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.

In this video, these UTMB doctors and providers share that they got their own children vaccinated for flu and COVID.

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.

The FDA recently authorized COVID-19 bivalent boosters and the CDC recommended them for everyone 12 years and older. Vaccine Smarts answers some common questions.

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.

Vineet Menachery, a coronavirologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch talked to Katherine Wu about variants improving their ability to resist interferons. “There’s a domino effect,” Menachery said. Wu wrote: “More cells get infected; antibody and T-cell responses hang back, even as viral particles continue to spread. Eventually, the body may get wise and try to catch up. But by then, it may be too late. The brunt of viral replication might be over, leaving the immune frenzy to misdirect much of its havoc onto our own tissues instead.”

“What are we looking at and how long is this going to go on?” said Vineet Menachery, a coronavirus specialist at the University of Texas Medical Branch. “Is this just how we have to deal with it going forward or is there some relief in sight? I think the honest answer is, we just don’t know. We haven’t seen anything quite like this.”

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

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

The FDA has approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and the CDC has recommended it for children ages 5 through 11 years.

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

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.

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?

The medical community is ecstatic about the Food and Drug Administration approval of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the third vaccine to be used for the prevention of COVID-19.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.