Local & National Resources
Helplines
- Harris County “Ask a Nurse” Hotline
713.634.1110 (9am – 7pm, 7 days a week)
Intended for residents of Harris County who do not have access to healthcare - United Way Help Line – 211
Other Resources
- Department of States Health Services
- TexProtects Guide for Parents and Families
- Essential Workers Childcare Assistance
- Houston Health Department
- Harris County Public Health
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- CDC Travelers Health Notice
- University of Houston Community Coronavirus Information
- PBS: How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus
- Health Matters
Surveys
Local News Coverage
Town Square
Halloween safety and the latest on COVID vaccines for young children
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The Latest from Town Square
Halloween safety and the latest on COVID vaccines for young children
Criminal Justice
Lawsuits and protests: Texas county jails are on the brink during the pandemic
Posted on · After 18 months of a pandemic, high jail populations, infections and deserting staff, county jailers say the pandemic is brining longtime structural issues at county detention to light.
Health & Science
Houston health institutions prepare for COVID-19 vaccine approval for younger kids
Posted on · Once final approval is given Houston health officials say addressing vaccine hesitancy in parents and reaching underserved communities will be key.
The Coronavirus
FDA advisory panel recommends Pfizer vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11
Posted on · After some debate, a group of scientists advising the FDA concluded that the vaccine's benefits outweigh its risks for young children.
Town Square
Understanding COVID vaccinations, Texas politics and early voting
Posted on · Having trouble keeping up with headlines in Texas politics? Experts explain the legislature’s third special session and early voting. Plus, in light of the passing of former Secretary of State Colin Powell, we discuss COVID complications and vaccines.
Politics
Greg Abbott’s ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates is making its way through the Texas Legislature
Posted on · The House measure focuses on giving employees fired for refusing a vaccine the right to sue their former employers, while the Senate bill hews closer to Governor Greg Abbott’s executive order.
Politics
Gov. Abbott’s ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates will likely face legislative and legal challenges
Posted on · It’s far from clear whether House Speaker Dade Phelan will force through a bill that would ban businesses from requiring their employees get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Town Square
Here’s what we know about the Governor’s vaccine mandate ban, the cost of the pandemic and vaccines for young children
Posted on · A pediatric infectious diseases expert and a health economist discuss vaccines for children under 12 and the cost of the pandemic. Plus, we dive into Governor Abbott’s latest executive order to prohibit vaccine mandates.
The Coronavirus In Texas
Allen West hospitalized after announcing he and his wife have COVID-19
Posted on · The former head of the GOP in Texas who is now a candidate for governor first announced the news on Twitter Saturday.
Politics
A bill to spend $16.3 billion in COVID-19 relief funds has advanced to the Texas House
Posted on · The committee substitute for the bill includes hundreds of millions of dollars to retain frontline health care workers and to support the tourism and hospitality industry.
Town Square
Understanding Alzheimer’s and dementia- part 2
Posted on · Also, a new COVID pill could cut the risk of death and hospitalization by half.
Politics
Texas senators considering how to spend the state’s $16.3 billion in COVID-19 relief funds
Posted on · Under a plan by State Senator Jane Nelson, more than 40% of the money would go to replenish the state’s depleted unemployment insurance fund.
Health & Science
A $100 vaccine incentive may have spurred 29,000 people in Harris County to get their first shot
Posted on · A county public heath data analysis found roughly 28,700 people getting vaccinated who otherwise wouldn't do so as of Sept. 18, the last day of available data.
Town Square
The Hobby Center Enacts New COVID Safety Protocols And How History May Be On Vaccine Mandate’s Side
Posted on · The director of biosafety for research-related infectious pathogens at UTMB Health in Galveston recounts how George Washington led the first mass military inoculation in history against smallpox.
Health & Science
The bill for his COVID test in Texas was a whopping $54,000
Posted on · A businessman from Dallas got a PCR test for the coronavirus at a suburban emergency room. The charge for his test was "egregious" but not illegal, say health care analysts. Here's what happened.
Town Square
Houston Doctor “Optimistic” COVID-19 Vaccines For Young Children Could Be Approved Before Halloween
Posted on · Today, medical experts discuss latest COVID-19 developments – from boosters shots to vaccines for young children.
Coronavirus Prevention
News from NPR
Why Puerto Rico leads the U.S. in COVID vaccine rate — and what states can learn
The highest rate of COVID-19 vaccination in the United States is not in a liberal-leaning Northeastern or West Coast state. It's in a place with a notably different political culture.
ERs are now swamped with seriously ill patients — but many don't even have COVID
Patients who couldn't see a doctor earlier in the pandemic or were too afraid to go to a hospital have finally become too sick to stay away. Many ERs now struggle to cope with an onslaught of need.
What the U.S. can — and cannot — do for vaccine equity per the State Department
The U.S. has pledged to deliver 1.1 billion doses of COVID vaccines to countries in need. Billions more are needed. NPR interviewed the State Department's global vaccine coordinator to learn more.
Despite higher COVID risk, most pregnant Americans remain unvaccinated
Only a third of pregnant Americans are vaccinated for COVID-19, despite being at far higher risk for complications and death.