Austin Closes Alternate Care Site At Austin Convention Center

Austin TX

24 March, 2021

1:30 PM

Description

AUSTIN, TX — The city of Austin has officially closed the Austin-Travis County Alternate Care Site at the Austin Convention Center. The city said it had discharged the last remaining patients at the alternate care site on Saturday. The site served a total of 215 patients during its operation, with an average length of stay approximately 12 days. Officials said the site was opened last summer in partnership between the City of Austin, Travis County, and the Texas Division of Emergency Management. It was created to provide acute care for patients, but sat idle until Jan. 12. During the winter surge, the site opened to take COVID-19 positive patients to lessen the burden on hospitals caring for patients needing a higher level of care. The Austin-Travis County Alternative Care Site served a total of 215 patients during its operation, with an average length of stay approximately 12 days. (Media Handout by City of Austin)Patients from across the Central Texas region were admitted to the facility, officials said. "The Alternate Care Site was a critical asset to help our healthcare system remain stable," said Dr. Mark Escott, Interim Austin-Travis County Health Authority. "We are thankful to the state and all the contracted staff that worked at the facility to care for residents from across Central Texas." While most patients came from Travis County, the site also cared for patients from across Central Texas — the final tally had patients coming from 11 different counties, authorities said. The city said it had stopped receiving new patients on March 8 as hospitalization cases continued to decline. "We are happy to see the facility is no longer needed. The power to never need a COVID-19 Alternate Care Site again is in the community's hands," said Dr. Jason Pickett, Austin-Travis County Alternate Health Authority. "It is more important than ever to get the vaccine when you are eligible. As a community we must continue to wear a mask, wash our hands frequently, and watch our distance. Doing this will keep us out of another surge in cases." Authorities said the supplies and materials used for operations at the alternative care site will be dismantled and stored at a different location and will be able to be utilized again should cases increase. The Texas Division of Emergency Management has indicated that staffing would again be available if the facility needed to open again.