Stage 5 COVID-19 Risk: Austin, Travis County Upgrades Guidelines

Austin TX

05 August, 2021

2:54 PM

Description

AUSTIN, TX — Austin-Travis County has upgraded its COVID-19 risk-based guidance to Stage 5 as coronavirus cases, specifically delta variant, spike in the area. The city-county announced the move Thursday after the seven-day average for new hospital admissions moved to 67 with an average of 389 people being hospitalized, according to Austin Public Health Wednesday. As of Wednesday, the threshold for Stage 5 in Austin-Travis County is 50 to 90 new hospital admissions, depending on the rate of increase, authorities said. Based on the latest information about the delta variant, Austin-Travis County will be changing the #COVID19 risk-based guidelines to stage 5. This surge is by far the fastest and most aggressive. Please wear your mask and get vaccinated to protect yourself and your loved ones! pic.twitter.com/65pbGT1EKS— Travis County TX (@TravisCountyTX) August 5, 2021 Stage 5 asks high-risk vaccinated people as well as for partially vaccinated and unvaccinated people to avoid private indoor gatherings altogether with or without masks. High-risk individuals are asked to avoid indoor and outdoor private gatherings altogether, with or without precautions, avoid travel unless it is essential, consider dining outdoors with precautions and that shopping should be takeaway or curbside. For low-risk individuals, indoor and outdoor private gatherings should be with precautions, travel and shopping should also be with precautions and dining should be outdoors and with precautions. "This surge is by far the fastest and the most aggressive that we've seen," said Health Authority Dr. Desmar Walkes on Thursday. Walkes said ICUs are seeing younger people and longer stays from patients – most who are unvaccinated – which adds strain to hospitals. The Texas Department of State Health Services reports Thursday there are 4,593 staffed hospital beds, 477 available hospital beds, 19 available ICU beds and 314 available ventilators in Region O. Since Monday, 85 staffed beds became available, 13 beds (without staff) became unavailable, 12 staffed ICU beds and 14 ventilators became available. On Monday, the region only had seven available ICU beds. While availabilities may have risen, the numbers still remain low for Region O, which covers 11 counties and more than 2.3 million residents. The counties that make up Region O are Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, Burnet, Blanco, Bastrop, San Saba, Llano, Lee and Fayette. DSHS reports about 506 lab-confirmed COVID-19 patients are currently in the hospital. This is a 67 case jump since Monday. There have been 3,890 total hospitalizations and 4,367 total staffed inpatient beds. There were 69 new hospitalizations and 56 new total staffed inpatient beds since Monday. RELATED COVERAGE: Pflugerville Has Highest COVID-19 Cases In Travis County Leander ISD Recommends Students Mask Up In Fall 2021 'Immunity Takes Community': WilCo Campaign Encourages Vaccines