A CHRISTUS Health cardiologist is seeing the impact as teens looking for an edge in sports and school, or just following friends, reach for energy drinks.

February is Heart Health Month and doctors at Christus Health say prevention is key to protecting your heart.

Close to 300 workers in Bexar County were recently notified that they would soon be out of a job.

As hospitalization numbers continued to shoot up Thursday, driven by unvaccinated residents, hospitals in the San Antonio area are feeling the squeeze.

SAN ANTONIO – Plainview resident Miquela Hinojosa, also known as Mickie, has been battling COVID-19 since November. “Her daughter was over it within a couple of days, and she thought maybe she was going to be the same way,” said Andy Hinojosa, Miquela’s brother. Andy said doctors told Miquela they needed to send her to a hospital to treat her worsening condition and transferred her to San Antonio. “She talks to the kids, but I mean, short periods of time,” Andy Hinojosa said. “She has been through so much, and there are so many people that are here for her that miss her,” said Amethyst Mitchell, daughter of Miquela Hinojosa.

SAN ANTONIO – CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System is asking the public to practice patience as officials begin to rollout the COVID-19 vaccine in the area. Marisa Emmons, the vice president of clinic operations for CHRISTUS Health, said officials are working diligently to ensure a smooth distribution. Patients phase 1-B include those 65 and older or those 16 and older with certain medical conditions. CHRISTUS Health hopes to have additional appointments for Phase 1B recipients available as early as the middle of the week. Related: Some SA teachers given COVID-19 vaccine; service not available to all educators yet, CHRISTUS Health says

SAN ANTONIO – CHRISTUS Health has confirmed that some educators in the area were given COVID-19 vaccines, though doses are not currently offered to all educators during the beginning phases of distribution. The hospital system said rumors of educators receiving the vaccine caught fire on social media nearly overnight. “To ensure that we are good stewards of the vaccines that were allotted to us, we have *occasionally given doses to those in Tier 1B, which includes teachers. We are hopeful that we will soon be able to openly offer vaccines to teachers and those in Tier 1B. “We hope to expand to Tier 1B in the near future, as more guidance and vaccine doses become available.”Read Texas’ vaccine distribution guidelines in full below:Related: ‘It’s that easy:’ Texas Gov.