Pandemic

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.

Pfizer and BioNTech say that early trial results show their vaccine established a strong antibody response against the coronavirus. FDA review is still needed.

Harvard epidemiologist Michael Mina wants to increase availability of the at-home rapid tests the Biden administration is promoting. But he warns of a shortage without market competition.

More than 11% of those who received their first dose haven’t gotten a second shot, and more than 1 million people are more than 90 days overdue.

As the delta variant causes more vaccinated people to get "breakthrough infections," concerns are rising that even the vaccinated could develop long COVID symptoms in rare cases.

High vaccination rates, geography and a sense of community in the wake of 2019’s Walmart shootings help keep El Paso’s delta numbers low, experts and locals say.

The president outlined a forthcoming federal rule that all businesses with 100 or more employees have to ensure that every worker is either vaccinated for COVID-19 or submit to weekly testing.

Teachers report being spread thin by the demands of remote learning and exhausted by the constant health concerns.