Health & Human Services

Gov. Greg Abbott Says He's Rescinding Statewide Mask Mandate and Capacity Limits on Businesses

The change, which comes as the seven-day average of new coronavirus deaths in Texas remains above 200, will go into effect March 10.

  • By Patrick Svitek, The Texas Tribune

Covid-19 Revealed How Sick the U.S. Health Care Delivery System Really is

COMMENTARY | The pandemic has exposed flaws like subpar IT systems and lacking coordination between public health agencies and medical providers.

  • By Elizabeth A. Regan, The Conversation

Covid Infections Fall Steeply in Nursing Homes Since Vaccine Rollout

Since December, infection and death rates among residents and workers in long-term care facilities have significantly declined and fewer health care workers are refusing vaccines.

  • By Andrea Noble

Travel Bans do Little to Stem Covid-19 Spread

COMMENTARY | New research finds that limiting personal mobility through travel restrictions and similar tactics is effective only in the first phases of the epidemic, and reduces in proportion to the spread of infection across a population.

  • By Karl Greenberg, Futurity

Texas Workers Struggle to Pay for Groceries and Rent after Losing Wages During Winter Storm

Many hourly wage employees across the state lost working hours last week during the storm and power outage disaster. Now, they’re left with a choice between paying for rent or groceries.

  • By Duncan Agnew, The Texas Tribune
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New Tools Help State and Local Governments Battle Ransomware, Other Big Disasters

When governments find themselves being ransomed, their choices are typically to pay, which will undercut their ability to deliver key services to their communities due to budget restrictions, or not pay, resulting in the immediate inability to serve their communities and the loss of key data that will inevitably plague them for years afterwards.

  • Presented by Veeam

Where the Economy Tanks, Heart Attack Deaths Rise

COMMENTARY | The diverging economic fortunes of different parts of the country in the period after the 2008-2009 recession is linked to differing death rates from heart disease and stroke among middle-aged Americans, researchers report.

  • By Sameed Khatana, Futurity

Black Churches Fill a Unique Role in Combating Vaccine Fears

“I have tried to suggest that taking the vaccine, social distancing and protecting themselves in their household is something that God requires us to do as good stewards," says one pastor.

  • By Anna Almendrala, Kaiser Health News

States Fail to Prioritize Homeless People for Vaccines

At least 20 states haven’t included homeless shelters in vaccine plans.

  • By Lindsey Van Ness, Stateline

Five Pandemic Mistakes We Keep Repeating

COMMENTARY | We can learn from our failures.

  • By Zeynep Tufekci, The Atlantic

Air Pollution Puts Kids at Higher Risk of Disease in Adulthood

COMMENTARY | Even brief exposures to air pollution can cause future problems for kids, according to new research.

  • By Robert Jordan, Futurity

Family Caregivers are the Health Care Workers that Vaccination Plans Overlook

COMMENTARY | Millions of family members provide medical care for loved ones with disabling conditions. Excluding them from vaccination plans is symptomatic of a failure to formally integrate and recognize them as part of the health care system.

  • By Esther M. Friedman

Covid Vaccine Websites Violate Disability Laws, Create Inequity for the Blind

An investigation finds that covid vaccine registration and information websites at the federal, state and local levels are flouting disability rights laws and limiting the ability of people who are blind or visually impaired to sign up for shots.

  • By Lauren Weber and Hannah Recht, Kaiser Health News
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New Index Ranks State Efforts to Alleviate Youth Homelessness

The research findings suggest it’s an area where many states have room for improvement.

  • By Bill Lucia

Study: Vaccinating Teachers Could Help Get Kids Back in Classrooms

Federal researchers examined coronavirus cases in a Georgia school district and their findings suggest that educators had a central role in transmitting the virus in schools.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

California Will Provide $600 Relief Payments to Many Individuals

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation Tuesday that will extend pandemic aid to low-income and immigrant households.

  • By Bill Lucia

Two Women Dressed Up as 'Grannies' to Skip Vaccine Line, Officials Said

The allegedly disguised women were issued trespassing warnings after officials in Orlando found discrepancies between their identification and Covid-19 vaccine registration cards.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Catching Covid From Surfaces is Very Unlikely. So Perhaps We Can Ease Up on The Disinfecting

COMMENTARY | Surface transmission is possible and does pose risks in certain situations. But the threat is relatively small.

  • By Hassan Vally, The Conversation

Bills to Block Mandatory Worker Vaccines Falter in the States

The proposals have emerged in at least 23 states. Despite lobbying from anti-vaccine groups, experts say they are unlikely to pass.

  • By Sophie Quinton, Stateline

The Most Likely Timeline for Life to Return to Normal

An uncertain spring, an amazing summer, a cautious fall and winter, and then, finally, relief.

  • By Joe Pinsker, The Atlantic

Tenants Struggle Amid Patchwork of State Rental Relief Efforts

Whether billions of dollars in aid will help save renters depends on how effectively states distribute the money.

  • By Alex Brown, Stateline

Vaccine Appointment Link Sharing ‘Highly Problematic’ for Health Departments

Virginia transitioned to a new centralized coronavirus vaccine registration system this week that officials said should help prevent people from passing links they use to schedule shots on to others.

  • By Andrea Noble