TEXAS HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION

The money reimburses hospitals for the services they provide to Medicaid patients in Texas.

A staffing crisis and the surge from the omicron variant have pushed the number of Texas ICU beds to a new record low. The shortage affects not just patients with the coronavirus, but every Texan seeking serious medical care.

Stuck between Biden's and Abbott’s competing vaccine rules for employees, public hospitals consider their next move even as most private systems already require vaccination for employees.

Stressed health workers are now confronting volatile visitors and patients. “The verbal abuse, the name-calling, racial slurs … we’ve had broken bones, broken noses,” said one hospital official in Dallas.

So far the state has paid to hire more than 8,000 contract health care workers as hospitalizations from COVID-19 in Texas approach the record set last winter.

More children are being treated in Texas hospitals for COVID-19 than ever before, and an unseasonable outbreak of respiratory syncytial virus is adding to the stress on children’s hospitals.

Abbott's request was one of several steps to address rising coronavirus case numbers and hospitalizations. He did not back down from his refusal to allow local mask mandates.

HOUSTON – Texas hospitals are urging the public to follow hospital protocols for getting the COVID-19 vaccine to help make the process easier. According to the Texas Hospital Association, here are the do’s and don’ts of getting the vaccine:Do:Vaccine recipients are encouraged to do their research before taking the vaccine by going online and checking your doctor, local hospital, local pharmacy or local health department’s website and/or social media for helpful information. As stated above, patients are urged to go online and check their doctor, local hospital, local pharmacy or local health department’s website and/or social media. You shouldn’t assume your local provider has vaccine available or that you can be vaccinated right away, the Texas Hospital Association said. Health care workers are moving as fast as possible to get shots in arms,” said Ted Shaw, THA president/CEO.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas surpassed 8,000 hospitalized coronavirus patients Friday for the first time since a deadly summer surge as doctors amplified pleas to keep Thanksgiving gatherings small. The worsening surge of cases has El Paso County — where the pandemic is blamed for more than 300 deaths since October — now searching for prospective morgue workers. Texas reported more than 11,700 new cases Friday, the second-highest daily total of the pandemic. More than 8,100 virus patients are hospitalized, the most since early August. Greg Abbott has ruled out another shutdown and accused local leaders of not enforcing restrictions already in place.