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GOOD MORNING, I'M LASHONDRA AUSTIN, AND I AM THE MODERATOR FOR TODAY'S NEWS CONFERENCE, SPANISH INTERPRETATION OF THE TWO'S CONFERENCES ON ATX IN THREE TO START
[COVID-19: Press Q & A]
DR.MARK S. SCOTT, INTERIM AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH AUTHORITY, OR FIRST FEW WORDS FOLLOWED BY AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTORS, STEPHANIE HAYDEN, THEN TRAVIS COUNTY, JUDGE ANDY BROWN.
AND LASTLY AUSTIN MAYOR STEVE ADLER.
WE WILL THEN OPEN IT UP TO THE POOL REPORTER WHO WILL ASK QUESTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE MEDIA, DR.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE REACHED ANOTHER CRITICAL MOMENT IN OUR COVID-19 FIGHT HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, AND ACROSS AMERICA WITH MORE THAN 250,000 AMERICANS DEAD ALREADY, INCLUDING ABOUT 20,000 TEXANS.
AND WE'VE SEEN CATASTROPHIC SURGE HAPPEN AROUND THE STATE AND AROUND THE COUNTRY.
I'M GOING TO SHARE A SLIDE WITH YOU TO DEMONSTRATE THE KIND OF IMPACT THAT WE'RE SEEING ACROSS OUR STATE.
OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THIS GRAPH IS SHOWING US THE ACTIVE CASES PER A HUNDRED THOUSAND IN THE MAJOR METROPOLITAN COUNTIES ACROSS TEXAS.
WE HAVE WORKED HARD AND WE HAVE KEPT THE DISEASE SPREAD DOWN HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY, WHICH IS THIS DARK BLUE LINE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GRAPH THAT YOU'RE SAYING.
BUT WHAT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN EL PASO AND THE GRAY LINE.
AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN LUBBOCK, WHICH IS THE BLUE LINE.
THIS GRAPH IS DATA THROUGH THE END OF LAST WEEK, WHICH SHOWS MORE THAN 4,000 CASES PER A HUNDRED THOUSAND ACTIVE IN EL PASO.
THAT NUMBER HAS INCREASED OVER THIS WEEK TO 4,762 ACTIVE CASES PER A HUNDRED THOUSAND AS COMPARED TO TRAVIS COUNTY AT 161, WE ARE NOT IMMUNE FROM THIS.
WE ARE NOT IMMUNE FROM A CATASTROPHIC SURGE, AND WE CAN SEE THAT SURGE IS HAPPENING ACROSS TEXAS.
IT'S HAPPENING IN LUBBOCK DALLAS, FORT WORTH ABALEEN AMARILLO, LONGVIEW, TYLER MIDLAND ODESSA, AND WE'RE SEEING CASES RISE IN HOUSTON AND SAN ANTONIO.
AND HERE IN AUSTIN, THE CHALLENGE IS THAT A SURGE LIKE THIS IN AUSTIN WILL REQUIRE US TO HAVE MORE THAN 600 ICU BEDS AND MORE THAN 2,400 HOSPITAL BEDS, JUST TO CARE FOR THE PEOPLE IN OUR JURISDICTION.
IN FACT, WHEN WE REVISED AND REVIEWED OUR GUIDANCE OVER THE SUMMER, WE INITIALLY HAD A THRESHOLD FOR TRANSITION TO STAGE FOUR SET AT 40.
THAT 40 WAS BASED UPON ON ICU BEDS AROUND THREE TO 400 THROUGH WORKING WITH OUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND THE UT MODELING CONSORTIUM.
WE IDENTIFY THAT 200 ICU BEDS IS ABOUT THE MAXIMUM THAT WE CAN MANAGE NOW BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT OR THE SPACE TO PUT PEOPLE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE STAFFING ISSUES.
AND WHEN WE SEE SURGE LIKE THIS WRAPPING AROUND THAT AROUND THE STATE, THOSE STAFFING RESOURCES ARE SEVERELY DIMINISHED, DECREASES OUR ABILITY TO PULL IN OTHER PEOPLE FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS TO HELP CARE FOR PATIENTS HERE BECAUSE OF THIS, WE HAVE HAD TO TRANSITION THE THRESHOLDS FOR STAGE FOUR AND STAGE FIVE STAGE FOUR.
TRANSITION IS NOW SET AT 30 ON THE HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS ON THE SEVEN DAY MOVING AVERAGE IN STAGE FIVE AT 50.
SO THIS MEANS THAT CURRENTLY WE HAVE MADE THE DECISION BASED UPON THE DATA THAT WE'RE SEEING, THE INCREASING NUMBERS OF CASES, WHICH WAS UP TO 300 YESTERDAY FOR THE FIRST TIME, SINCE THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST AND THE INCREASING POSITIVITY, WHICH IS NOW, UH, CLOSE TO 7% THAT WE ARE TRANSITIONING US TO STAGE FOUR IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
THIS IS AT A TIME WHEN WE ALSO MUST CONSIDER THE FACT THAT WE'RE AT A STAGE WHERE WE CAN STILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
WE CAN STILL AFFECT THE INCREASE THAT WE'RE SEEING AND PREVENT A SURGE FROM HAPPENING BY CATASTROPHIC SURGE, LIKE AS BEING SEEN IN EL PASO AND IN LUBBOCK TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT KIND OF IMPACT
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THAT WE COULD HAVE ON THAT THROUGH OUR ACTIONS AND OUR DECISIONS.I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF GRAPHS HERE, UH, THAT HAD BEEN PRODUCED BY THE UT, UH, COVID 19 MODELING CONSORTIUM.
THIS GRAPH DEMONSTRATES IN THE YELLOW LINE.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE TRANSMISSION STAYS WHERE IT IS TODAY? AND YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS A GRAPH OF THE ICU BEDS THAT WE WOULD NEED.
UH, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE PREDICTION IS THAT WE WOULD NEED MORE THAN 400 ICU BEDS BY FEBRUARY AND MARCH.
AND THAT THAT NUMBER COULD BE AS HIGH AS SIX OR SEVEN A HUNDRED, BUT THROUGH OUR ACTIONS, THROUGH OUR DECISIONS, THROUGH OUR, OUR CALL TO VIGILANCE, WHICH HAS BEEN RENEWED, WE CAN CUT THAT DOWN.
IF WE, IT DEUCE OUR ACTIVITY AND OUR EXPOSURE BY 50%, FROM WHAT TODAY WE CAN FLATTEN THE CURVE OUT AGAIN, AS WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST IN TRAVIS COUNTY AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN, IF WE ACHIEVE EVEN GREATER GOALS OF 75% REJECT RATE REDUCTION, WE CAN REALLY FLATTEN THE CURVE VERY QUICKLY AND KEEP IT FLAT UNTIL WE GET A VACCINE, WHICH IS WITHIN REACH RIGHT NOW, WE SEE SIMILAR GRAPHS ASSOCIATED WITH THE HOSPITAL ADMISSION CHANGE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT FOLLOWING THANKSGIVING, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE RISK.
AND WHY IS THAT? BECAUSE THANKSGIVING IS A TIME WHEN WE ALL GET TOGETHER.
THANKSGIVING IS A TIME WHERE FOR COVID-19, WE ARE GOING TO BE THE MOST VULNERABLE IT'S EFFECTIVELY LABOR DAY AND MEMORIAL DAY AND INDEPENDENCE DAY, ALL COMBINED INTO, INTO ONE BIG EVENT THAT UNFORTUNATELY DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE TRANSMISSION OF THIS DISEASE POSES, THE MOST SIGNIFICANT RISK THAT WE'VE SEEN THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC.
SO ULTIMATELY WHAT WE NEED PEOPLE TO DO IS NUMBER ONE, IF YOU'RE HIGH RISK, IF YOU'RE OVER THE AGE OF 65, IF YOU HAVE UNDERLYING SIGNIFICANT HEALTH CONDITIONS, YOU NEED TO STAY HOME.
YOU NEED TO SEND OTHER PEOPLE OUT.
IF YOU CAN, TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE OR THE HARDWARE STORE, OR TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR DAY TO DAY TASKS.
AND WE ALSO NEED TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY, EVEN IF THEY'RE LOWER RISK, IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE INTERACTING WITH OTHER PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD TO DO SO WITH A MASK ON AND SOCIAL DISTANCE, WE HAVE LOTS OF CASES THAT WE'VE REVIEWED.
AND WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THE SAME THING THAT WE'VE BEEN SAYING THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC.
AND THAT IS WHERE MASUR BEING WORN AND WHERE PEOPLE ARE DISTANCED DISEASES, NOT SPREADING EFFECTIVELY, WHERE IT IS SPREADING IS WHEN PEOPLE TAKE OFF THAT MASK AND CLOSE THAT SIX FOOT OF DISTANCE TO BE CLOSER TO OTHER PEOPLE.
I KNOW IT'S CHALLENGING, BUT WE HAVE TO RENEW THE CALL TO ACTION.
WE'RE ALSO ASKING BUSINESSES TO REDUCE THEIR OCCUPANCY TO 25 TO 50% TO HELP US MITIGATE THE RISK OF SPREAD.
WE KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A HARD TIME FOR OUR BUSINESSES, BUT WE WANT TO KEEP THEM OPEN.
AND THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS TO LIMIT THE RISK THAT WE HAVE NOW AND KEEP THEM FUNCTIONING, KEEP THEM OPEN, OPEN, AND KEEPING THEM PRODUCTIVE.
IF WE DO NOT TAKE THE STEPS TO CHANGE NOW TO MITIGATE THE RISK, TO FLATTEN THE CURVE, WE COULD BE IN STAGE FIVE TERRITORY AND JUST A FEW WEEKS, AND WE MUST DO ALL THAT.
WE CAN TO PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING SO THAT WE CAN KEEP OUR BUSINESSES HEALTHY.
KEEP OUR SCHOOLS HEALTHY, HEALTHY, AND KEEP OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT OVER.
I WANT US TO REMEMBER YOUR OLDER PARENTS, YOUR GRANDPARENTS, YOUR AUNTS, YOUR UNCLES, AND OTHERS THAT ARE A PART OF YOUR FAMILY, THE PEOPLE WHO DO YOU HOLD NEAR AND DEAR TO YOUR HEART, THE PEOPLE WHO YOU KNOW, THAT THEY'VE DONE SO MUCH FOR YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL, TO HELP WITH YOUR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO YOU LOOK UP TO.
WE KNOW THAT IF YOU HAVE UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS, DIABETES, ASTHMA, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, YOU HAVE UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS.
WE WANT YOU TO REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW OUR COMMUNITY HAS REALLY STRUGGLED WITH COVID-19.
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WE HAVE SEEN THAT ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND ARE HISPANIC AND LATIN X POPULATIONS HAVE REALLY HAD A DIFFICULT TIME WITH COVID.WE HAVE ALL LOST FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS THAT WE HOLD DEAR TO US.
THIS IS THE TIME AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
IT IS A CALL FOR ACTION FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD AND LOOK AT OUR BEHAVIOR.
TAKE SOME PERSONAL TIME TO REFLECT ABOUT THE BEHAVIOR THAT YOU HAVE.
WHAT DID YOU, WHAT HAVE YOU STOPPED DOING RECENTLY? ARE YOU MAKING ESSENTIAL TRIPS THAT YOU WERE NOT MAKING BEFORE? ARE YOU LETTING YOUR GUARD DOWN, NOT WEARING YOUR MASK? NOT SOCIALLY DISTANCING.
I UNDERSTAND THAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE MADE SO MANY SACRIFICES.
I KNOW FOLKS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO GET MARRIED, UM, CHANGED, UM, THEIR IDEA OF, OF WHAT THEIR WEDDING PLANS WERE.
I KNOW INDIVIDUALS THAT CHANGED THEIR, UM, CELEBRATIONS FROM THEIR BIRTHDAYS.
UM, AND I KNOW SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE MADE SO MANY SACRIFICES.
I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE ARE FATIGUED.
UM, THIS HAS GONE ON FOR QUITE A WHILE, AND I CAN HONESTLY SAY WE, WE, WE ALL UNDERSTAND, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE LIVING IN AS YOU ARE TOO.
AND IT IS DEFINITELY A SACRIFICE.
THIS YEAR HAS BEEN SO DIFFICULT, BUT WE WANT YOU TO HOLD ON A LITTLE WHILE LONGER.
WE'VE GOT TO KNOW THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A BRIGHTER DAY.
WE HAVE TO KNOW THAT WE ARE PLANNING.
WE ARE A PART OF OPERATION, WARP SPEED.
WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER A, A VACCINE DISTRIBUTION, UM, TASK FORCE, AND WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER A PLAN.
IN THE MEANTIME, I WANT US TO THINK ABOUT NEW TRADITIONS.
SO MANY OF US USE SOCIAL MEDIA SHARE THOSE NEW TRADITIONS OF WHAT A NEW THANKSGIVING AND, AND YOUR HOLIDAYS IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY.
IT CAN LOOK LIKE WE ARE OUR CREATIVE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT AUSTIN.
WE HAVE SO MANY CREATIVE PEOPLE HERE SHARE THOSE NEW IDEAS ABOUT THE NEW TRADITIONS, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO MAKE A CHANGE.
WE'VE GOT TO RUN THIS RACE AND WE'VE GOT TO FINISH STRONG AND I'M CALLING US ALL.
SO WE WILL FINISH STRONG AT THIS TIME.
I WILL, UM, TRANSITION OVER TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.
UM, JUST WANT TO SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS IN ENGLISH, AND THEN I'LL, I'LL SHIFT INTO SPANISH.
UM, FIRST DON'T SACRIFICE FUTURE HOLIDAYS WITH YOUR FAMILY BY IGNORING THE WARNINGS THAT YOU'RE HEARING TODAY FROM OUR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS.
IF EVERYONE DOES THEIR PART, I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN PREVENT A CRISIS HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND THAT MEANS OUR HOLIDAY SEASON THIS YEAR WILL BE VERY DIFFERENT FROM SEASONS.
IN THE PAST, WE NEED TO TAILOR OUR TRADITIONS WITH SAFETY GUIDELINES.
THIS YEAR, WE NEED TO WEAR A MASK, STAY SOCIALLY DISTANT AND WASH OUR HANDS, AND WE NEED TO GET FLU SHOTS.
THESE SIMPLE PREVENTATIVE MEASURES CAN HELP KEEP YOUR FAMILY AND OTHERS SAFE.
WE REALLY WANT TO AVOID STAGE FIVE AT ALL COSTS.
AND THIS STARTS WITH HAVING A PLAN TO BE SAFE.
THIS HOLIDAY GOOD HEALTH STARTS AT HOME.
SO SIGNEE, FECA
THEY, THEY LOST
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ACROSS UNITS.LABRINA SALUTE PUBLICA AND PSI IN CASA.
THE ULTIMATE
AND NOW I'LL PASS IT ON TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.
YOU, SORRY, MAYBE YOU ARE MUTED.
I WANT TO CONGRATULATE JUDGE BROWN ON HIS NEW OFFICE AND THANK HIM FOR GETTING INTEGRATED IN THIS PROCESS, BUT EVEN BEFORE HE WAS SWORN IN AND HOW HE'S JUMPED IN WITH BOTH FEET, UM, WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO, TO, TO YOUR WORK IN THIS AREA, IN YOUR, IN YOUR LEADERSHIP, UH, IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, THE JUDGE AND I WILL CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO OUR PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS AND BE GUIDED BY THE SCIENCE AND THE DATA AS WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE FACED A SURGE FOLLOWING MEMORIAL DAY AND WE ENTERED STAGE FOUR, THEN, UH, WE ALMOST REACHED AGE BY THE RED AREA.
UH, BUT OUR HEALTH OFFICIALS SIGNALED THE ALARM EARLY ENOUGH.
AND AS A COMMUNITY, WE STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE AND WE FLATTENED THE CURVE MAJOR, PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS, TO BE OUR COMMUNITY'S EFFORT OVER THE SUMMER, HELPED US FALL BACK TO, TO THE YELLOW STAGE THREE.
AND WE REMAINED THERE FOR MULTIPLE MONTHS.
WE CAN GET THERE AGAIN, BUT WE NEED TO DO IT TOGETHER.
PLEASE REMEMBER THE THREE W'S WEAR A MASK, WATCH YOUR DISTANCE AND WASH YOUR HANDS IS THINGS WHERE WE HAVE SEEN THEM WORK HERE IN AUSTIN.
UH, WE KNOW THAT IF WE SHOW THAT DISCIPLINE, WE CAN IMPACT WHAT HAPPENS TO US, GOING TO ORANGE STAGE FOUR NOW IS ASKING EVERYONE TO CONSIDER YOUR DAILY INTERACTIONS, ASK YOURSELF OVER THE COURSE OF THE DAY, WHO DO I END UP BEING WITHIN SIX FEET OF WHO DO I GET THAT CLOSE PHYSICALLY TO STAGE FOUR ORANGE STAGE MEANS WE CONSIDER THAT.
AND NOW WE MAKE AN EXTRA EFFORT TO LIMIT THOSE CLOSE INTERACTIONS.
IF THERE ARE ESSENTIAL INTERACTIONS THAT YOU CAN'T LIMIT THAT WAY, THEN MAKE SURE YOU'RE WEARING A MASK.
MAKE SURE YOU'RE YOU'RE DISTANCING SO THAT WE CAN SLOW THE SPREAD OF THE COVID-19.
THE GOAL HERE IS TO AVOID OVERWHELMING OUR HOSPITALS AND OUR INTENSIVE CARE UNITS, UH, TO, TO ENABLE OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS TO BE SAFE AND TO KEEP US SAFE AND TO SAVE LIVES ACROSS THE GARNEAU INCREASE IN ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS.
UH, PEOPLE CROWDING TOGETHER PEOPLE, UH, AROUND OTHERS, NOT WEARING MASKS BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO TAKE ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER IN ORDER TO PROTECT OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
SO TODAY WE MOVED TO ORANGE RISK FOR BECAUSE WITH MORE DISCIPLINE, WE CAN AVOID RED RISK LEVEL FIVE.
WE CAN AVOID CLOSING SCHOOLS AND MORE BUSINESSES BY OUR ACTIONS TOGETHER.
ESPECIALLY OVER THIS COMING THANKSGIVING, WE GET TO DECIDE HOW BADLY WE WANT TO STOP INCREASED HOSPITALIZATIONS, HOW BADLY WE WANT TO KEEP SCHOOLS OPEN, HOW BADLY WE WANT TO KEEP OUR BUSINESSES OPEN.
IF WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT DONE, YOU HAVE TO ACT TOGETHER AND WE HAVE TO ACT WITH GREATER DISCIPLINE.
WE HAVE CONTROL OVER OUR FUTURE.
WE JUST HAVE TO DEDICATE A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
BASK SMALL GROUPS STAY HOME WHEN YOU CAN.
AND DISTANCE AS JUDGE BRAD AND DIRECTOR HAYDEN SAID, LOOK AT YOUR FAMILY AND REMEMBER WHO YOU'RE DOING THIS FOR? DON'T JEOPARDIZE YEARS OF FUTURE HOLIDAYS.
I TAKING UNNECESSARY RISKS IS THANKSGIVING.
WE NEED OUR COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AGAIN TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS IN AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY.
WE HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE AND AUSTIN CAN DO THIS AGAIN.
UM, NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER TO OUR POOL REPORTER HANNAH RUCKER WITH VIEW TO BEGIN THE QUESTION PROCESS, HANNAH Q A GOOD THURSDAY MORNING TO ALL OF YOU.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME THIS MORNING.
WE ARE GOING TO START THINGS OFF WITH OUR FIRST QUESTION FROM KVU.
S SCOTT, I KNOW THAT YOU CREATED THOSE GRAPHS THERE TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT EL PASO
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AND LUBBOCK, AND JUST SOME OF THE SERIOUS ISSUES THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW, UM, IN REGARDS TO HOSPITAL BEDS AND ENFORCEMENT SPECIFICALLY, WHAT CAN AUSTIN DO DIFFERENTLY? I KNOW EL PASO TRIED TO IMPLEMENT THAT CURFEW.UH, IT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL KIND OF BACK AND FORTH.
WHAT CAN WE SPECIFICALLY DO THAT MAYBE THOSE CITIES WEREN'T ABLE TO GET DONE? WELL, I THINK THAT WE ARE BLESSED AS A COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT THE SCIENCE SHOULD DRIVE OUR DECISIONS.
THE DATA SHOULD DRIVE OUR DECISIONS.
UH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IN EL PASO IS THERE'S THERE'S CONTROVERSY, THERE'S CONFLICT BETWEEN CITY AND COUNTY OFFICIALS AND WHERE THERE'S CONFLICT PEOPLE, I THINK LOSE CONFIDENCE, THE MESSAGE.
I THINK WE'VE HAD A UNIFIED MESSAGE HERE THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC.
WE HAVE BEEN GRATEFUL TO MAYOR ADLER, UH, JUDGE ECKHART, JUDGE BISCO, AND NOW JUDGE BROWN THAT WE CAN ALL COME TOGETHER AND PROVIDE A UNIFIED MESSAGE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THAT IS CRITICAL.
I THINK WE CAN'T IGNORE THE SCIENCE, BUT WE DO HAVE TO IGNORE MISINFORMATION THAT'S OUT THERE.
THAT'S THAT CLOUDS THEIR MESSAGING.
AND THE SIMPLE FACT IS THAT NONE OF US WANT TO CLOSE BUSINESSES.
NONE OF US WANT TO CLOSE SCHOOLS.
THAT IS AN ABSOLUTE LAST RESORT FOR US BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A BALANCE THAT HAS TO BE FOUND BETWEEN PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE HEALTH OF THE ECONOMY.
AND WE'VE, WE'VE AIMED FOR THAT THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC.
SO IF WE TAKE THOSE ACTIONS, NOW, IF WE ACT AT THIS STAGE BEFORE THE BIG RISK HAPPENS NEXT WEEK, THEN WE CAN FLATTEN THE CURVE AND WE CAN AVOID THAT STAGE FIVE THAT WOULD EVEN HAVE US CONSIDERING THE OPTIONS OF SCALING BACK FURTHER OR CLOSING BUSINESSES.
OUR NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM OSTEOPENIA.
IT SAYS, HAS THERE BEEN AN UPTICK IN DEMAND FOR TESTING SLASH LONGER WAIT TIMES FOR RESULTS? GIVEN THE INCREASING NUMBER OF NEW CASES? WE CERTAINLY HAVE SEEN AN INCREASED DEMAND, UH, FOR TESTING.
UH, THAT'S THERE, OUR AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH TESTING, AS WELL AS THE TESTING THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SOME OF THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT THERE'S MORE DISEASE HAPPENING.
SO THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE SYMPTOMATIC OR EXPOSED.
NOW WE'RE ALSO SEEING NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT TO GET TESTED BEFORE THEY GO HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
UH, AND I DO WANT TO MENTION SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT.
A NEGATIVE TEST THIS WEEK DOES NOT PROVIDE YOU ANY EFFECTIVE INFORMATION FOR NEXT WEEK.
UH, SO AGAIN, AS WE SAW WITH THE, THE WHITE HOUSE ROSE GARDEN EVENT AND OTHER SIMILAR EVENTS WHERE TESTING HAPPENED BEFOREHAND, THE TESTING IS ONLY ONE PART OF THE PUZZLE.
THE MASKING AND DISTANCING IS STILL CRITICAL.
SO IF FOLKS ARE CHOOSING TO HAVE A GATHERING, DESPITE THE WARNINGS, IT SHOULD BE WITH A MASK ON, IT SHOULD BE SOCIALLY DISTANCED.
OUR NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM COMMUNITY IMPACT.
IT SAYS FOR MAYOR ADLER AND JUDGE BROWN, IF TIGHTENED RESTRICTIONS FORCE MORE BUSINESSES TO TEMPORARILY CLOSE, WILL THE CITY AND COUNTY CONSIDER OFFERING MORE RENT RELIEF AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THOSE BUSINESSES AND RESTAURANTS, MANY RESTAURANTS PARTICULARLY HAVE SAID THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND ANOTHER CLOSURE AND ARE PROFITABLE AT 50% CAPACITY.
IT'S FAST, REALLY GOOD ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE USE, UH, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY NEED TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO BRING AS MUCH SUPPORT AS WE CAN TO BUSINESSES ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE ARE SO MANY THAT ARE SUFFERING SO GREATLY, ESPECIALLY IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRIES.
RESTAURANTS ARE MUSIC VENUES AND THE LIGHT, AND, AND BETWEEN US, WE HAVE SENT OUT TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
THIS CRISIS HAS GONE ON FOR A LONG TIME NOW, AND WE NEED CONGRESS TO ACT.
WE NEED THE NEW CARES FUNDING.
UH, WE NEEDED THIS NEW CARES FUNDING FOUR MONTHS AGO.
UH, AND I FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN THREE MONTHS AGO.
THEN IT BECAME A POLITICAL ISSUE BEFORE THE ELECTION.
EVERYBODY SHOULD BE REACHING OUT RIGHT DOWN TO OUR DELEGATIONS IN WASHINGTON, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE FUNDING WHERE THIS KIND OF RELIEF NEEDS TO COME FROM.
AND WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN WORKING WITH OUR DELEGATIONS IN WASHINGTON TO, TO, TO URGE THEM TO ACT.
AND I CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF MAYORS TO BRING THAT KIND OF PRESSURE ALSO NASH.
I, AND WE HAVE A STRONG DELEGATION HERE LOCALLY THAT HAS, UH, STEPPED UP AND IS WORKING
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HARD TO BRING THOSE DOLLARS BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY, BUT THAT'S WHERE THAT FUNDING NEEDS TO COME FROM.I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THE MAYOR ON THIS POINT.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY IS TRYING TO AVOID GETTING TO THAT POINT.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO ASK EVERYONE TO STAY SAFE, STAY SOCIALLY DISTANCE, CONSIDER NOT VISITING RELATIVES THIS YEAR, IF YOU CAN, SO THAT WE CAN STAY SAFE AND HAVE GOOD HOLIDAYS AND GOOD VISITS NEXT YEAR AND IN THE FUTURE.
AND AT THE SAME TIME HELP OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES BY FOLLOWING SCIENCE, TAKING A LOT OF PRECAUTIONS RIGHT NOW IN AN EFFORT TO GET THROUGH THIS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE CAN ALL GET BACK TO BUSINESS AND SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL ECONOMY, UH, AND, AND HAVING OUR KIDS GO TO SCHOOL.
SO, UM, I, I'M GOING TO JOIN WITH THE MAYOR AND EVERY OTHER PERSON HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY TO ASK BOTH AT THE STATE LEVEL AND THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO HELP US OUT, HELP OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES OUT AS WE GO THROUGH THIS TIME.
UM, THE NEXT QUESTION HERE IS FROM YES, AUSTIN, IT SAYS AUSTIN IS ASKING BUSINESSES TO REDUCE CAPACITY TO 25% TO 50%.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO ENFORCE THAT REQUEST? THE MAYOR SAYS ENFORCEMENT WILL BE EXPANDED.
WHAT IS THAT? I LOOK LIKE SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE.
UM, I THINK THE THING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE THIS ENTIRE TIME IS, IS, IS THAT, UM, WE HAVE PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH STAFF, UM, HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE RESTAURANTS, UM, TO ENSURE THEY ARE, UM, VERY SAFE IN THEIR PRACTICES.
AND SO THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE THING FOR US IS ENSURING THAT EVERYONE IS SAFE.
UM, AS A PART OF OUR SYSTEM, WE INITIALLY START OFF WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT.
UM, IT IS A PROGRESSIVE SYSTEM, HOWEVER, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO ISSUE CITATIONS.
AND SO, UM, AND SO THAT IS WHERE WE ARE HEADED AT THIS POINT, UM, TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE TECHNICAL SYSTEMS AND THE INITIAL WARNINGS, BUT THEY WILL TURN INTO, UM, CITATIONS AND OUR STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO BE VERY VISIBLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, EVEN IN INSTANCES WHERE WE HAVE, UM, BARS THAT WERE FORMERLY BARS THAT HAVE TRANSITIONED TO BE, UM, IN THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT AS DIRECTOR HAYDEN SAID, WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE AS MUCH SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE AS WE CAN TO BUSINESSES LIKE RESTAURANTS, TRYING TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR RESTAURANTS TO BE ABLE TO OPEN UP MORE PLACES OUTSIDE AND AS MANY OTHER THINGS AS WE CAN.
UH, BUT ULTIMATELY ENFORCEMENT MEANS ALSO LOOKING AT, UH, INDIVIDUALS, MAKING SURE THAT WHEN THERE ARE GROUPS THAT ARE WEARING MASKS AND WE DON'T HAVE GROUPS GATHERING IN SIZES, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ISN'T JUST BUSINESSES.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT AT OURSELVES AND OUR OWN CONDUCT.
AND TO BE CLEAR, THIS GOING TO ORANGE TODAY IS ASKING EVERYBODY TO TAKE A LOOK AT THEIR INDIVIDUAL INTERACTIONS.
AND BY GOING INTO ORANGE AT THIS POINT, THE REQUEST OF THE COMMUNITY IS DON'T GO TO RESTAURANTS AND EAT INSIDE AS MUCH AS YOU MAY HAVE DONE IN THE PAST.
BECAUSE NOW AS A TIME WHEN, AS A COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO LIMIT OUR INTERACTIONS, JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE LEGAL ABILITY TO DO SOMETHING DOES NOT BE RIGHT NOW THAT IT'S THE RIGHT THING OR FOR YOU OR YOUR FAMILY OR FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UH, WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE AT THIS TOGETHER.
AND OUR ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO AVOID SHUTDOWNS AND CLOSING SCHOOLS IS TRYING TO DEPEND RIGHT NOW ON, ON HOW WE DO COLLECTIVELY AS A COMMUNITY.
LET ME JUST ADD ONE OTHER THING.
UM, WE'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, EATING IN RESTAURANTS OR GOING OUT, UH, TO, TO PUBLIC PLACES.
WE'RE NOT SEEING RANDOM PEOPLE INFECTING ONE ANOTHER.
WE'RE SEEING PEOPLE WHO KNOW ONE ANOTHER INFECT ONE ANOTHER.
IF YOU LIVE IN THE HOUSEHOLD TO GO TO A RESTAURANT AND HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A NON HOME COOKED MEAL, IT'S OKAY TO DO THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
BUT WHAT WE NEED TO AVOID NEED TO LIMIT IS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO TAKE YOUR MASK OFF IN FRONT OF THAT SHOULD BE ONLY WITH PEOPLE INSIDE OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD, BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO DECREASE THE RISK.
THE PATTERN THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS IS THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING OUT TO RESTAURANTS, WITH FRIENDS AND WITH NEIGHBORS AND WITH LARGER GROUPS OF PEOPLE.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTIONS.
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THIS DISEASE, WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT ITS SPREAD NOW IS THE SAME THING THAT WE KNEW BACK IN MARCH AND APRIL.IT'S DROPLET, PRIMARILY IT'S CLOSE PERSON TO PERSON FACE-TO-FACE SPREAD.
THOSE ARE THE SITUATIONS THAT WE NEED TO AVOID.
AND IF WE USE THE ADVICE, IF WE ONLY GO TO RESTAURANTS AND OTHER PLACES LIKE THAT, WITH OUR MEMBERS OF OUR HOUSEHOLD, WE CAN REDUCE THAT RISK OF TRANSMISSION.
OUR NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN.
IT SAYS OUR CITY AND COUNTY OFFICIALS PLANNING TO SHUT DOWN COUNTY OR METROPOLITAN PARKS LIKE THEY DID IN SUMMER AS CORONAVIRUS CASES RISE.
NO, THERE ARE NO PLANS YET TO, TO CLOSE DOWN, UH, CITY, UH, METROPOLITAN PARKS.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S UNDER CONSTANT REVIEW, UH, BY DR.
S SCOTT DIRECTOR, HAITI, UH, AND OUR PARKS, UH, STAFF.
AS WE LOOK AT THE NUMBERS DAILY, YOU KNOW, WE STILL WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO OUTSIDE, UH, AND, AND BEING OUTSIDE IS A HEALTHY THING TO DO.
UH, BUT WHEN YOU GO OUTSIDE BEST TO BE ALONE OR WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE IN YOUR FAMILY, IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD, AND DON'T GATHER, UH, AND IN LARGE GROUPS, SIMILARLY AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, NO CURRENT PLANS TO DO SO.
AND THAT'S FRANKLY WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY ASKING PEOPLE TO BE SAFE AND WEAR THEIR MASKS AND STAY SOCIALLY DISTANT.
UM, LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, I PERSONALLY GO RUNNING ALMOST EVERY MORNING AND I WEAR A MASK WHEN I DO IT, AND I DO IT WITH A MEMBER OF MY HOUSEHOLD OR, OR BY MYSELF.
AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE IN EVERY ASPECT OF THEIR LIFE WHEN THEY'RE OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOUSE, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE WEARING A MASK SO THAT WE DON'T GET TO THOSE POINTS THAT YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT.
OUR NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM FOX SEVEN NEWS.
IT SAYS, WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH SCHOOLS UNDER STAGE FOUR GUIDELINES? AGAIN, OUR, OUR GUIDANCE, UH, FOR SCHOOLS UNDER STAGE FOUR, UH, IS REALLY IN RELATION TO THOSE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND OUR RECOMMENDATION THERE IS THAT FOR SPORTING EVENTS LIKE FOOTBALL, THAT THEY DECREASE THE OCCUPANCY OF THOSE EVENTS.
WE'RE ASKING THEM TO, TO ALLOW THE PLAYERS, ALLOW THE COACHING STAFF AND ALLOW PARENTS INTO THE STADIUMS, BUT TO TRY TO EXCLUDE OTHER PEOPLE AGAIN, TO LIMIT THAT RISK.
SO OUR HOPE IS THAT, UH, THAT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
UH, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE SAME DISEASE TRANSMISSION IN THOSE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.
SO OTHER MEASURES, UH, SUCH AS ENSURING THAT ATHLETES ARE WEARING MASKS AND DISTANCING WHEN POSSIBLE WILL ALSO BE HELPFUL TO DECREASE THAT TRANSMISSION IN THE SCHOOL SETTING EDUCATION IS NUMBER ONE, IT'S A NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR US.
UM, EARLY ON WE DEVELOPED A, UM, A SCHOOL GUIDANCE DOCUMENT.
UM, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES.
WE DO HAVE AN INCIDENT, UM, COMMAND STRUCTURE THAT IS SET UP AROUND SCHOOLS.
UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MEET WITH THE SCHOOLS, UM, AND ADVISE THEM AND PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THEM.
BUT WE ALSO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO PARENTS AS WELL, UM, THROUGH OUR MEDICAL HOTLINE.
AND SO, UM, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THE PATH THAT WE'VE BEEN ON, UM, AND PROVIDE THAT GUIDANCE.
AND AS THINGS CHANGED, WE WILL PROVIDE THAT ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE, UM, THAT WILL GIVE THEM THE SUPPORT THAT THEY CAN MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR THEM AND THEIR CHILDREN.
OUR NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM AUSTIN CHRONICLE.
IT SAYS WHERE CASES AND HOSPITALIZATIONS CONTINUING TO RISE, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT BARS MIGHT NOT REOPEN UNTIL NEXT YEAR? SO, UH, THAT, LIKE I'VE SAID BEFORE, I THINK WHAT WE ARE BASING ALL OF OUR DECISIONS ON AT THE COUNTY LEVEL AND AS TO ANYTHING IS, IS LOOKING AT SCIENCE AND WHAT IS GOING TO GET US THROUGH THIS SAFELY.
SO UNTIL IT'S THE CASES START GOING DOWN, WHICH THEY ARE CURRENTLY NOT DOING, THE CASES ARE CURRENTLY GOING UP IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, THE BARS, UH, ARE, ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED BECAUSE OF THE GOVERNOR, UM, PREVIOUS ORDER.
AND WE ARE GOING TO KEEP LOOKING AT SCIENCE.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP LOOKING AT THE COVID LEVELS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
ASCOT, THE MAYOR, AND I WILL CONTINUE TALKING EVERY SINGLE DAY TO SEE HOW SOON IT IS THAT WE CAN GET BACK TO BUSINESS AS USUAL AND RECREATION AS USUAL IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND THAT'S GOING TO DEPEND ON EVERYBODY'S HARD WORK OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS OF STAYING
[00:35:01]
DISTANT, NOT MAKING THAT TRIP THAT THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT MAKING AND WEARING THEIR MASKS, UH, AT ALL TIMES POSSIBLE.UH, ALSO ADD TO THAT, THAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT BARS, WHICH ARE NOW MASQUERADING AS RESTAURANTS, UH, BARS THAT HAVE VERY MINIMAL FOOD SERVICE, UH, THEY'RE ABLE TO BE OPEN NOW UNDER, UNDER THE, THE, THE LOOPHOLE THAT WAS CREATED.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, THIS IS AN AREA OF FOCUS FOR OUR ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN SOME PATTERNS OF MISBEHAVIOR AND LACK OF ATTENTION TO THE GUIDELINES, UH, FROM SOME OF THOSE ESTABLISHMENTS, WE'VE SEEN LARGE CROWDS ON SIXTH STREET OUTSIDE OF THESE ESTABLISHMENTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE BAR INDUSTRY WORK HARD TO SORT OUT HOW TO DO THIS BETTER, HOW TO MAKE THINGS SAFER, BUT WE KNOW THE NATURE OF A BAR IS THAT PEOPLE ARE DRINKING ALCOHOL, PEOPLE ARE OFTEN FACE TO FACE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THOSE TWO THINGS COMBINED FOR THIS PANDEMIC CREATES A SCENARIO THAT IS VERY DANGEROUS, PARTICULARLY AS, AS JUDGE BROWN HAS SAID IN A TIME WHEN CASES ARE RAPIDLY INCREASING.
UH, SO WE HAVE TO CONTINUE THOSE EFFORTS.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE DATA AND WE WILL MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THAT.
WONDERFUL, THAT BASICALLY ANSWERED THE NEXT TWO QUESTIONS.
I'M GOING TO BOP DOWN HERE TO CO-OP RADIO.
IT SAYS IS TRAVIS COUNTY, THE CITY OF BOSTON AND APH PLANNING, A PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TO CONVINCE VACCINE AVERSE PEOPLE TO TAKE A VACCINE AS, UH, AS A PART OF OUR, UM, VACCINE DISTRIBUTION TASK FORCE.
THAT IS ONE OF, UM, OUR PRIORITIES WITHIN THAT PROCESS IS TO DEVELOP THE PLAN, IDENTIFY THE PRIORITY POPULATIONS, BUT ALSO PUT IN PLACE, UM, A COMMUNICATION AND MARKETING STRATEGY.
AND, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, WHICH SEEMS TO WORK VERY WELL IS USE SOME OF OUR LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT MAY BE WILLING TO BE A PART OF THAT MARKETING STRATEGY.
AND SO WE ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO BE WORKING WITH NOT IN NON-TRADITIONAL SETTINGS, AS WELL AS WITH, WITH PARTNERS, UM, ADVOCATES AS WELL, TO BE ABLE TO, UM, TO MOVE THIS TO A PLACE WHERE FOLKS ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THE VACCINE.
UM, WE HAVE ALSO SHARED, UM, IN SEPTEMBER THAT THE PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES HAVE MADE A PLEDGE AND THEY'VE MADE A PLEDGE THAT THEY WOULD FOLLOW ALL OF THE EXISTING, UH, PRIORITIES, INCLUDING, UM, WORKING WITH THE FDA AND, UM, THE REVIEW COMMITTEES.
SO THERE WILL NOT BE, UM, ANY, UM, SHORT STEPS THAT THEY WILL TAKE.
UM, AND SO WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INFORMATION THAT THEY PROVIDE ABOUT HOW, UM, EFFICIENT THE VACCINE IS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE TRANSPARENT AND SHARE THAT WITH OUR COMMUNITY ALONG THE WAY.
OUR NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM UNIVISION.
IT SAYS, CAN YOU GO OVER WHAT PHASE FOUR MEANS THE DO'S AND DON'TS FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN? SURE.
THEY, UH, PHASE FOUR, AND THIS IS, UH, ON OUR WEBSITE AT AUSTIN, TEXAS DOT GO-FORWARD SLASH COVID-19, UH, WHICH WILL BE UPDATED AS WE SPEAK.
UH, BUT THE, THE, THE PRIMARY THINGS FOR, FOR PEOPLE ARE THAT THE LIMITATIONS ON GATHERING ARE STILL SET AT 10 FOR LOW RISK INDIVIDUALS.
THE BIG CHANGES FOR HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS, THOSE WHO ARE OVER THE AGE OF 65, THOSE WITH UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS THAT THEY'RE GATHERING SHOULD BE LIMITED TO TWO.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE RECOMMENDATION HAS CHANGED FOR, UH, FOR TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE HOUSEHOLD.
UH, AND THAT SHOULD BE RESTRICTED TO TWO ESSENTIAL TRIPS ONLY.
THE NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM TXA, AND IT SAYS IF CASES AND HOSPITALIZATIONS CONTINUE TO RISE, WILL CITY AND COUNTY OFFICIALS CONSIDER A STRATEGY THAT DEFIES THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER AND DECLARATION THAT THERE WON'T BE FURTHER SHUTDOWNS IN TEXAS.
YOU GET BACK TO, I CAN SEE YOU,
[00:40:02]
THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID THAT HE WOULD FOLLOW THE SCIENCE AND THE HEALTH EXPERTS, AND IF HE DOES THAT, THEN, THEN HE'S GOING TO END UP TAKING THE ACTION.UH, THAT'S GOING TO KEEP COMMUNITIES LIKE OURS, SAFE.
WE NEED TO BE SPENDING OUR TIME AND ENERGY RIGHT ON FORCING THE RULES THAT ARE IN PLACE AND GETTING EVERYBODY TO REDUCE THEIR INTERACTIONS AND MASKING.
BECAUSE WITH THAT, WE CAN AVOID GETTING TO A PLACE WHERE ANY KIND OF DRASTIC ACTIONS NECESSARY.
AND I WOULD POINT OUT THAT RIGHT NOW, THERE'S A CRISIS IN EL PASO IN LUBBOCK AND AMARILLO.
MY GOVERNOR SAID HUNDREDS OF HEALTHCARE PERSONNEL TO THEM REALLY DARK CLOUDS ARE GATHERING IN TARON TO DALLAS COUNTIES, A NUMBERS RISING AND HOUSTON AND SAN ANTONIO.
SO UNLESS WE CAN SLOW OUR NUMBERS, THE GOVERNOR WON'T HAVE ENOUGH EXTRA HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS FOR THE GROWING NEED IN THE STATE.
I EXPECT THE GOVERNOR TO ACT APPROPRIATELY IF THAT POINT COMES, BUT WE'RE NOT THERE.
UH, I THINK NOW EVERYONE NEEDS TO FOCUS ON PREVENTING WORST CASE SCENARIO FROM, FROM COMING BEFORE US.
UH, AND OUR COMMUNITY JUST NEEDS TO KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE AS WE HAVE DONE AND WILL AT ALL POINTS, UH, TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN AND WE NEED TO DO TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES THEY ARE.
AND I'LL JUST, I'LL JUST ADD ON, UM, YOU KNOW, AS MEREDITH JUST SAID, WE HAVE THE POWER AS A COMMUNITY TO AVOID A CATASTROPHIC CIRCUMSTANCE LIKE EL PASO.
AND WE HAVE RESPONDED TO THAT CALL IN THE PAST.
WE'RE RESPONDING TO IT IN THE SPRING WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE PPE OR TESTING OR RESPONDED IN THE SUMMER WHEN WE FACED OUR INITIAL SURGE.
AND I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL DO IT AGAIN.
UH, AND IF WE CAN FIND THAT BALANCE, IF WE CAN REDUCE OUR RISK, WHILE WE KEEP OUR BUSINESSES OPEN, THEN WE'LL HAVE THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS.
WE'LL HAVE AN ECONOMY THAT IS, IS ABLE TO MAINTAIN ITSELF UNTIL THE VACCINE IS THERE.
AND WE MAY ABLE TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE CARE FOR PEOPLE, UH, FOR COVID-19 AND OTHER ILLNESSES AND INJURIES.
AND REMEMBER, IF WE RUN OUT OF HOSPITAL BEDS, IF WE RUN OUT OF ICU BEDS, WE DON'T RUN OUT FOR JUST COVID-19.
AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN WEST TEXAS RIGHT NOW, AUSTIN, OTHER JURISDICTIONS ARE RECEIVING NOT ONLY COVID-19 PATIENTS, BUT OTHER PATIENTS WHO CANNOT BE CARED FOR IN THOSE FACILITIES, BECAUSE THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY OVERWHELMED.
WE HAVE TO DO OUR BEST TO AVOID THAT SITUATION HERE.
OUR NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM KV.
I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT SCHOOLS ARE TOP PRIORITY.
WE'VE SEEN LOCAL TEACHERS WHO ARE TAKING TO SOCIAL MEDIA TO REALLY EXPRESS THEIR GROWING CONCERN WITH BEING INSIDE SCHOOLS, UH, FOR DR.
S SCOTT, IN YOUR OPINION, IS IT SAFE FOR TEACHERS TO CONTINUE IN PERSON? DO THEY NEED TO GO ALL VIRTUAL AT THIS POINT? ALSO, ARE THERE PLANS TO MAKE TESTING AVAILABLE AT ALL LOCAL SCHOOLS? UH, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I HAD THIS CONVERSATION LAST NIGHT WITH MY WIFE WHO IS A COUNSELOR AT A LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL.
I UNDERSTAND THE ANXIETY, UH, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR TEACHERS TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NOT SEEING TRANSMISSION IN THE CLASSROOM SPACE.
WE ARE SEEING IT IN SOCIAL GATHERINGS.
WE'RE SEEING IT IN, IN FOOTBALL AND VOLLEYBALL AND CHEERLEADING AND DANCE TEAM.
WE ARE NOT SEEING IT WHEN PEOPLE HAVE THEIR MASS SONG, WE'RE SEEING IT WHEN THEY TAKE THEIR MASKS OFF.
AND SO I THINK TEACHERS SHOULD HAVE SOME CONFIDENCE THAT THE MEASURES THAT ARE IN PLACE THAT DISTANCING AND THE MASKING AND THE HAND HYGIENE IS DOING AN EFFECTIVE JOB AT MITIGATING THAT RISK.
UH, BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT EFFORTS, INCLUDING OUR SCHOOLS, UH, TO DECREASE THE RISK FURTHER.
AND OUR HOPE IS THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER NOW WITH OUR SUPERINTENDENTS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN KEEP SCHOOLS OPEN SAFELY.
UH, WE HAVE A COALITION, UH, FROM OUR, FOR OUR SCHOOLS THAT HAS TESTING AVAILABLE FOR SCHOOLS THAT ARE FACING SURGE.
UH, SOME OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THEMSELVES, EVERY SEAT ALLOCATIONS THE STATE, UH, FOR RAPID ANTIGEN TESTING.
SO WE WILL ENSURE THAT THAT TESTING IS AVAILABLE.
SHOULD THOSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS NEED IT? OKAY, THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM OSTEOPENIA.
IT SAYS, IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE OKAY, DR.
SCOTT? I THINK ONE THING THAT MIGHT BE WORTH TOUCHING BASE ON IS AS WE GO INTO THANKSGIVING, UH, YOU KNOW,
[00:45:01]
OBVIOUSLY WE'RE ASKING AND SUGGESTING TO PEOPLE THAT THEY SPEND THAT TIME, UH, AT HOME WITH THEIR, WITH THEIR FAMILIES.UM, UH, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THE REALITY THAT THERE PROBABLY WOULD BE SOME FAMILIES THAT ARE GOING TO TRAVEL, UH, OVER, OVER THANKSGIVING, WHICH IS NOT WHAT IT IS COURAGE.
UH, BUT, UH, PARENTS SHOULD THINK ABOUT, UH, WHETHER OR NOT IF THEY DO TRAVEL WITH CHILDREN OR WHETHER IT'S APPROPRIATE OR RIGHT, FOR THEM TO SEND THOSE CHILDREN TO SCHOOL, UH, THAT FIRST WEEK, UH, COMING BACK FROM, FROM, FROM THAT IN ORDER TO HELP KEEP THE SCHOOLS SAFE.
UH, BUT, UM, I'M PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, THAT WE DIRECTLY FOLLOWING THANKSGIVING, UH, AND, AND PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT, THAT NEEDS THROUGH THE DISCUSSION WITH YOU AND FOR THE SCHOOLS AND PARENTS, UH, TO, TO BE THINKING ABOUT, YES, MAYOR, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THAT.
AND, UH, AS YOU POINTED OUT, THAT IS THE, THE PRIME TIME FOR RISK AND THAT FIRST WEEK TO 10 DAYS FOLLOWING THANKSGIVING.
SO IF YOU KNOW, PARENTS, UH, WHO, YOU KNOW, DECIDE TO TRAVEL, UH, OR TO BEING IN, UH, IN GATHERINGS WITH PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD, UH, THE BEST ADVICE THERE IS TO, TO BE VIRTUAL THAT WEEK, FOLLOWING THANKSGIVING, UH, TO BE TESTED AT THE END OF THAT WEEK TO ENSURE THAT OR HELP TO ENSURE THAT, UH, THEIR CHILD IS COVID NEGATIVE BEFORE THEY GO BACK TO SCHOOL.
UH, AGAIN, WE HAVE TO ALL LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP MITIGATE THAT THREAT FROM THANKSGIVING.
I ENCOURAGE, UM, PARENTS THAT IF THEY ARE, ARE THINKING ABOUT, UM, WHAT TYPE OF PLANS THEY NEED TO MAKE ONCE THEY RETURN, UM, WITH THEIR, UM, WITH THEIR CHILDREN AFTER THE HOLIDAYS, IF THEY TRAVEL, UM, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THEY REACH OUT TO THE SCHOOLS AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, UM, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A CHOICE ONCE YOU'RE VIRTUAL, YOU VIRTUAL, ONCE YOU'RE IN PERSON, YOU'RE IN PERSON.
UM, AND SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT, UM, PARENTS GO AHEAD AND REACH OUT TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, HAVE THAT, UM, PROACTIVE CONVERSATION WITH THEM, UM, AND MAKE THOSE ARRANGEMENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW I CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE MY TOWEL EDUCATED.
UM, ONCE WE RETURNED AND I AM DOING THIS BECAUSE I'M THINKING ABOUT SAFETY FIRST, I'M THINKING ABOUT THE STUDENTS AND I'M THINKING ABOUT MY FAMILY.
AND SO, UM, I KNOW THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UM, WOULD BE WILLING TO WORK WITH THE FAMILIES IF THEY JUST REACH OUT TO THE SCHOOLS AND HAVE THAT INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATION WITH THEM.
UH, THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM OSTEOPENIA, IT SAYS, IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE THAT AUSTINITES ARE CHANGING THEIR BEHAVIOR, GIVEN THE WARNINGS FROM LOCAL OFFICIALS AND REPORTS OF A SEARCH? UH, WELL, I, I THINK, UH, I SHOULD SAY THAT WE'LL SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE JUST, UH, STARTED SEEING THE INCREASE.
WE KNOW IT TAKES TWO OR THREE WEEKS, UH, TO SEE MEANINGFUL CHANGE, UH, OUR, OUR PREDICTIONS RIGHT NOW, OUR PROJECTIONS FROM UTA SUGGESTS THAT, UH, WE MAY PLATEAU FOR THE NEXT WEEK OR SO.
AND THEN AFTER THANKSGIVING, TAKE OFF AGAIN.
UH, SO THAT MAY BE SOME IMPACT OF THAT, THAT POST HALLOWEEN MESSAGING THAT, THAT WE'VE BEEN PUTTING OUT.
BUT AGAIN, WE'VE GOT TO SUSTAIN THE VIGILANCE RIGHT NOW IS A TIME WHEN, WHEN LITERALLY THE VACCINE IS ALMOST IN OUR HANDS.
SO IT'S WORTH BUCKLING DOWN, STRENGTHENING THE VIGILANCE FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER SO THAT WE CAN PREVENT NEEDLESS HOSPITALIZATIONS AND NEEDLESS DEATHS.
THIS HAS BEEN AN UNIMAGINABLE, UH, DISASTER FOR AMERICA AND, AND WE CAN REALLY WORK HARD TO, TO PREVENT IT FROM GETTING WORSE.
UM, BUT NOW'S THE TIME IT'S NOT, NOT LATER, IT'S NOT 2021 IT'S TODAY.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT, UM, WE HAVE ASK AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY A CALL TO ACTION.
WE TURN THAT INTO PANTS AND, AND AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY CITIZENS HAVE DEFINITELY STEPPED UP.
UM, THEY, THEY'VE ALSO TAKEN THAT, UM, INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVE.
THEY'VE LOOKED OUT FOR THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES.
AND SO WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE, AND I AM FULLY CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN DO, WE CAN DO IT AGAIN.
UM, WE REACH OUT EARLIER ENOUGH AND, UM, AS DR.
SCOTT HAS SHOW, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE OUR FORECASTS.
AND SO IF WE MAKE THE CHANGE NOW,
[00:50:01]
UM, THINGS CAN DEFINITELY BE BETTER.WE CAN REDUCE THE NUMBER OF HOSPITALIZATIONS.
UM, WE CAN BRING DOWN OUR POSITIVITY RATE AND WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE, AND I'M CONFIDENT WE CAN DO IT AGAIN.
I THINK WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE MORE QUICK QUESTION.
THIS LAST ONE IS FROM CBS AUSTIN.
IT SAYS OTHER JURISDICTIONS JURISDICTIONS HAVE SAID THAT CONTACT TRACING IS IDENTIFYING BIG BOX STORES AND POPULAR RESTAURANTS.
AS SPREADER LOCATIONS IS APH SEEING THE SAME SITUATION WE ARE.
WE ARE NOT, UM, UM, SEEING IN OUR CONTACT TRACING, UM, WHAT WE ARE REALLY CONTINUING TO TIE, UM, OUR POSITIVITY RATE TO OUR, THE, THE GATHERINGS, UM, THE GATHERINGS, THE, THE PARTIES THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE ATTENDING.
AND WE ALSO, FROM A SCHOOL PERSPECTIVE AS DR.
SO WE'RE SEEING THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL, UM, THAT, UM, STUDENTS AND OR, UM, PARENTS ARE TESTING POSITIVE.
AND SO IT'S THE, THE IT'S THOSE DECISIONS THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE MAKING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE BEHAVIOR, LIKE WE'RE NOT IN A, A PANDEMIC RESPONSE.
AND SO THAT IS OUR GOAL IS WE REALLY WANT EVERYONE TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND EVALUATE YOUR BEHAVIOR AND MAKE THE MOST APPROPRIATE CHANGES THAT YOU CAN MAKE.
UM, SO WE CAN JUST FINISH THIS RACE STRONG.
I THINK WE'RE DONE WITH THE QUESTION PORTION.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS TAKING THE TIME EVERY WEEK TO DO THIS, AND I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER.
AT THIS TIME, WE WOULD LIKE TO START OUR CLOSING REMARKS, DR.
S SCOTT, WE WILL BEGIN WITH YOU AND FOLLOW IN THE SAME PATTERN THAT WE DID AS WHEN WE OPENED.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, OUR CASES ARE RISING.
OUR HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE RISING, OUR ICU'S, UH, ARE GETTING MORE FULL AT THIS STAGE.
OUR HOSPITALS ARE STILL OPEN AND FUNCTIONING AND, UH, AND ARE NOT IN CRISIS RIGHT NOW.
NOW'S THE TIME TO ACT, UH, BECAUSE WE HAD TO CHANGE OUR ICU CAPACITY.
WE ARE NOT STAGED FOR, UH, HAVING SURPASSED THE THRESHOLD OF 30 NEW ADMISSIONS ON SUNDAY.
UH, AND WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT THREAT IN THE COMING WEEK, AND THAT IS THANKSGIVING.
WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THE RISK THAT THANKSGIVING POSES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TRADITIONS IN A DIFFERENT WAY TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN PROTECT OURSELVES, PROTECT OUR FAMILY AND TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ARE WANTING YOU TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THE OLDER INDIVIDUALS IN YOUR LIFE, WHETHER IT'S YOUR PARENTS, YOUR GRANDPARENTS, UM, PEOPLE THAT HAVE MENTORED YOU, YOUR GODPARENTS, PEOPLE THAT YOU LOVE SO DEARLY, WE ARE WANTING YOU TO REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW HAS MY BEHAVIOR CHANGED.
HOW CAN I RECOMMIT? I REALLY WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHAT MOTIVATES YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL, AND IF IT'S YOUR LOVED ONES AND KEEPING THEM SAFE, OR IF IT IS MAKING SURE THAT MY, MY, I HAVE CHILDREN AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE I HAVE NIECES AND NEPHEWS, AND I WANT TO KEEP THEM SAFE, OR I HAVE, YOU KNOW, OLDER PEOPLE IN MY FAMILY THAT I REALLY WANT TO KEEP THE SAFE.
SO THINK ABOUT WHAT MOTIVATES YOU.
WE ALL HAVE TO ESTABLISH NEW TRADITIONS.
YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE IN SUCH A VIRTUAL WORLD NOW.
AND SO HOW CAN YOU SHARE THAT WITH OTHERS? USE SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU KNOW, SEND AN EMAIL ABOUT WHAT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ARE GOING TO DO THIS YEAR TO REALLY, REALLY CHANGE, UM, AND PUT SAFETY.
FIRST, WE UNDERSTAND THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE REALLY GETTING TIRED.
UM, WE HAVE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAVE REALLY STRUGGLED WITH MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES.
PLEASE REACH OUT TO OUR CRISIS HOTLINE AND CONTACT THEM AND HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT REALLY STRUGGLE, UM, WITH MENTAL HEALTH, WHETHER IT'S DEPRESSION OR ANXIETY, PLEASE REACH OUT TO THEM, ESTABLISH A PROCESS WHERE YOU CAN LET THEM KNOW THAT NO MATTER TIME OF DAY OR NIGHT, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THEM, YOU'RE GOING TO BE THEIR SAFETY PARTNER.
AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE, UM, YOU'RE GOING TO BE THAT PERSON THAT CAN REALLY HELP THEM SAFELY NAVIGATE THROUGH YOU'LL, YOU'LL HELP THEM CONNECT THEM TO THE HELP THAT THEY NEED IF THEY HAVE ANY MENTAL HEALTH, UM, CHALLENGES
[00:55:02]
IN CLOSING.UM, WE HAVE TESTING AVAILABILITY.
WE HAVE EXTENDED, UM, OUR HOURS OF OPERATION.
SO PLEASE EITHER GO ONTO OUR WEBSITE AND SCHEDULE TO TAKE A TEST, UM, OR CALL OUR MEDICAL HOTLINE NUMBER TO SCHEDULE, TO TAKE A TEST AND WALK INTO ONE OF OUR SITES.
I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP WITH A DIRECT ANSWER TO TELEMUNDO ABOUT THEIR QUESTION EARLIER.
UM, BUT IN A TAPA, QUATRO PER PERSONAS, THEY AUTHORED CISCO A CASE ON PERSONAS CON PROBLEM AS THEY SALOON OR SO ON MY
I SEE HIM BREAK WINDOWS STAFF, WHETHER THEY'RE CASA PARA PERSONAS THAT BATTLE OVER THE ESCO
AND I'LL PASS TO THE NEXT PERSON.
NO, THE AMOUNT OF CLOTHES, THE REASON THAT WE MOVED TO ORANGE RISK LEVEL FOUR IS BECAUSE WITH WORD DISCIPLINE, WE CAN AVOID RED RISK LEVEL FIVE, AND THE CLOSING OF SCHOOLS AND OTHER BUSINESSES BY OUR ACTIONS TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY THANKSGIVING, WE GET TO DECIDE HOW BADLY WE WANT TO KEEP SCHOOLS OPEN BY OUR ACTIONS.
WE'RE GOING TO SHOW HOW SERIOUS WE ARE ABOUT WHETHER WE WANT TO STOP THE INCREASE IN HOSPITALIZATIONS.
THE BOTTOM LINE HERE IS WE HAVE CONTROL OVER OUR FUTURE WITH OUR CONDUCT, AND WE'VE DONE THIS BEFORE.
WE NEED TO COMMIT JUST A LITTLE BIT LONGER MASK, SMALL GROUPS, STAY HOME.
WHEN YOU CAN DISTANCE, LOOK AT YOUR FAMILY AND REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE DOING THIS FOR.
DON'T JEOPARDIZE YEARS OF A FUTURE HOLIDAYS FOR YOU OR FOR OTHER AUSTIN FAMILIES BY TAKING UNNECESSARY RISKS.
THIS THANKSGIVING WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER, AND WE CAN GET THIS DONE.
HESS, SCOTT DIRECTOR, HAYDEN, AND THEIR STAFFS FOR THEIR 24 SEVEN WORK, UH, THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN DOING.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR NEWS CONFERENCE FOR TODAY.
MARK S. SCOTT COUNTY, JUDGE ANDY BROWN, AUSTIN MAYOR STEVE ADLER, AND OUR CAVE YOU POOL REPORTER.