The outbreak in Texas

This week’s COVID-19 digest

On Monday, the state of Texas widened its vaccine eligibility, officially allowing anyone over the age of 16 to receive a vaccination for COVID-19. The response was immediate, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced the “Take Your Best Shot” college challenge, encouraging local universities to compete to vaccinate the most students and alumni.

Also on deck to receive vaccines on that first day of open eligibility: The Houston Astros, who stepped up to the vaccine plate on Monday, ahead of the team’s Tuesday flight to Oakland for opening day.

By Wednesday, Hearst Newspapers found that 1 in 3 adults across Texas have received at least one shot of the vaccine. And by Thursday, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo joined the ranks. That same day, the University of Texas resumed spring football practice, after a weeklong pause due to COVID-19 protocols.

With the widened vaccine eligibility now in place, vaccinations continue to increase. More than 7.7 million people have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, which is 34.7 percent of the population 16 and older. More than 4.3 million Texans are now fully vaccinated.

In Bexar County, 505,101 people, or 32.53 percent of residents age 16 and older, have received at least one vaccine dose. More than 300,000 people are now fully vaccinated, and more than 795,000 doses of the vaccine have been administered in the county.

While vaccination numbers continue to rise, hospitalizations continue to decrease, with 2,928 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 statewide, the lowest it’s been since mid-June and a decrease of more than 45 percent from a month ago.

There was a slight decrease in the state’s seven-day average of new cases during the week, with the state recording 24,714 new cases, the fifth straight week with a decline in new cases.

There were 653 newly reported deaths in Texas, the

32nd-highest weekly death toll since the start of the pandemic and a decline from last week. This is the lowest weekly death toll since Nov. 6.

The positive test rate remains low and is now 5.41 percent.