First known U.S. case of Brazilian COVID-19 variant discovered in Minnesota

A variant of COVID-19 that originated in Brazil has been discovered in a Minnesota patient, officials say. It is the first known case documented in the United States.  

California lifts regional stay-at-home order, allowing more businesses to reopen

More businesses were allowed to reopen with modifications after the state lifted its regional stay-at-home order on Monday, state health officials announced. 

Target giving $500 pandemic bonuses to 375,000 frontline employees

Target has handed out bonuses before during the pandemic, and this latest one gives $500 to hundreds of thousands of frontline workers.

Biden feels confident U.S. will be ‘well on our way’ to herd immunity by summer

President Joe Biden said Monday he’s confident the U.S. will be soon be vaccinating 1.5 million people per day - getting the country “well on our way” to herd immunity by summer.

Lawmaker wants $1,400 stimulus checks reserved for those who get vaccine

President Joe Biden unveiled a massive $1.9 trillion stimulus package proposal that aims to combat the coronavirus and begins to pump up a U.S. economy. 

California resident dies after receiving COVID-19 vaccine, officials say

An investigation was underway, following the death of a person who died shortly after receiving a vaccine for the coronavirus in Placer County last week.

1 in 5 Americans have sexually transmitted diseases

New federal data show that an estimated 1 in 5 people in the United States have had a sexually transmitted infection on any given day and half of them are in people under the age of 24.

Rodeo Austin cancels 2021 ProRodeo, Carnival, Fair & BBQ Austin

For the second year in a row, Rodeo Austin has been forced to cancel its March events due to concerns over the coronavirus.

Merck ends development of 2 potential COVID-19 vaccines after poor results

Merck said Monday that it will focus instead on studying two possible treatments for the virus that also have yet to be approved by regulators.

COVID vaccine rollout continues as many wait to be vaccinated

The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine continues this week, but those doses are not coming fast enough to meet the demand in the Austin area.