Pandemic

Austin ISD students, like kids throughout Texas, are seeing gains in reading proficiency since the COVID-19 pandemic, but math is another story. Educators and policy experts say more resources are needed to help students catch up.

Nearly 50% of child care providers in Travis County are not sure if they’ll be able to keep their doors open after federal relief funds run out.

The federal emergency expires at the end of the day. Austin Public Health officials remind people COVID is still circulating and asks them to do what they can to prevent its spread.

A federal waiver that allowed schools to provide free meals to all students regardless of family income expired after Republicans in Congress blocked efforts to renew it.

While Congress made school meals free for all children throughout most of the pandemic, that program expired in June 2022. Georgetown ISD officials said the change was jarring for families and outstanding meal balances started to rise during the first few months of the school year.

The country is in a good place in the pandemic, but we should prepare for an unpredictable future, according to the latest assessment from the new White House coronavirus boss.

It's another discombobulating moment in the pandemic, with conflicting signs of where the virus is heading and what people should do about it on a daily basis. Here's how to cope.

Oficiales de salud bajaron las recomendaciones locales de salud ante el descenso en el número de contagios y hospitalizaciones en las últimas semanas.

Health officials downgraded their local health recommendations after new cases and hospitalizations have steadily decreased in the last few weeks.

Austin health officials are touting several pieces of good news this week. Travis County hit a milestone with its vaccination efforts: 70% of people 12 and older in the county are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19. And hospitalizations are on a downward trend.