NPR

In Texas, 2 Big Problems Collide: Uninsured People And An Uncontrolled Pandemic

Nearly 700,000 Texans have lost health insurance during the pandemic, and the state already had more uninsured people than any other. Many Texans with COVID-19 symptoms hesitate to seek treatment.
Healthcare workers talk in the Covid-19 unit at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas in July.

Steve Alvarez started feeling sick in late June. His symptoms were mild at first, but then he developed a fever, chills and shortness of breath. He thought it was a bad cold he just couldn't shake.

"Just when I started to get to feeling better and I would have a couple of good days," Alvarez says. "I felt like I'd backtrack and I was just really run down. This thing lingered and lingered."

Alvarez, a Tejano musician who lives in the San Antonio area, eventually got a free COVID-19 test provided by the city of San Antonio. A week

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR3 min read
Like To Bike? Your Knees Will Thank You And You May Live Longer, Too
New research shows lifelong bikers have healthier knees, less pain and a longer lifespan, compared to people who've never biked. This adds to the evidence that cycling promotes healthy aging.
NPR2 min readCrime & Violence
How Does Trump's Trial End? It May Hinge On How Jurors Feel About Sex And Privacy
The Trump's Trials team breaks down why prosecutors have a timeline problem, what Michael Cohen's testimony so far has shown, and why it may all come down to a question of sex and privacy in the end.
NPR4 min read
At Morehouse, Biden Says Dissent Should Be Heard Because Democracy Is 'Still The Way'
Facing potential headwinds with both young voters and Black voters, President Biden's Morehouse College commencement address focused on his view of the importance - and future of - democracy.

Related Books & Audiobooks