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Texas Medicaid, CHIP Changes Extended Into January - 02/24/2021

Some Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) flexibilities put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic have been extended into January, state health officials announced.

COVID-19 Vaccine Shipments Will Resume in Texas This Week - 02/23/2021

The latest COVID-19 vaccines information as of Feb. 23, 2021

FDA Authorizes Another Monoclonal Antibody Treatment - 02/12/2021

Physicians now have another option in the fight against COVID-19, thanks to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) emergency use authorization (EUA) this week of the combination of bamlanivimab and etesevimab.

COVID-19 Vaccines: Encourage Undocumented Immigrants to Receive Vaccines - 02/10/2021

The latest information on COVID-19 vaccines as of Feb. 10, 2021

Reminder: Physicians Must Order Second Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine - 02/10/2021

Physicians and facilities that administer COVID-19 vaccines should remember that the state will no longer automatically send second doses. Instead, physicians and facilities must request an allotment of second doses seven to 14 days after receiving first doses.

Texas is No. 1 in “Hotspots” For Vaccine Exemptions - 02/05/2021

Houston, Fort Worth, Plano, and Austin are among the cities in the nation with the highest number of kindergartners who have not received vaccinations because of nonmedical reasons, according to the study published this week in the journal PLOS Medicine.

Ten Things to Know to Administer COVID-19 Vaccines - 02/04/2021

State health officials have begun distributing COVID-19 vaccines across the state, based on guiding principles that prioritize essential health care workers and vulnerable populations. Here are 10 things to know about administering vaccines manufactured by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna.

Physicians Are Right to Avoid Wasting Vaccine - 02/04/2021

Statement by Texas Medical Association (TMA) President Diana L. Fite, MD, and Harris County Medical Society President Gary J. Sheppard, MD, about situations physicians and health care workers might face when trying to administer all COVID-19 vaccine without wasting it. This issue emerged after Houston authorities leveled accusations against a local physician.

Hand Sanitizers From Mexico Likely to Contain Methanol, FDA Warns - 02/03/2021

Physician practices and other facilities should be aware that alcohol-based hand sanitizers imported from Mexico are likely to contain methanol, which can be toxic when absorbed through the skin, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said in an import alert issued this week.

Significantly More COVID-19 Vaccines Delivered to Texas - 02/02/2021

The latest COVID-19 vaccine news as of Feb. 1, 2021

TMA Praises Governor’s Telemedicine, Broadband, Vaccine Priorities - 02/02/2021

Statement by Texas Medical Association (TMA) President Diana L. Fite, MD, about the health care priorities Gov. Greg Abbott cited in his State of the State address.

Hungering for a Solution: Physicians Can Help Tackle Food Insecurity - 02/01/2021

Not long after COVID-19 hit Texas last March, pediatricians at Austin Regional Clinic (ARC) began screening patients for food insecurity. The timing was coincidental but fortunate given the pandemic’s economic toll.

A Class By Themselves: Texas’ Newest Med Schools Adjust to COVID-19 - 02/01/2021

Texas opened two new medical schools in July – the University of Houston College of Medicine in Houston and Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Conroe. Thanks to COVID-19, both opened under circumstances that would have seemed bizarre just a year ago.

When the Fight Becomes Personal: Physicians Share Their Stories of Contracting COVID-19 - 02/01/2021

It’s no surprise that many physicians were among the more than 1.3 million confirmed COVID-19 cases in Texas last year. Texas Medicine spoke with three Texas physicians who contracted COVID-19 to learn how the disease affected them physically and impacted their outlook as caregivers.

Commentary: Hard Lessons Learned - 02/01/2021

Every pandemic is different, but I think there are some hard lessons we’ve learned during this process that we would be wise to take to heart. Below are what I consider three of the most important ones.

Commentary: This Is Not a Drill - 02/01/2021

On Jan. 21, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the first case of novel coronavirus, later named “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2” (SARS-CoV-2), in the U.S. At the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) we realized it was only a matter of time before the virus arrived in Texas. By Jan. 31, we activated the DSHS State Medical Operations Center to prepare for the coming crisis.

COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts Reaching More Texans, Health Officials Say - 02/01/2021

COVID-19 vaccination efforts are gaining ground in Texas and will continue to improve, but an ongoing shortage of doses hampers the state’s efforts to vaccinate nearly 30 million residents, the state’s top public health official told the Texas Medical Association’s Winter Conference Saturday.

Reminder: Monoclonal Antibody Treatments Available - 01/29/2021

Don’t forget: Patients 12 years and older with mild to moderate symptoms who are at risk for severe COVID-19 disease are eligible to receive monoclonal antibody treatments provided by the federal government.

COVID-19 Health Emergency Likely to Last Through 2021, Health Officials Say - 01/28/2021

The national public health emergency (PHE) related to COVID-19 likely will be extended another 90 days and likely throughout 2021, the acting secretary of the federal Health and Human Services (HHS) Department said in a letter to governors this week.

Your Latest COVID-19 Medical Personnel Questions Answered - 01/28/2021

TMA's updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document can help guide you through any concerns you might have about expanded medical leave, paid sick leave, or complying with other regulations regarding personnel.

COVID-19 Vaccines Can Be Administered Up to Six Weeks After First - 01/25/2021

The latest COVID-19 vaccine news as of Jan. 25, 2021

Encourage your Patients to Participate in the Texas COVID-19 Antibody Study - 01/21/2021

Researchers with The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston have asked physicians to encourage patients to participate in a statewide seroprevalance study on the human antibody response to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

President Biden Outlines Steps to Address COVID-19 Pandemic - 01/20/2021

In a series of executive orders released before taking office Tuesday, President Joseph Biden took several steps to address the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including issuing a mask challenge, re-engaging with the World Health Organization (WHO), and coordinating a unified national response.

COVID-19 Vaccines Report, Jan. 19, 2021: More Vaccine Doses Coming to Texas - 01/19/2021

The latest COVID-19 vaccine news as of Jan. 19, 2021

Staying the Course: Medicine Enters an Unprecedented Session at the Texas Legislature - 01/16/2021

The way the Texas Legislature conducts business during the 2021 session may look different due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the Texas Medical Association’s commitment to improving health care remains the same. Some of those goals are up against deep cuts to state agency budgets. At the same time, however, the pandemic has created opportunities for medicine to bend lawmakers’ ear on some of its longstanding goals, including advancing access to care, vaccines, health coverage, and telemedicine.