Local health officials are hoping people will heed the warnings about gatherings outside the household this week to avoid a repeat of what happened after other holidays this year. Most coronavirus numbers are still moving in the wrong direction in Austin and Travis County. There appears to be some improvement in recent days in the […]
Public Health
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Austin area moves to Stage 4 Covid-19 risk guidelines
Lee esta historia en español. Austin is now under Stage 4 coronavirus risk guidelines, interim Austin-Travis County Health Authority Dr. Mark Escott announced Thursday, following an increase in hospitalizations and cases. Under these guidelines, the public is urged to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people, and businesses are recommended to reduce capacity to 25-50 […]
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Austin’s HIV Planning Council takes on an epidemic amid a pandemic
This year has presented unique challenges to the HIV Planning Council, leading to new ways of delivering medication, virtual doctor visits and a newfound emphasis on mental health services. The HIV Planning Council is a group of volunteers appointed by the mayor who decide the allocation of funds from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, which […]
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Officials say Austin will see a second Covid-19 surge, unless people recommit to social distancing
Health officials are pleading with Austinites to avoid gatherings and get tested for Covid-19 as cases and hospitalizations approach the same levels seen in June, right before the first surge. Over the past month, the Austin area doubled its moving average of new cases, hospital admissions and ICU admissions. Austin Public Health said the five-county […]
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Austin’s seeing its highest Covid cases since August. Most of those cases are among younger people.
Active Covid-19 cases in Austin have hit their highest levels since August, a rise Austin Public Health officials have largely pinned on 20- to 39-year-olds. In an announcement Thursday morning, health officials said more than half of positive tests in the five-county Austin area were among folks within that age range and urged people who […]
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City tracks $450M cost of Covid
About eight months in, the Covid-19 pandemic has cost the city $449.9 million. The total, according to an Oct. 30 memo from Deputy Chief Financial Officer Ed Van Eenoo, represents the initial $271.6 spending framework approved by City Council in May and “five months of actual spending, additional Council direction, refined federal guidance, new grant awards, […]
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Austin’s top doctor warns November Covid surge could be worse and last longer than the first
There is a 100 percent probability that the coronavirus epidemic is growing in the Austin metro area, according to modeling from the University of Texas Modeling Consortium. As other areas across Texas – most notably El Paso – experience new surges of Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations, the city’s interim health authority says Austinites must remain […]
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Austin Public Health launches coalition to prepare for future Covid-19 vaccine distribution
Austin Public Health is gearing up for when a Covid-19 vaccine becomes available. The health authority announced Friday the launch of the Covid-19 Vaccine Distribution Coalition, a group of health care and community partners that will help APH develop strategies for distributing the vaccine. “Slowing the spread of Covid-19 in Austin-Travis County has been a […]
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Austin Public Health official says there’s a 96% chance the Covid-19 epidemic is growing in the area
Austin’s top doctor said Wednesday there’s a 96 percent chance the Covid-19 epidemic is growing in the area, up from about 90 percent the day before. “This is not an Election Day gimmick. This is real,” Dr. Mark Escott, interim health authority for Austin-Travis County, said during a news conference. “We spent several weeks over […]
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Austin Public Health official says governor relaxed capacity rules too soon
Lee esta historia en español. Austin Public Health’s interim health authority says he would have rather waited a few more weeks before easing capacity restrictions for businesses in the area. On Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced that many businesses, including restaurants, gyms and libraries, may open at 75 percent capacity beginning Monday. Dr. Mark Escott […]
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Thousands of free masks and hand sanitizer will be given out in Travis County’s Covid-19 hot spots
Lee esta historia en español. Tens of thousands of face masks and bottles of hand sanitizer will be distributed for free in coronavirus hot spots in the Austin area, public health officials announced Wednesday. The distribution events, the first of which is scheduled for Friday, will be spread over the next several weeks in a […]
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New Austin Public Health plan addresses Covid-19 disparities in Hispanic/Latinx community
Austin Public Health has revealed a new draft strategic plan to tackle disparities in Covid-19 cases in the city’s Hispanic/Latinx community. The plan, developed by the Hispanic/Latinx strike team within APH’s new Social Services Branch, is divided into four strategic goals: Outreach, Prevention, and Communication; Testing and Contact Tracing; Access to Quality Clinical Resources; and […]