image of adolescent brunette girl with glasses and a red and white striped shirt coughing while sitting at a table covered in books and notebooks.

Respiratory viruses and back-to-school

Communities in the area are seeing an uptick in individuals with COVID-19, and with that experts are reminding it's not too soon to think about other respiratory illnesses like the flu and RSV.

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Be aware: COVID is not done with us yet

People are sick of hearing about COVID. So are we! But the truth is, the virus is not sick of us, and it’s not going anywhere. There has been nearly a 30 percent increase in COVID hospitalizations among elderly adults in the past two weeks. You should be aware of new information.

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Third dose booster offers many benefits for children

Like many common vaccines, the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines should have been a three-dose series. The first two injections prime the immune system, and the third boosts it to provide a higher antibody response. In 5 to 11 year olds, the booster more than doubles the antibody levels found following the second dose. Additionally, boosting has been shown in other age groups to further improve the antibodies so that they better bind the virus and provide more protection against variants.

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Covid Vaccine and Kids 5+

Dr. Elizabeth Rodriguez Lien shares what parents need to know about the COVID-19 vaccine and the 5+ population.

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Hand Hygiene 101: Preventing Disease

National Handwashing Awareness Week (Dec. 1-7) serves as an annual reminder to practice proper hand hygiene to curb the spread of disease.

Pediatric Primary Care

Back to School Wellness

Dr. Manuela Murray joined Meagan Clanahan of the Houston Moms Blog to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine, back-to-school well-checks and more.

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The best memories are made in person.

Approved for individuals 12 years of age and older, the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is now available at all UTMB Health primary care clinics—just in time for back to school check-ups and physicals.

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Understanding COVID-19 variants

The development of SARS-CoV-2 variants isn’t a surprise. The shocking thing, based on what we thought we knew about coronaviruses, is the speed at which variants developed and spread. The question remains: Should we be worried?

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What to know about pregnancy and COVID-19 vaccines

Much more is known about COVID-19 and pregnancy now that we’re a year into the pandemic. Fortunately, in the majority of cases, SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy turns out well. COVID-19 can be worsened, however, by the extra work of breathing and stress on the heart that occur with pregnancy.

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Here are answers to a few of your questions about the COVID-19 vaccine

We’ve received many questions from readers anxious about receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Several questioned if they should be vaccinated at all while others wondered if they need to continue wearing masks once vaccinated. I hope our responses help answer the questions you may have as well.

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Benefits outweigh risks of COVID-19 vaccines

Texans are lining up to receive their COVID-19 vaccine and many more are patiently waiting their turn. The good news is that while COVID-19 can be life-threatening, the only medical risk to vaccination is for those with a history of allergic reactions to these vaccines or their ingredients.

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Which COVID-19 vaccine should you get?

In front of the press, President-elect Joe Biden rolled up his sleeve for the Pfizer vaccine and Dr. Anthony Fauci for the Moderna vaccine. While some tried to read something into their choices, these vaccination events were likely arranged to instill public trust in both vaccines. Regardless, the public wants to know which vaccine is best.

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When will it be my turn to get the COVID-19 vaccine?

It’s music to many physicians’ ears to hear people clamoring for their COVID-19 vaccine. The virus has damaged the economy and taken far too many lives. A year ago, it was unbelievable that effective, safe vaccines could be delivered in less than a year from the first identification of a new pathogen.

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Here are some answers about new COVID-19 vaccines

Two COVID-19 vaccines have received Emergency Use Authorization in the United States. They’re commonly referred to as the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Both are messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines and use a technology developed over the last decade.

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'Immunity passport' might be our ticket back to normal

The fantastic news about the safety and effectiveness of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines has led many to ask when things will return to normal.

close up of a COVID-19 spike

Volunteers to purposefully get COVID-19 to help you

It may seem crazy, but in some clinical trials volunteers are purposely infected with diseases like the flu, cholera and malaria. These types of trials are referred to as challenge studies.