The Williamson County Cities and Health District has upgraded the risk of community transmission of COVID-19 to its highest level. The county went from a high risk of catching COVID-19 to an uncontrolled risk on Saturday, according to district news release on Monday.
The upgrade does not change local rules or regulations for businesses, the release said, but the district is urging everyone who can to get vaccinated.
The county has met at least two conditions, based on recommendations by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that allow officials to announce an increased risk of community transmission.
One of the conditions is the number of people getting infected. The incidence of people catching the virus had increased to 14.54 people getting infections per 100,000 people on Monday, the district said.
Texas monitoring increase in COVID-19 cases
In one 24 hour period this week, the daily number of active COVID-19 cases locally jumped.
AUSTIN, Texas - Hospital beds are currently available in Austin. As of Tuesday, there were 124 people hospitalized with confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the five-county metro area.
However in one 24-hour period this week, the daily number of active cases locally jumped. The jump is a reflection of a statewide, upward trend linked to the Delta variant of COVID-19, which is now starting to look like a spike. We re pretty concerned, at the Health Department. Its something we are watching real closely, said Chris Van Deusen with the Texas Department of State Health Services.
DSHS says COVID-19 vaccines not mandatory for school
DSHS says COVID-19 vaccines not mandatory for school
The state is not making COVID-19 vaccinations a requirement for students in the fall despite kids age 12 and older being eligible.
AUSTIN, Texas - While COVID-19 vaccinationsare open to those 12 and older, the state is saying students do not have to be vaccinated for the next school year. However, many parents are still choosing to vaccinate their kids.
Family Hospital Systems told FOX 7 Austin they are getting a lot of interest from parents wanting to vaccinate their teen. On Thursday they had more than 2000 on their waitlist.
Susan Valadez looks at a Texas Department of State Health Services advertisement encouraging people to get the COVID-19 vaccine before she enters a Walmart in Fort Worth on April 30, 2021. Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune
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At its peak, the mass COVID-19 vaccination site at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex in Williamson County was administering about 4,000 doses per day.
Now it’s half that.
County health officials will close the North Austin drive-thru hub in mid-May, shifting the responsibility to a growing number of doctors, pharmacies, public health offices and other smaller providers who have closer relationships with and easier access to the county’s estimated 200,000 eligible residents who haven’t yet gotten vaccinated.
With half of eligible Texans still unvaccinated and supply exceeding demand, Texas shifts COVID-19 vaccination strategies
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FILE - This April 15, 2021, file photo syringes filled with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine are shown at the Christine E. Lynn Rehabilitation center in Jackson Memorial hospital in Miami. With vaccination rates lagging in red states, Republican leaders have begun stepping up efforts to persuade their supporters to get the shot, at times combating misinformation spread by some of their own. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File) (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
At its peak, the mass COVID-19 vaccination site at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex in Williamson County was administering about 4,000 doses per day.