Austin Moves To Stage 4 Of COVID-19 Risk Guidance

Austin TX

23 July, 2021

12:21 PM

Description

AUSTIN, TX — Austin-Travis County will move into stage 4 of its COVID-19 risk-based guidelines as cases and hospitalizations continue to rise. Health officials announced the change Friday morning during a coronavirus meeting update with local officials. Under stage 4, health officials recommend vaccinated people wear masks at private indoor and outdoor gatherings, while traveling and while dining and shopping. Those who are unvaccinated, are recommended to avoid private indoor and outdoor gatherings, travel only if it's essential (with masks) and to dine and shop only if it's essential (with masks). The area moved into stage 3 of the guidelines last week, and the health agency began recommending people — vaccinated or not — start wearing masks indoors again earlier this week. Today (7/22) the Austin MSA saw 39 new hospital admissions for #COVID19. This brings hospitalizations to 191, which includes 69 in the ICU. Find more data on the dashboards: https://t.co/cP7dcvT0PH Find your COVID-19 Vaccine: https://t.co/uNEZHi3TUK pic.twitter.com/vKv8Eh7pvv— Austin Public Health (@AusPublicHealth) July 22, 2021 Austin-Travis County Health Authority Dr. Desmar Walkes said Thursday in a virtual town hall meeting almost all of the cases and hospitalizations are among people who are not vaccinated. She said APH is in the process of evaluating the data, but so far it shows that around 7 to 8 percent of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the area are vaccinated. "The large majority of people that are in the hospital, almost all the people in the hospital, are unvaccinated, so this still is a pandemic of the unvaccinated," Walkes said. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, about 62 percent of Travis County's eligible population are fully vaccinated. About 782,155 people have received at lease one dose of the vaccine. Travis County isn't the only nearby county to upgrade its risk-based guidelines. Williamson County announced Tuesday it has moved to stage red as the county has reached "uncontrolled community spread." The phase, which went into effect Monday, is labeled as uncontrolled community spread and is achieved when there has been no decline in cases over 14 days, an incidence rate is above 12.7 per 100,000 people, testing positivity rate is above 15 percent during the past 14 days and hospitalization has not declined over 14 days. The Williamson County and Cities Health District reports Monday the incidence rate was at 14.54 per 100,000 people, which has more than doubled in the past week, and has increased 6.5 times since the end of June. MORE ON THAT STORY: WilCo Reaches 'Uncontrolled Community Spread' Of COVID-19 In Texas, about 52 percent of the state's eligible population are fully vaccinated. With cases on the rise statewide, Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday he wouldn't impose another statewide mask mandate. He reiterated cities, counties and school districts are not allowed to require people to wear masks in compliance to his executive order in May. RELATED COVERAGE: 4 Died In Williamson County During Winter Storm: Texas DSHS 28 Died In Travis County During Winter Storm: Texas DSHS