Speaking to reporters earlier this week, Interim Health Authority Dr.
Mark Escott spelled out Austin s start to the new year in no uncertain terms: It appears we are going to enter 2021 in a state of emergency, said Escott at a Dec. 28 press conference. In the next several weeks, we may run out of hospital beds, we may run out of ICU beds, and it could happen a lot sooner than that – as early as a week to two weeks from now.
The dire warning is one of many from local health officials amidst what officials have deemed an ongoing worsening condition of COVID-19 in Austin-Travis County since November.
Dozens of Austin bars fined for violating COVID-19 safety rules
Dozens of Austin bars fined for violating COVID-19 safety rules Twenty-five Austin bars recently cited and fined for violating COVID-19 safety rules.
Photo by Daniel Cavazos Austin and Travis County have again reached Stage 5 the highest level of COVID-19 community risk and more than two dozen Austin bars are in hot water for violating local and state safety rules. Interim Medical Director and Health Authority Dr. Mark Escott says such violations have directly contributed to a rise in local COVID-19 cases among young populations. “Unfortunately, we have many bars that are not behaving well and are contributing to these cases,” Escott said during a Travis County Commissions Court session December 22. “So, if we could close one thing, that one thing would be bars. I think we need to look at that. I think the state needs to look at that again and decide whether it’s time to close the loophole that’