Page 49 - Mark Escott News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Texas lawmakers aren’t all eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. Austin’s top health official is trying to get them vaccinated anyway. Karen Brooks Harper Updated:  Tags:  Legislators greet one another on the floor of the House before the opening of the 2021 legislative session. (Bob Daemmrich/CapitolPressPhoto/Pool) An Austin public health official working to get Texas lawmakers access to the COVID-19 vaccine — regardless of whether they are currently eligible — made a request to a local hospital to administer the shots to members gathering in the capital city for the 2021 legislative...

Over 10K AISD students switch to remote learning at district request Over 10K AISD students switch to remote learning at district request AISD Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Elizalde is asking students to remote learn until January 22 and will continue to evaluate on a weekly basis. AUSTIN, Texas - Over 10,000 Austin ISD in-person learning students switched to remote learning after the district encouraged families to do so to limit the spread of COVID-19 on campus. AISD Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Elizalde is asking students to remote learn until January 22 and will continue to eva...

Leaders of more than 15 Central Texas school districts and public charter schools on Thursday sent a letter to Dr. Mark Escott, interim Austin-Travis County health authority, asking him to prioritize teacher vaccinations and urge the state to include all school staff members in the next round of shots.  The signees, representing the Austin, Lake Travis, Pflugerville, Del Valle, Hays and Georgetown school districts, among others, educate more than 275,000 students in Central Texas. The letter commends the work that Austin Public Health already has done and asks for local health officials to ...

KUT Paulette Ladach tries to sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine through a site created by Austin Public Health. Since providers in Central Texas began administering COVID-19 vaccines in December, many residents have been wondering who can get one, where they can get it and whether it's safe. Health officials in Austin sought to shed some light on those questions during a virtual town hall Wednesday. They assured those watching that the vaccine is safe and effective, but said it’s not a free pass to stop social distancing and masking. Dr. Jason Reichenberg, president of Ascension Medical Grou...

Austin Public Health's state-approved hub for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines provided nearly 4,000 doses to members of the community during its first three days of operation, local health authorities said Thursday.  Officials said the hub's first week of operation will help make adjustments for future distribution plans as needed.  "We're looking at criticizing everything that is happening out here," Austin Public Health spokeswoman Jen Samp said. "We are looking at how long it takes someone to take off their jacket, for example, because five seconds wasted is going to add up whene...