Austin-Travis County Moves To COVID Stage 4 As Omicron Surges

Austin TX

29 December, 2021

10:45 AM

Description

AUSTIN, TX — Austin-Travis County is moving back to stricter Stage 4 COVID-19 guidelines as omicron variant cases continue to surge statewide ahead of the new year. Austin Public Health in a statement early Wednesday said the move to Stage 4 was necessary because of the omicron variant, the newest highly transmissible strain of the virus is currently sweeping the nation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the omicron variant made up more than 58 percent of COVID-19 cases nationwide as of Dec. 25. This is more than the delta variant, which only makes up 41.1 percent. In Texas, the variant makes up more than 90 percent of coronavirus cases, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. As of Monday, Texas officially ran out of sotrovimab, a particular form of monoclonal antibodies that are a key treatment to fight the omicron COVID-19 variant. The state health agency said it will not be able to offer monoclonal antibody treatment until federal authorities ship additional courses of sotrovimab to Texas in January. RELATED: TX Runs Out Of Monoclonal Antibody Treatment As Omicron Surges "One of the greatest traits of Austin-Travis County is how we have consistently been one of the leaders in the state when it comes to lower community transmission rates," Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin-Travis County health authority, said in a statement Wednesday. "Our people have continually stepped up for the greater good and been the example of how to navigate the COVID-19 surges with masking, social distancing and vaccinations," she said. Walkes said the community can't afford to be lax in its prevention efforts and she's confident that Austin-Travis County will once again lead the way. Austin Public Health's guidelines range from Stage 1 to Stage 5, each coming with varying levels of recommendations based on how severe COVID-19 transmission is at the time. As the delta variant surged nationwide, Austin-Travis County was under Stage 5 guidance for weeks until increased vaccination efforts and mask wearing slowly helped bring the Austin area back to Stage 3 on Oct. 12. Under Stage 4 recommendations, fully vaccinated individuals should wear masks when gathering with people outside of their household, traveling, dining, and shopping. APH encourages those individuals to get their booster once eligible. Partially or unvaccinated individuals should wear masks, avoid gatherings with people outside of their household, only travel and shop if essential, and choose takeaway options for dining. Those individuals are asked to get fully vaccinated as soon as possible. Omicron, unlike other COVID-19 variants that show symptoms about a week or two after infection, takes just two to three days from exposure to start causing symptoms, Walkes explained. As a result, those infected during Christmas should start showing signs of infection, along with a positive COVID-19 test, this week. To dodge another round of the devastating effects delta caused over the summer, Walkes is now urging all residents, regardless of vaccination status, to skip New Year's Eve gatherings so more people don't get sick. "I would recommend that people limit their social interactions and social contact and, if they absolutely have to go and gather, that they (have tested) negative," Walkes said, again encouraging everyone in Austin to wear masks in public. Travis County Judge Andy Brown said in a statement Wednesday that the omicron variant is moving fast throughout the Austin community and that the public must do what is necessary to help slow community transmission. "As we get closer to the New Year celebration, I encourage everyone to follow the Stage 4 guidelines and mask up when recommended. These small preventive measures will go a long way when it comes to keeping our entire community safe," Brown said.