Governor gets vaccine, Texas hospitalizations still soaring

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has joined the ranks of governors receiving the COVID-19 vaccine on live television in hopes of assuring the public that the inoculations are safe. Abbott, a Republican, said after getting the vaccine Tuesday at a hospital in the state capital that federal health officials have urged governors to set an example. A resurgence of the virus in Texas has put the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients back over 10,000 for only the second time during the pandemic. Nearly 11,000 people were hospitalized in July during a deadly summer outbreak. But Abbott says this time he won’t impose new lockdown measures again as cases climb.