The University of Houston-Victoria announced Thursday that it will move to Phase 2 of its reopening plan from Dec. 14 to Jan. 18 in order to ensure a safe campus environment for students, faculty and staff. “As always, our primary concern is the health and safety of our campus community,” UHV President Bob Glenn said. “With the current increases in COVID-19 cases and concerns about possible spikes after holiday gatherings, we thought this adjustment would be […]
COVID-19
Getting Your Flu Vaccine Is More Important This Year Ever
Winter holidays are here and so is Flu Season. The Flu and COVID-19 are both very contagious viruses and spread in similar ways. Getting a flu vaccine is more important than ever during 2020-2021 to protect yourself and the people around you from flu. The vaccine will not protect you from COVID-19, but may keep you from getting both viruses at the same time. Harris County Public Health has Flu Vaccine events throughout December. Getting […]
Stay Safe During the Upcoming Holidays – Take Precautions & Get Tested
If You Celebrated Thanksgiving with a Group, Wait a Few Days to Get Tested for COVID-19 If you’re considering getting tested because you celebrated Thanksgiving with extended family and friends, good idea, but wait about 5 days. It takes about that long after exposure for there to be enough virus in your body for the test to detect. Meanwhile, try to stay home until you are tested and get your results. Get tested even if […]
HCPH Offers Thanksgiving Week Schedule for COVID-19 Test Sites
All Harris County Public Health (HCPH) COVID-19 test sites will be open Monday-Wednesday, 11/23-11/25, before Thanksgiving on Thursday. Some sites will be open Saturday or Sunday after Thanksgiving. Get tested now for free, and to stay safe during the holiday and avoid large indoor gatherings. If you do plan on seeing people, HCPH recommends your group have 10 people or less and that you gather outside, where there is better air flow and you can stay 6 […]
A&M System, Worlds Inc. Collaborate on COVID-19 Breathalyzer
Testing of Aggies Starts Thursday Using Artificial Intelligence-Based Detector The simple act of blowing through a straw could soon come to symbolize a breathtaking leap forward in the COVID-19 fight – and in combating other public health threats, including pathogens that could cause future pandemics. That simple exhaled breath is key to a new device that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to detect whether individuals should be tested for COVID-19. The sophisticated breathalyzer is being developed […]
Harris County Executive Director Leaves Current Position
Today Harris County Public Health (HCPH) announces the departure of their Executive Director Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH. Dr. Shah is set to become the next Secretary of Health for the state of Washington under Governor Jay Inslee, effective December 18, 2020. Dr. Shah first joined HCPH in 2004, as Deputy Director and the Director for Disease Control and Clinical Prevention. He was appointed HCPH Executive Director by Harris County Commissioners Court in 2013. “Under […]
Holiday Spending Survey: Despite COVID Restrictions, Two-Thirds of Teens Expect to Do Holiday Shopping “In-Store”
Junior Achievement Survey Shows One-in-Ten Teens Expects to Spend Less This Year Due to the Pandemic Despite social distancing guidance in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new survey by Junior Achievement (JA) shows that two-thirds of teens (68%) expect to do some of their holiday shopping “in-store,” at malls, discount stores, electronics stores, and at small businesses. Nearly as many (65%) expect to do some of their holiday shopping online. The survey of 1,003 […]
Texas A&M System Leaders Ask Students to Take a COVID Test Before Thanksgiving Dinner
System officials strive for healthier period between semesters The top official at The Texas A&M University System has a plan to minimize the spread of COVID-19 as students head home for the holidays. Chancellor John Sharp is asking the presidents of the System’s 11 universities to encourage students to voluntarily get tested for COVID-19 before they leave campus for home. Chancellor Sharp said he wants to make sure the families and communities of the System’s […]
Central Fort Bend Chamber Gala And Awards Celebration Held Virtually
On November 13, 2020, the Central Fort Bend Chamber held their Annual Gala and Awards Celebration virtually. “We’re taking the COVID-19 pandemic very seriously and the health of our members, sponsors and volunteers is of great importance to us. That is why we made the difficult decision to hold our gala virtually this year,” said Kristin Weiss, President and CEO of the Central Fort Bend Chamber. Approximately 200 guests attended the virtual gala, which was […]
Keeping the Holiday Season Merry and Bright
How to Help Celebrate the Holidays More Safely this Year Preparations for the upcoming holiday festivities have begun, and while the usual hustle and bustle of this merry season may not be the same, there are still ways to celebrate and stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. When making plans for the holidays, consider the following factors: Community Positivity Levels. Consider the level of positive cases in the community, whether your own or one you’ll […]