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Travis County slipped back into the less safe level 3 of Austin Public Health’s risk-based guidelines Thursday after four cases of the Delta variant, a highly contagious mutation of the coronavirus, were confirmed in the Austin area this week, according to the Austin. Travis County Health Department.
Earlier this month, the community was close to entering the safest tier, Tier 1, as the seven-day average for new daily hospital admissions for COVID-19 dropped to as low as seven on July 2. But on Thursday that average climbed to 22, a number that has not been seen since mid-April.
Austin public health officials use the average for new hospital admissions to determine which stage of their risk-based guidelines is appropriate. They also use the daily average for new cases, which was up to 94 on Thursday. At the beginning of the month, the average new fall was 34.
“This has to stop and we know how to do it,” said Dr. Desmar Walkes, the senior public health officer for the Austin area, explaining that vaccinations remain the most powerful weapon against rising hospital stays and cases in the presence of the Delta variant.
Harris County Health Authorities are monitoring the emergence of a “Delta Plus” variant, but neither the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention nor the World Health Organization have determined that it is a worrying variant.
Walkes, along with Austin Mayor Steve Adler, Travis County Judge Andy Brown, and Austin Interim Director of Public Health Adrienne Sturrup, announced the exposure of the pandemic progress.
“We can’t pretend we’re done with a virus that isn’t done with us,” Adler added. “Almost everyone in our hospitals, currently in our intensive care units, are people who have not been vaccinated.”
Walkes said capacity in the hospital’s intensive care units was strained Thursday morning due to staff shortages, more patients arriving for other respiratory diseases, more illness from travel and, of course, an increase in coronavirus cases likely to be Delta-related .
Data released Thursday showed 152 people were hospitalized, 49 in intensive care and 23 on ventilators for illnesses related to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, in the Austin area.
Walkes said Thursday that health officials are also seeing an increase in pediatric cases of COVID-19, despite not disclosing how many of the most recent cases are among children.
Below level 3, the biggest change would be for anyone at high risk of developing serious illness or death from the coronavirus, such as the elderly or chronic health problems. Especially if they are not vaccinated, they should wear masks in public and avoid large crowds and leisure travel.
For Travis County residents who are fully vaccinated, health officials will continue to leave the choice of masking to their discretion unless companies in the area again request it.
Austin Public Health’s guidelines – which range from the lowest threat of the spread of the coronavirus at Level 1 to the highest threat at Level 5 – have been used for about a year to help residents understand the extent of the COVID-19 risk for the community to understand while offering rules that they should follow to avoid transmission of the disease.
The region started the pandemic at level 3 and reached level 5 late last year. The city reached level 2 a few months ago but never reached level 1. Stage 1 is considered when the community achieves herd immunity, or when so many are immune from vaccinations or previous illnesses that it would be difficult for the virus to spread further.
Among residents of Austin and Travis Counties who are 12 years of age or older, at least 70.7% have received at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine and approximately 61.7% are fully vaccinated, according to state data as of Thursday.
“The best thing you can still do is get vaccinated,” Brown said Thursday. “This is how we protect our community. This is how you protect yourself from the Delta variant and all other variants that are coming onto the market. So if you have not yet vaccinated yourself, it is not too late.”
HOW TO GET VACCINATION
Austin Public Health and Travis County are partnering with community groups to provide pop-up Covid-19 vaccination clinics that are available to all eligible individuals without registration or appointment.
Friday
• Southeast Library, 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM, 5803 Nuckols Crossing Road, Austin. vaccine: Moderna (only 18+ years)
• Little Walnut Creek Library, 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., 835 W. Rundberg Lane, Austin. vaccine: Moderna (only 18+ years)
• El Rancho Supermercado Research, 5:30 pm-8:30pm, 8752 Research Blvd., Austin. vaccine: Pfizer (ages 12+), Johnson and Johnson (ages 18+ only)
• El Rancho Supermercado – Berkman, 5:30 pm-8:30pm, 6800 Berkman Drive, Austin. vaccine: Pfizer (12 years and older), Johnson & Johnson (18 years old only)
COVID-19 vaccinations are free and do not require identification or insurance. Residents can use Vaccines.gov to find providers in their area or send their zip code to 438829 (822862 in Spanish) to find a clinic nearby.
For more information and updates on COVID-19, please visit AustinTexas.gov/COVID19.
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