Health and Human Services

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law that prohibits businesses and government agencies in the state from asking people for proof — digital passport or otherwise — of a COVID-19 vaccination.

Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services in Texas has incorporated augmented and virtual reality into its training process, allowing first responders to prepare more effectively for mass-casualty events.

The new tool will tie into Delaware County’s 911 dispatch to alert CPR-trained individuals of medical emergencies so they can provide assistance in the critical minutes before an ambulance arrives.

Asian Health Services in Oakland, Calif., unveiled a new website to document incidents of inaccessibility on vaccine websites. The site allows people to make reports in 10 languages other than English.

Republican politicians and privacy advocates are bristling over so-called vaccination passports, with some states moving to restrict their use. Critics say they create different classes of citizens.

Across the country, transit agencies are getting involved in vaccination efforts. Many are giving people free rides to vaccine sites via bus, train or light rail routes, or are using their fleets for door-to-door pickup.

A California company says it has received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for consumers to use its COVID-19 test kit at home, which takes 30 minutes and costs $55.

Though the idea of vaccine passports has attracted criticism, the state of New York has taken the plunge as the first state in the U.S. to create one, saying it will help facilitate economic activity. Here's how it works.

The rapid expansion of the COVID-19 vaccine eligibility will present another challenge determining whether California's supply and technology can keep up with the demand.

As coronavirus vaccines become more widespread, critical questions arise around providing proof of vaccination. Blockchain or open source digital ledger technologies could offer a secure solution.

Government agencies of all sorts had to adapt their public communication strategies to address the public health crisis of COVID-19. Those who did so with a human approach found a lasting connection with their audiences.

As the number of COVID-19 cases begins to rise once again in the state, there is bipartisan support in the Legislature to make permanent many of the changes that have driven the increase in telehealth.

A grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will fund technology upgrades at 42 locations, including 26 web conference-enabled classrooms, and help expand healthcare and education in rural areas.

More than 28 million people in the United States have downloaded the mobile apps or activated exposure notifications on their smartphones. Critics say the technology has overemphasized privacy at the cost of usefulness.

The ride-share will be offering up to 20,000 free or discounted rides to New Orleans residents with appointments to receive a COVID-19 vaccination as part of a partnership with the city and a number of other local organizations.

A community's wastewater can predict coronavirus cases that haven't yet been diagnosed. The quicker that information is known, the better.

The new system, developed in partnership with IBM, will allow users to print out their negative test results or vaccine status or store the information in a smartphone app for use at certain venues.

Illinois’ state government is one of several agencies taking a data and analytics-driven approach to messaging around COVID-19 vaccine distribution efforts, similar to the same efforts for the U.S. Census.