| Austin American-Statesman
Coronavirus restrictions in Austin and Travis County could be eased this weekend, as the number of hospital patients with the virus continues to decline, according to the area’s chief health officer.
Dr. Mark Escott, Austin-Travis County Interim Health Authority, in his weekly public briefing on Friday’s pandemic, said the proportion of coronavirus hospitalizations could remain on Saturday’s seventh day at or below 15 %.
This means that companies would no longer have to operate at 50% capacity and could expand to 75% under state law. Medical offices may also offer elective procedures again, he said.
Governor Greg Abbott, in an executive order last year, said that if more than 15% of total hospitalizations in a specific area for seven consecutive days were composed of patients with coronavirus, the state would require companies to reduce the ability of clients and doctors’ offices to limit some procedures.
Austin and Travis County saw an increase in coronavirus cases in late December, prompting the state to put these restrictions in place shortly after the New Year holiday. The restrictions end when the area for another seven days is less than or equal to 15%, orders say.
Health leaders tried to avoid the increase by recommending restrictions on Austin Public Health’s Stage 5 coronavirus, which required companies to operate at just 25% capacity. However, state law prevented local authorities from requiring companies to do so.
“This is great for our community,” said Escott of the possible changes on Saturday. “But, we still need that surveillance in terms of protecting ourselves and masking and detaching.”
As the surge increases in Travis County, Escott said his focus will remain on vaccinating residents while the state continues to allocate doses to the area.
Escott said it will probably be months before everyone who currently qualifies for vaccinations in Austin and Travis County gets it, especially if the state moves forward with its plan to allow essential workers to begin vaccination.
Austin public health officials said that if essential workers can be vaccinated with people over 65, they will likely put essential workers over 65 on the front lines.
Escott said he was hopeful that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which health officials say is easier to store and requires only one dose to be fully inoculated, will receive emergency approval soon and help speed up the vaccination process.
Austin Public Health officials said on Friday that they plan to open a third vaccination site in northern Travis County to help make the vaccine more accessible throughout the Austin area. But the site does not accept visits, said Stephanie Hayden-Howard, Austin’s director of public health.
Residents can access the Austin Public Health pre-registration website to register for vaccination. Health officials will then call or send messages to those who qualify and make an appointment with them as soon as the vaccine is available.
Austin Public Health officials on Friday asked residents to stop checking the site frequently for consultations, saying that someone will contact them to schedule one.
Heath officials on Saturday will work to administer the last of the 12,000 doses Austin Public Health received from the state on Monday. In addition to the first doses it received, Austin Public Health also administered some second doses of the vaccine to healthcare professionals, nursing home employees and residents.
Austin Public Health is expected to receive another 12,000 doses of the vaccine next week, before the state starts sending larger doses of second doses to some of the 28,717 residents already vaccinated in the city, according to Escott.
These patients will be contacted by email, text message or phone call three to five days before a second dose is due, Hayden-Howard said on Friday.