Vaccinations

"We don't have to reinvent the wheel. We know what to do. We know what works," Local Health Authority Dr. Desmar Walkes said. "Masks stop the spread, and vaccinations stop severe disease and illness."

The Williamson County and Cities Health District is now recommending people — regardless of vaccination status— wear a mask in public, keep 6 feet apart from others they don’t live with and avoid crowds.

The delta variant is the fast-moving strain of the coronavirus now found in 96 countries. It's expected to be the dominant variant in the U.S. within weeks.

Here's what we know about the effectiveness of vaccines for variants of concerns, notably the delta variant, first identified in India and now responsible for more than 20% of new U.S. cases.

Data collection for race and ethnicity vary among states, complicating efforts to distribute COVID-19 shots to all groups. In Missouri, health officials have questioned the data's usefulness.

The clinic is recruiting children between 6 months and 11 years old for the two-year trial, which starts next month.

About 56% of the area's population is now partially or fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including more than 60% of people age 12 years and older, Austin Public Health officials said Tuesday.

"If I had grandchildren, I would certainly recommend they get vaccinated," President Biden's chief medical adviser said. COVID-19 vaccines for younger children are being tested in clinical trials now.

Congregations are figuring out how to safely meet in person now that the COVID-19 vaccine is more widely available. But vaccination remains divisive even as it allows them to come together again.

Los Centros para la Prevención y Control de Enfermedades (CDC, por sus siglas en inglés) dijeron que las personas completamente vacunadas contra el COVID-19 pueden dejar de portar mascarillas y de practicar el distanciamiento social. Pero aún se deben seguir las leyes locales y las reglas de cada negocio.