DSHS Press Release

New DSHS Anti-tobacco and Vaping Program Now Online at No Cost to Young Texans

September 9, 2025 - The Texas Department of State Health Services launched a new online anti-tobacco and vaping program this month for Texans under the age of 21 who have been referred by the courts or schools after being found in possession of tobacco products. The new E-Cigarette and Tobacco Awareness Program, or ETAP, was developed in collaboration with Texas State University’s Texas School Safety Center.

Health Department Alerts Public About Cinnamon Applesauce Recall

November 16, 2023 - United States - WanaBana USA is voluntarily recalling all lots of WanaBana Apple Cinnamon Fruit Purée pouches due to reports of elevated levels of lead found in certain units of the product.

Flu Vaccination Recommended as Annual Flu Season Kicks Off in Texas

September 29, 2023 - October 1 is Influenza Awareness Day in Texas, and the Department of State Health Services recommends eligible Texans protect themselves and their families by getting a flu shot as soon as possible. It takes the body about two weeks to make flu antibodies after vaccine administration, so early vaccination is crucial.

Health Officials Alert Public to Carbon Monoxide Dangers

February 2, 2023 - With this week’s winter storm causing power outages in Texas, the Texas Department of State Health Services is urging people to use extreme caution with electric generators and heat sources that produce dangerous carbon monoxide.

DSHS Recalls Oysters Harvested in Area of Southeastern Galveston Bay

December 9, 2022 - The Texas Department of State Health Services has ordered a recall of all oysters harvested in the TX 1 area of southeastern Galveston Bay after reports of a few dozen cases of gastrointestinal illness among people who ate oysters from those waters. The recall includes oysters in the shell and shucked oysters harvested in the area from Nov. 17 through Dec. 7.

DSHS Encourages Flu Vaccination Ahead of Thanksgiving

November 14, 2022 - Public Health flu monitoring indicates the Texas flu season kicked off a few weeks earlier than usual this year. That’s why the Texas Department of State Health Services encourages Texans to get vaccinated now to protect themselves and their families from flu as the holidays approach.

Scholarships for EMS Education, Training Available from DSHS

September 21, 2022 - The Texas Department of State Health Services is providing Emergency Medical Service scholarships to help interested Texans complete education and training to begin careers in the EMS field. The Texas Legislature provided $21 million to fund the scholarships for students using approved EMS education programs and licensed EMS providers, with special attention given to rural and other underserved areas of Texas.

Nearly 380,000 Doses Sent to Providers in Third Week of COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

December 29, 2020 - The Texas Department of State Health Services is instructing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ship COVID-19 vaccine to more than 350 providers in 94 Texas counties over the next week. The CDC will deliver 175,100 doses of the vaccine manufactured by Moderna and 81,900 doses of the Pfizer vaccine directly to Texas providers.

Public Health Experts at DSHS, UTHealth Collaborate on Nation’s Largest COVID-19 Serological Testing Assessment

October 19, 2020 - To help public health professionals and scientists better understand the spread of COVID-19 in Texas and the immune response it causes in individuals, researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston are partnering with the Texas Department of State Health Services to launch the Texas Coronavirus Antibody Response Survey, Texas CARES. Texas CARES will determine the proportion of people throughout Texas who have COVID-19 antibodies, indicating a past infection and presumably some degree of immune protection.

DSHS Improves Reporting of COVID-19 Fatalities

July 27, 2020 - The Texas Department of State Health Services is improving the reporting of fatalities due to COVID-19 by identifying them through the cause of death listed on death certificates. This method allows fatalities to be counted faster with more comprehensive demographic data. Using death certificates also ensures consistent reporting across the state and enables DSHS to display fatalities by date of death, providing the public with more information about when deaths occurred.

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