Austin Moves To COVID Stage 3 As Cases, Hospitalizations Drop

Austin TX

12 October, 2021

10:44 AM

Description

AUSTIN, TX — Austin-Travis County is moving back to Stage 3 of its COVID-19 risk-based guidelines as cases and hospitalizations continue to decline in the metro area. Austin Public Health announced the move Tuesday during the Austin City Council and Travis County Commissioners Court's latest COVID-19 update. The decision comes two weeks after APH lowered from its highest risk stage to Stage 4. The drop to Stage 3 means vaccinated people are no longer advised to wear masks in outdoor private gatherings or when shopping. Low-risk vaccinated people also don't need to wear masks when dining, but vaccinated people who are at high risk of severe illness still should. Live in Austin? Click here to subscribe to our free breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and download our free mobile app on Android or iPhone. All vaccinated people should continue to wear masks at indoor gatherings and when traveling. Partially vaccinated and unvaccinated people should wear masks in public, including at indoor and outdoor gathers, when traveling and when dining and shopping, APH officials said. People who are at high risk of severe illness from the virus and who are not fully vaccinated should avoid all of these activities unless they are essential. APH has reported 25 COVID-19-related deaths in October, which officials say is another sign that the virus impacts on the community are slowing. Last month, the county reported 141 deaths in the area. Austin-Travis County first met the threshold to move down to Stage 3 on Oct. 1, when the seven-day average of daily new COVID-19 hospitalizations in the area dropped below 30, health authorities said. Officials said there are 19 new hospitalizations per day in the five-county region on average, which includes Travis and Williamson Counties. This is significantly lower than the average a month ago, which stood at 57. APH reports there are 218 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the Central Texas region, down from a peak of 653 near the end of August. While the high trend of cases and hospitalization has turned for the best, health officials are urging people to remain vigilant as flu season begins, and to get vaccinated for both the flu and COVID-19.