dangerous times

Alarming South African COVID-19 strain and UK variant emerge in Houston

Two new strains may be on the loose in Greater Houston.

Andriy Onufriyenko/Getty Images

Two worrying COVID-19 variants may be spreading through Houston.

The COVID-19 variant found in South Africa has been confirmed in the Houston area, while the city of Houston has confirmed its first two cases of the variant found in the United Kingdom, CultureMap news partner ABC13 reports.

A Fort Bend County man has been diagnosed with the South African variant, according to Fort Bend County Health Director Dr. Jacqueline Minter. The patient, she said at a briefing, has recovered.

Meanwhile, two Houston-area men — both in their 50s — have been confirmed as suffering from the UK variant. One man traveled overseas in late December and into January, ABC13 notes; the other man’s travel information has not been disclosed. One of the men is being hospitalized.

In grim news, the Houston Health Department advises Houstonians to assume that the UK variant of the coronavirus is now circulating.

“We must assume the UK variant is spreading in our city,” reads a health department tweet, also noting that the vaccines “appear to be effective against the UK variant but it will be months before enough people are vaccinated to make a difference.”

Harris County’s first case of the UK variant was identified last month.

This news comes as city officials do not expect to offer increased appointments for vaccines, though thousands of new inoculations arrived in Houston this week and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott expects to set up a mega site here.

As CultureMap previously reported, one-third of Texans have reported that they will not seek vaccinations. Time will tell if these new variants will force a change of heart.

This is a breaking news story; CultureMap will update it as it develops.

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no more trips to Colorado

Bill to legalize marijuana in Texas filed by Dallas Democrat

Photo courtesy of Texas Original

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Texas Rep. Jessica González (D-Dallas) has filed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas. House Bill 1208 would legalize the cultivation, manufacturing, transportation, and sale of cannabis.

The bill would allow adults 21 and older to use, possess, and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for personal use. Adults could also keep up to 10 ounces of cannabis in their residence, as long as it is stored in a secure location.

Smoking or consuming cannabis while in a public place or in a car on a public road would not be allowed.

Gonzalez filed the bill in mid-November, one in a suite of bills that also included expanding insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization for LGBTQ couples; and requiring landlords to disclose all fees before a rental lease is signed.

Her bill was filed prior to an initiative launched by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on December 4 to ban THC products in Texas entirely.

In addition to legalizing recreational use, the bill also makes provisions for its production and sale including requiring that the packaging be child-resistent and clearly labeled, so that it's not confused for candy.

Businesses looking to grow, transport, test, or sell cannabis would need to be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. A 10 percent tax would be imposed on the sale of all cannabis and cannabis products. Some of the profits would go towards funding public schools.

If passed, the bill would take effect on September 1, 2025.

Medical cannabis is currently legal in Texas under the Texas Compassionate Use Program, which allows low-THC cannabis to be prescribed for conditions such as epilepsy, MS, autism, cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Some cities have also approved decriminalization for the possession of four ounces or less of marijuana, including Austin, Bastrop, Dallas, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and Lockhart.

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