVID-19 unit by donning personal protection equipment. Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneWe're getting more and more and more, and that's the problem, said nurse Apryle Pelshaw. Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneLocal officials eye the filling hospitals with trepidation. Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneA nurse expressed fear of burning out from the long hours of treating COVID-19 patients.