Austin area moves to Stage 4 risk precautions as COVID cases soar
The Austin area is returning to Stage 4 of Austin Public Health's risk-based guidelines to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Stage 4 is the agency's second highest level.
“One of the greatest traits of Austin-Travis County is how we have consistently been one of the leaders in the state when it comes to lower Community Transmission Rates. Our people have continually stepped up for the greater good and been the example of how to navigate the COVID-19 surges with masking, social distancing, and vaccinations,” Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin-Travis County health authority said in a statement Wednesday. “However, as our vigilance begins to wane, our community is falling behind. We can't afford to be lax in our prevention efforts and I'm confident that Austin-Travis County will once again lead the way."
In this stage, vaccinated people are urged to wear masks at indoor and outdoor gatherings with people outside their households, and while traveling, shopping and dining. Unvaccinated people are urged not to gather with people they don't live with, to travel and shop only if essential, and to use takeout and curbside dining services.
To determine the risk stage, APH looks at new hospital admissions, as well as the area's positivity rate, the doubling time of new cases, and the number of current ICU and ventilator patients. In a press release Wednesday, APH said test positivity rate and the seven-day moving average of hospital admissions are "spiking."
Read more: https://www.kut.org/covid-19/2021-12-29/as-covid-cases-surge-austin-area-moves-to-stage-4-risk-precautions
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