Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday the first phase of reopening the state for business in response to an apparent lessening of Covid-19 cases that have sent the nation into an economic tailspin. Abbott claimed he had the authority to allow the majority of businesses to operate in a limited capacity, in spite of any local […]
Public Health
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Commissioners Court discusses ‘oscillation strategy’ to exit quarantine
As the county’s May 8 end date for its stay-at-home order draws near, the Commissioners Court began to discuss the next steps in the battle to flatten the curve. “There is no return to ‘normal,’” County Judge Sarah Eckhardt said at Tuesday’s meeting of the Commissioners Court. However, she did say there must be an […]
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Austin Recovery says it can’t afford to keep addiction treatment centers open because of Covid-19
Austin Recovery, a nonprofit that has provided substance abuse treatment in Central Texas since 1967, is closing its doors because of the coronavirus. In a letter to staff last week, Austin Recovery board members said the organization’s existing funding gaps were further widened because of the pandemic and it had made the decision to discontinue […]
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Gov. Abbott outlines plan to relax restrictions and gradually reopen Texas economy
Gov. Greg Abbott announced a plan to gradually reopen aspects of the state’s economy, with a goal of allowing Texans to return to work while containing the spread of COVID-19. A new “strike force” made up of state leaders and health officials will advise the governor on next steps, he said at a news conference […]
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CommUnityCare opens new drive-thru testing sites
After indefinitely closing seven CommUnityCare clinics earlier this month, the community healthcare provider opened its second drive-thru Covid-19 testing center to serve eastern Travis County. CommUnityCare is also reopening two of its clinics in the Eastern Crescent. April 16 was the first day of operation for the Central Health drive-thru testing site at the Del […]
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Salvation Army’s downtown homeless shelter closes after positive tests; ARCH confirms first case
Salvation Army Austin’s downtown shelter was closed this weekend after 12 people tested positive for Covid-19. All 187 people staying at the shelter have been moved to a city-leased hotel. KUT has also confirmed the first case of Covid-19 at the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless next door. Corey Leith, a spokesperson for Salvation […]
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Austin officials plan for backup facilities if hospitals become overwhelmed with Covid-19 cases
City officials are preparing to increase the number of hospital beds in the area in case there is a surge of Covid-19 patients overwhelming existing hospitals. Dr. Mark Escott, Austin’s interim medical director and health authority, said the city has created a “surge plan” that would include creating additional facilities to treat patients. Everyone who […]
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Central Health to add additional drive-thru Covid-19 testing site
Travis County Central Health and CommUnityCare will announce the location of one new drive-thru Covid-19 testing site by the end of this week. “By the end of this week, at the latest, we’ll have a plan,” said Matt Balthazar, a vice president at CommUnityCare Health Centers, in a virtual community conversation between Central Health, CommUnityCare […]
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Austin health official expects city’s face-covering guidance will become a requirement
The interim medical director and health authority for Austin-Travis County says he expects a recommendation for Austinites to wear fabric face coverings when they’re outside the home to become a requirement. Dr. Mark Escott said Monday that having people cover their faces when they must leave their homes will help stem the spread of the […]
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Austin Public Health is setting up two facilities to house nursing home residents with Covid-19
Austin Public Health announced Monday that its new nursing home task force is setting up sites to house nursing home residents who test positive for Covid-19. The city says these isolation facilities will give Covid-19 patients who don’t need hospitalization a safe place to recover while staying away from other nursing home residents and staff. […]
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Here’s what Central Texans need to do to not overwhelm our hospitals
We know there will be an outbreak of COVID-19 in Austin, but the severity of the outbreak is up to us. A new report from UT finds that if everyone in Austin reduces their human interaction by 90 percent, the city’s hospitals would be able to treat everyone who gets sick. If people reduce their […]
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Central Texas counties echo Travis, issue stay-at-home orders
While the city of Austin’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has dominated the headlines, surrounding counties are also working to keep their communities safe. Alongside the news of its first presumptive coronavirus case, Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra issued a state of disaster in conjunction with the city of San Marcos on March 15. Then, […]