TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas – The arrival of the first doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in Texas was held Monday, but that celebration was tempered somewhat, but the fact that the state continues to rise in viruses.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler, citing Dr. Mark Escott, Austin’s interim public health authority, said the Austin-Travis County region is heading toward Phase 5 of the list. of public health guidelines.
“Our community has suffered more than 500 deaths from COVID-19. At this rate, in a few days, this pandemic will be the third leading cause of death in our community. It is a serious virus, “wrote Adler.
Austin-Travis County is currently in Stage 4. According to the guidelines in Stage 5, it is suggested that only essential businesses be kept open and that everyone avoid non-essential trips and meetings involving people outside of the immediate home of a person. These recommendations are in addition to social distancing measures such as avoiding the sick, wearing a face mask, and keeping your distance from others.
Specifically, Alder said the jump to phase 5 would occur if the region exceeds 50 hospitalizations daily over a seven-day period, which it is rapidly approaching.
“Brown County Judge Dr. Escott and I have not finalized what rules and guidelines would apply to Red – Risk Level 5. We know that our community will be seriously asked for our commitments to wear masks as long as it is where there are people who are not in your home and to avoid important meetings. “Mask and social distance,” Adler wrote. “Dr. Escott will consider bars (which operate under the exception of the governor’s” restaurant “) as a particular concern to see if there are practices that can make them less safe.”
Adler further warned that there is a risk that Austin-Travis County will exceed ICU capacity, and wrote, “We are able to provide 200 ICU beds for patients with COVID-19. we only have about 90 in the ICU (but we had 79 in the previous day), so we have current capacity, but the person who shows up in our ICU in two weeks is someone who is probably getting infected. our ICU numbers will continue to rise for about two weeks, even after a change in behavior. ”