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I'M LASHONDRA SHAW PIO FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND I AM THE MODERATOR FOR TODAY'S NEWS CONFERENCE.
SPANISH INTERPRETATION OF THE MEDIA AVAILABILITY IS ON ATX IN THREE TO START US IN PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTORS.
STEPHANIE HAYDEN WILL FIRST SAY A FEW WORDS FOLLOWED BY DR.
JASON PICKETT, AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, ALTERNATE HEALTH AUTHORITY.
THEN JANET PICHET AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, CHIEF EPIDEMIOLOGIST.
WE WILL THEN OPEN IT UP TO THE POOL REPORTER WHO WILL ASK QUESTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE MEDIA, STEPHANIE, OVER TO YOU.
I WOULD LIKE TO START BY, UM, JUST REALLY ENCOURAGING FAMILIES TO BE VERY SAFE CAUSE HOLIDAY.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE WILL MAKE THE DECISION THAT WE FEEL IS BEST FOR US IN OUR FAMILY, BUT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE SAFE JUST REMINDING YOU ABOUT THE THREE W'S, UM, WASH YOUR HANDS, WEAR YOUR MASK AND WATCH YOUR DISTANCE.
AND IF ANYONE IN YOUR FAMILY, UM, IS SICK, UM, PLEASE HAVE THEM NOT TO BE A PART OF THE GATHERING AT THIS POINT.
I'M GOING TO TRANSITION OVER TO DR PINKEN, BUT GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
AND I WANT TO START BY WISHING EVERYONE A VERY HAPPY AND HEALTHY, UH, THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY.
THIS WEEK, THERE ARE WAYS THAT YOU CAN MAKE YOUR HOLIDAY SAFER AND HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER.
UH, ONE OF THEM IS TO AVOID GATHERING WITH FOLKS OUTSIDE OF YOUR IMMEDIATE HOUSEHOLD, UH, TO STAY AWAY FROM CROWDS, TO STAY AWAY FROM GROUPS.
NOW WE UNDERSTAND THAT SOME FOLKS ARE I'VE ALREADY TRAVELED, AND IF YOU'VE ALREADY COME HERE, IF YOU'RE ALREADY AT THE GATHERING THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO TO MAKE THAT SAFER INCLUDE WEARING YOUR MASK, GATHERING OUTSIDE INSTEAD OF INSIDE AND DECREASING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE, UH, THAT ARE INDOORS TOGETHER.
UH, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO JENNA PICHET TO FITBIT EPIDEMIOLOGISTS.
GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE.
UH, JUST LIKE TO TAKE THE TIME RIGHT NOW TO WISH, UH, A HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO THE STAFF AT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
WHO'VE WORKED TIRELESSLY SINCE EARLY JANUARY ON COVID RESPONSE, AND WE'RE OFTEN THE, UH, GROUP OF, UH, FIRST RESPONDERS WHO ARE NOT OFTEN SEEING, BUT, UH, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO WORK OVER THE HOLIDAYS.
AND, UM, UH, WHILE YOU'RE ENJOYING YOUR THANKSGIVING FESTIVAL, THEY'LL BE, UH, CONTINUING TO WORK ON CASES THAT ARE, UH, COMING INTO AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO REITERATE THREE THINGS THAT, UH, BOTH STEPHANIE AND, UH, DR.
PICKETT HAVE MENTIONED IN, IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
AND THAT'S TO REMEMBER THE THREE CS, UH, WHERE IT COVER YOUR FACE WITH A MASK, UH, AVOID CROWDS AND AVOID CONFINED SPACES.
SO IF YOU DID CHOOSE TO GATHER, MAKE SURE THAT YOU, UH, AVOID HIGH-RISK BEHAVIORS, KEEP YOUR DISTANCE AND AVOID PRIVATE SITUATIONS AND AVOID CONFINEMENT.
SO ALSIDE IS PROBABLY BEST IF POSSIBLE, ENJOYED THE GREAT TEXAS WEATHER.
AND AGAIN, DON'T FORGET TO COVER YOUR FACE AND KEEP YOUR DISTANCE.
THANK YOU NOW TO OUR POOL REPORTER RHINO TOO LOW FROM AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN RYAN.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS FROM US.
WHAT WOULD NEED TO HAPPEN FOR AUSTIN TO BEGIN TREATING PATIENTS AT THE CONVENTION CENTER? IS THAT CLOSE TO HAPPENING? WE'RE NOT CLOSE TO THAT POINT JUST YET.
IN ORDER FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER TO OPEN AS THE ALTERNATE CARE SIDE, WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE EXHAUSTED OUR HOSPITAL RESOURCES FILLED ALL OF THE BEDS, UH, FILL THE HOSPITALS TO CAPACITY AND ALSO, UH, EXCEEDED THEIR SURGE CAPACITY AS WELL.
UM, THE HOSPITALS ARE TAKING SEVERAL MEASURES TO, UH, EXPAND THEIR CAPACITY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO HAVE EXTRA BEDS.
HOWEVER, UH, WHAT WE, WE'RE FINDING A RATE LIMITING STEP HERE IS THE STAFFING, UH, WHERE WE HAVE BEDS.
WE HAVE EQUIPMENT, BUT THE STAFF, UH, ARE NEEDED TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE PATIENTS.
AND AS MORE PEOPLE ARE OUT SICK WITH, UH, THE VIRUS OR EXPOSURE TO THE VIRUS, THEN THAT REDUCES THE AVAILABLE STAFF.
WE COUNT ON OUR HOSPITAL PARTNERS TO LET US KNOW WHEN IT'S TIME, WHEN, WHEN THEY NEED TO CRY UNCLE AND WHEN THEY'RE FULL, ALTHOUGH WE ARE MONITORING THEIR STATUS ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS FROM ASTONIA
[00:05:02]
DR.PICKETT SAID YESTERDAY, THAT DEMAND FOR COVID TESTING HAS INCREASED, BUT THAT TURNAROUND TIMES ARE STILL QUITE QUICK.
ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT LAB BACKLOGS LIKE THOSE OVER THE SUMMER? WE'LL ALWAYS BE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT HAPPENING AGAIN, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE MORE LAB PARTNERS THAT CAN PERFORM THE TESTS AND OUR, UH, LEVARIUS LABS HAVE INCREASED THEIR CAPACITY FOR PERFORMING THOSE TESTS.
SO WE'RE FORTUNATE IN THAT RIGHT NOW.
WE ARE NOT BUMPING UP AGAINST THE, THE LIMITS OF THOSE OF THAT CAPACITY.
UM, IF DEMAND INCREASES, UH, CONTINUES TO INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY, THEN WE MAY GET TO THAT POINT AGAIN.
ALTHOUGH RIGHT NOW WE LOOK LIKE WE'RE IN VERY GOOD SHAPE, AND I'LL JUST ADD THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, AS DR PICKET MENTIONED, THERE ARE OF LABS OUT THERE, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE OFFERING, UH, UH, LABORATORY TESTING, UH, OR TESTS AVAILABLE FOR COVID.
UM, AND A LOT OF RAPID TESTING THAT'S GONE ONLINE AND IS AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE HOPE THAT WILL HELP, UH, REDUCE THE TURNAROUND TIME.
UM, AND WE ARE SEEING INCREASES COMING INTO AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, AS FAR AS LAB RESULTS AND REPORTING THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING UP ON THAT.
UH, WE'RE HOPING THERE, WE DON'T HAVE THAT BACKLOG, LIKE WE DID BACK IN JUNE AND JULY FROM KVU LAST NIGHT, KVU DID A STORY ON A NIGHTCLUB REOPENING ITS DOORS FRIDAY, DESPITE TRAVIS COUNTY PROHIBITING BUYERS AND NIGHTCLUBS FROM OPENING THERE'S AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH THINK IT'S OKAY THAT THE COVID-19 RESPONSE TEAM ONLY WORKS UNTIL 8:00 PM AND THEREFORE ITS CODE INSPECTORS CANNOT FIND VIOLATIONS AT BARS AND NIGHTCLUBS THAT ARE OPEN LATER.
THEY ENFORCEMENT TEAM, UM, IS A TEAM OF SEVERAL MEMBERS.
UM, ALONG WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT, YOU HAVE THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, YOU HAVE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
AND SO THE, THE, THE GOAL IS IS THAT IF ANYONE HAS A CONCERN, WE WOULD WANT THEM TO GO AHEAD AND CALL THREE, ONE, ONE, AND WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT THE APPROPRIATE, UM, INDIVIDUAL WILL BE DISPATCHED FOR THAT RESPONSE.
ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS IS VERY, UM, THAT WE WANT TO JUST REMIND FOLKS BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES INDIVIDUALS DON'T WANT TO REACH OUT AND MAKE THAT CALL, BUT IS IT, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR YOU.
UM, WHEN YOU HAVE THAT CALL AND YOU MAKE THAT CALL TO KEEP US ALL SAFE, AND OUR STAFF WILL RESPOND FROM CVS, AUSTIN.
WHAT DOES KHAN TACK TRACING SHOW ARE THE MOST RECENT SPREADER SITES BEYOND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AT SCHOOLS AND AT PRIVATE GATHERINGS? UM, I WOULD SAY SOME, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE ARE CLUB ACTIVITIES LIKE CLUBS, SPORT ACTIVITIES, OR, UM, YOU KNOW, ACTIVITIES WHERE FOLKS MAY BE ENROLLED IN.
I DON'T WANT TO SAY A GYM, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, LESSONS OF SOME SORT OUTSIDE OF THE HOME, BUT THEY'RE SORT OF STILL KIND OF MOSTLY TIED TO THOSE EXTRA EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES THAT YOU SEE.
AND AGAIN, A LOT OF THEM ARE STILL TIED TO SOCIAL GATHERINGS, PEOPLE ATTENDING BABY SHOWERS, PEOPLE ATTENDING, UH, WEDDINGS.
AND IN SOME CASES, PEOPLE ATTENDING FUNERALS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, UH, RIGHT NOW I JUST WANT TO REEMPHASIZE, WE'RE GETTING AT THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE CASES THAT ARE CLIMBING EACH DAY AND WE'RE SEEING HIGH NUMBERS.
UH, WE HAVE WIDESPREAD COMMUNITY CA UH, SPREAD OF COVID.
SO IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOME AND YOU ENCOUNTER A PERSON THAT IS NOT PART OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD, YOU ARE PLACING YOURSELF AT POTENTIAL RISK FOR DISEASE TRANSMISSION.
SO RIGHT NOW I WOULD SAY YES, THERE ISN'T REALLY A CD TO BE MINDFUL THAT THERE MIGHT NOT BE A SAFE PLACE FOR YOU TO BE THAT YOU NEED TO KEEP YOUR DISTANCE AND AVOID HIGH-RISK.
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UH, THE DEPARTMENT IS AVERAGING OUR SEVEN DAY AVERAGE IS, UM, 300 TESTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US, AS DR
AND SO IF YOU'RE, UM, AROUND INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU MAY BE EVEN HAVING DINNER WITH, UM, YOU TEND TO LET YOUR GUARD DOWN WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, THAT, THAT DON'T LIVE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD.
SO WHAT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR YOU, UM, TO MAINTAIN, UM, THAT MASK WHEN YOU ARE NOT EATING AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE ALSO, UM, USING YOUR SOCIAL DISTANCING AS WELL.
UM, EVEN IN A SETTING WHERE YOU'RE HAVING MAYBE A DINNER WITH A FRIEND, UM, THE OTHER THING THAT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE SEEING, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD, UM, YOU DID MENTION THE EXTRA CURRICULUM, UM, AND THAT THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.
SO WHETHER IT'S IT'S FOOTBALL, WHETHER IT'S DANCE CLUBS, UM, WHETHER IT IS, UM, OTHER TYPES OF CLUBS, UM, THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF SETTINGS WHERE WE ARE SEEING, UM, THAT'S WHERE OUR CONTACT TRACING, UM, IS SHOWING THE INFECTIONS ARE HAPPENING.
UM, I THINK YOU SIT HERE AT 300 TESTS A DAY.
UH, DID YOU MEAN 300 CASES A DAY, 300.
SINCE THE DAY 300 POSITIVE CASES A DAY.
IT'S GOING TO SAY WE'RE DOING A LOT MORE THAN 300 TESTS A DAY.
WE'RE DOING WELL OVER A THOUSAND TESTS A DAY FROM COOPERATING.
THE INITIAL NATIONAL VACCINE DISTRIBUTION PLAN IS BASED ON POPULATION, NOT ON RISK OR COVID CASE NUMBERS.
SECRETARY AZAR LEAVES IT UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL STATES TO DETERMINE HOW THEY DISTRIBUTE THEIR PRO-RATA VACCINE.
WHAT IS THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED TO YOU? THE DEPARTMENT, UM, IS WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES.
UM, WE ARE IN WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH THEM.
UM, AS WE DISCUSSED THE STATE'S PLAN, IT IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US, UM, TO ENSURE THAT WE GET THAT INFORMATION FIRSTHAND.
WE BRING THAT BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY AND WE SHARE IT WITH OUR, UM, WITH OUR PARTNERS, AS WELL AS OUR VACCINE DISTRIBUTION COALITION TASK FORCE.
AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THOSE UPDATES.
UM, SO OUR, UM, SO WE WILL BE PLAYING, WE WILL BE READY TO PROVIDE THE VACCINE, UM, WHEN IT, WHEN IT COMES TO OUR CITY AND TOWN.
AND I'LL JUST ADD THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES HAS JUST RECENTLY RELEASED, UH, UH, THE, UH, GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND PRIORITY GROUPS THAT THEY, UH, THEY'RE, UH, THE VACCINE PLANNING COMMITTEE, UH, HAS ESTABLISHED.
AND SO THEY'VE CREATED, UH, A VACCINE ADVISORY PANEL WHO'S DETERMINED, UH, WHAT PRIORITY GROUPS WOULD BE THE FIRST PRIORITY GROUPS, UH, TO BE VACCINATED.
AND, AND SO, AS WE OBTAIN AND COLLECT THAT INFORMATION FROM THEM, UH, IT HELPS US GUIDE US IN OUR PLANNING SO THAT, UH, WE CAN BE PREPARED TO, UH, DISTRIBUTE VACCINE ACCORDINGLY FROM KX AM.
WHAT PREPARATIONS ARE AUSTIN, PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT MAKING TO ENFORCE COVID-19 GUIDELINES ON THANKSGIVING, WILL CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS BE STAFFED AND RESPONDING TO COMPLAINTS, OR WILL THAT BE LEFT TO THE POLICE AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS? WE, UM, ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS IF THEY HAVE ANY CONCERNS TO GO AHEAD AND DIAL THREE, ONE, ONE.
UM, AT THAT TIME, THE, UM, RESPONSIVE DEPARTMENT WILL RESPOND TO THAT CALL.
WE TYPICALLY DO HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, UM, WORKING, EVEN IF IT IS A HOLIDAY.
UM, AND SO WE ARE READY TO RESPOND FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT.
DOES THE CITY OR COUNTY HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL FLU VACCINE DISTRIBUTION EVENTS PLANNED THAT WILL ALSO, AS COVID-19 VACCINE DRILLS, WE HAVE, UM, COMPLETED, UM, TWO
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EVENTS THIS YEAR, ONE, A SMALLER SCALE EVENT AT DOVE SPRINGS RECREATION CENTER.UM, AND THEN THE LARGEST SCALE EVENT WAS HELD AT THE EXPO CENTER.
UM, PRIOR TO THAT, OUR STAFF, UM, PARTICIPATED IN A VIRTUAL TABLETOP EXERCISE.
AND SO, UM, BASED UPON THAT, UM, THOSE EXPERIENCE WITH THOSE EVENTS, AS WELL AS, UM, OUR, UM, OUR, OUR PLANS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, WE ARE READY TO PROVIDE, UM, DISTRIBUTION, WHETHER IT'S AT A CLINIC OR WHETHER IT'S AT A POD.
UM, WE ARE READY, UH, POINT OF DISPENSING UNIT.
WE ARE READY TO PROVIDE VACCINE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND, AND I WILL ADD THAT, UH, YOU CAN ALWAYS GO TO AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV, I THINK BACKSLASH FLU OR FORWARD SLASH FLU TO IDENTIFY LOCATIONS WHERE YOU CAN, UH, GET A FLU VACCINE, DO OUR BIG SHOTS PROGRAM, OR OUR SHOTS FOR TOTS PROGRAM.
UH, AGAIN, IT'S ALSO AVAILABLE IN COMMERCIAL RETAIL PHARMACIES.
UH, YOU CAN GET STEP UP AND GET A FLU VACCINE IN THOSE LOCATIONS AS WELL.
BUT AGAIN, AS WE BEGIN OUR VACCINE PLANNING AND DISTRIBUTION OF VACCINE, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL MODALITIES THAT WE TYPICALLY USE FOR VACCINE DISTRIBUTION, WHETHER IT BE FOR FLU, UM, TO BE USED FOR A COVID VACCINE AS WELL FROM KVU, FOR THOSE WHO ARE TRAVELING, WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD YOU GIVE FOR THEM TO DO SO AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE, AND WHAT SHOULD THEY DO WHEN THEY ARRIVE AT THEIR DESTINATION OR RETURN HOME FROM TRAVELING? WELL, THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION OF COURSE, IS TO, UH, AVOID TRAVELING, PARTICULARLY IN, INTO, IN GROUPS AND GATHERING WITH, UH, GROUPS, UH, THE FEWER, THE PEOPLE YOU'RE AROUND, THE SAFER THAT'S GOING TO BE, UH, AT A TIME YOU HAVE TO BE AROUND OTHERS RECOMMEND THAT THAT HAPPENS, UH, OUTDOORS, THAT YOU WEAR A MASK AND THAT YOU KEEP IT SIX FEET DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND THOSE OTHERS.
UH, NOW WE ARE GRATEFUL TO SEE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING AND GETTING TESTED RIGHT NOW THAT THIS TESTING DEMAND HAS INCREASED.
HOWEVER, BUT TEST DOES NOT GET VALUE, A TICKET TO A GATHERING.
UH, WE, AS WE'VE SEEN, YOU CAN BE INCUBATING THE VIRUS AND TEST NEGATIVE INITIALLY, AND THEN STILL A DAY OR TWO LATER DEVELOP SYMPTOMS AND BEING INFECTIOUS.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE LIMITATIONS OF TESTING PRIOR TO GATHERING THAT IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU ARE SAFE TO ATTEND THE GATHERING NECESSARILY.
AND OF COURSE, IF YOU'RE FEELING ANY SYMPTOMS, EVEN MILD SYMPTOMS, SUCH AS A STUFFY NOSE, A SORE THROAT, A FEVER, A LOSS OF SENSE OF TASTE OR SMELL THEN DO NOT BE AROUND OTHER PEOPLE.
AND I WILL JUST ADD TO WHAT DR.
PICKETT SAYS IS, UH, IN OUR CASE INVESTIGATION, WHAT WE'RE TYPICALLY SEEING ON A LOT OF OUR POSITIVE CASES MORE RECENTLY IS THAT MANY, MANY INDIVIDUALS THINK THAT THEY ARE SUFFERING FROM ALLERGIES, OR I THOUGHT I HAD, I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST THE ALLERGY SYMPTOMS, UH, YOU KNOW, COULD BE NASAL CONGESTION AND SCRATCHY SCRATCHY THROAT, OR MILD SORE THROAT.
UH, AND THEY ENDED UP BEING POSITIVE.
SO EVEN SOME OF THESE MILD SYMPTOMS COULD BE, UH, INDICATIVE OF COVID-19.
SO IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANY TYPE OF SYMPTOM, UH, YOU NEED TO CONSIDER THAT YOU ARE INFECTIOUS IN SOME WAY UNTIL YOU ARE, YOU HAVE A TEST THAT PROVES OTHERWISE.
UH, SO YOU NEED TO BE CAREFUL JUST TO ADD ON WITH WHAT DR.
PICKET ALSO SAID ABOUT TRAVEL.
IF YOU TRAVEL, YOU NEED TO AVOID ANY KIND OF HIGH RISK ACTIVITIES AT YOUR DESTINATION.
SO, UH, YOU ARE ENTERING INTO A PLACE OR INTO SOMEBODY'S HOME, AND YOU HAVE NOT BEEN IN, UH, THEIR HOME FOR, YOU KNOW, UH, FOR, UH, 14.
YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO QUARANTINE YOURSELF FOR A 14 DAY PERIOD, AND YOU MAY HAVE PLACED YOURSELF AT RISK IN ROUTE TO THAT DESTINATION.
SO JUST BE CAREFUL THAT YOU ARE, UH, JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE AVOIDING HIGH RISK ACTIVITIES, UH, KEEPING YOUR DISTANCE AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO WEAR YOUR FACE COVERING, UH, WHEN YOU ARE AROUND
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OTHER INDIVIDUALS, COOPERATIVE, LEO ASKS, WHAT ARE YOUR CRITERIA FOR SUCCESSFULLY ACHIEVING HER IMMUNITY IN TEXAS? SO, UH, WE THINK THAT, UH, IMMUNITY OF SOMEWHERE AROUND 70%, 60 TO 70% OF THE POPULATION WILL, UH, WILL HELP.HOWEVER, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO NOT TRY TO ACHIEVE THIS HERD IMMUNITY THROUGH THE SPREAD OF INFECTION.
UM, THE MORTALITY AND THE MORBIDITY, THE LONGTERM EFFECTS OF THIS VIRUS ARE JUST COMING TO LIGHT NOW.
AND THE, UH, THE PERSONAL COST OF GETTING HERD IMMUNITY THROUGH UNCONTROLLED SPREAD OF INFECTION, UH, IS JUST FAR TOO HIGH FOR US TO BEAR OUR BEST BET FOR ACHIEVING THAT HERD IMMUNITY IS AS WE HAVE WITH OTHER DISEASES.
AND THAT IS THROUGH VACCINATION AND MEASURE FOR SUCCESS, FOR ME, WOULD SEE A DOWNWARD TREND OF CASE POSITIVE CASES AND THE FLATTENING OF THE CURVE.
AGAIN, UM, THAT THAT TO ME WOULD BE THE IDEAL MEASURE OF SUCCESS.
AND FOR ME, UM, SUCCESS WOULD BE, UM, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE VACCINE, WE HAVE A CURE.
UM, WE HAVE MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY HAS RECEIVED THAT VACCINE.
UM, AND WHILE WE'RE MOVING THROUGH THAT PROCESS, WE CONTINUE TO, UM, WEAR OUR MASK AND SOCIAL DISTANCE AND WASH OUR HANDS.
UM, AND, AND LASTLY, WE DEFINITELY GET THAT POSITIVITY RATE BELOW 3% FROM KX A N.
HOW SOON DO YOU BELIEVE AUSTIN RESIDENTS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE VACCINE AND AT WHAT PERCENTAGE, AND DOES APH HAVE ANY PLANS TO ASSESS RURAL AREAS WITH VACCINE DISTRIBUTES OUR, UM, VACCINE, UH, COALITION, UM, TASK FORCE, UM, IS A REGIONAL TASK FORCE.
WE HAVE MEMBERS, UM, FROM WILLIAMSON COUNTY HAYS, UM, TRAVIS AND BASTROP, UM, AS WELL AS THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND SO IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS, UH, WE ARE DEFINITELY, UM, PLANNING OUR EFFORTS TOGETHER.
AND SO, UM, WE ARE WITH THOSE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE'VE BUILT, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH BASTROP COUNTY, UM, WE ARE PLANNING VERY CLOSELY, UM, WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE, UM, A SMALLER COUNTY THEY'RE RIGHT NEXT TO US.
UM, AND SO IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONTINUE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AS FAR AS, UM, WHAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING.
UM, WE HAVE TO FOLLOW WHAT THE STATE HAS PROVIDED FOR US, AS FAR AS THE TIMELINE.
WE KNOW THE INITIAL, UM, TIMELINE IN DECEMBER.
UM, WE WILL RECEIVE, UM, FOR PHASE ONE.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO PHASE TWO BECAUSE PHASE TWO WILL HAVE ADDITIONAL PROVIDERS, SO NOT JUST THE HOSPITALS, UM, BUT IT WILL ALSO, UM, ALSO INCLUDE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH AND, UM, UH, COMMUNICATOR, FOR EXAMPLE, BUT WE'LL HAVE OTHER PROVIDERS, UM, THAT ARE TYPICALLY PHARMACY PROVIDERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO THAT WILL HELP US TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE VACCINE ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY, STARTING, HOPEFULLY JANUARY, UM, MOVING FURTHER INTO THE YEAR.
WE CAN NEVER ANTICIPATE EXACTLY HOW MUCH WE ARE GOING TO RECEIVE.
UM, BUT WE WILL BE READY TO PROVIDE THE VACCINE TO OUR COMMUNITY WITH OUR PARTNERS FROM FOX SEVEN.
WHAT IS YOUR LEVEL OF CONCERN? THE AIRPORT IS FULL OF PEOPLE TRAVELING.
AND ARE WE GOING TO SEE HIGHER NUMBERS POST THANKSGIVING? UH, I'LL JUST SAY, UM, MY LEVEL OF CONCERN WHENEVER I SEE ANY KIND OF PEOPLE CONGREGATING IN ANY SITUATION, UH, IS THAT THEY ARE PLACED SOME SELF AT RISK OF DISEASE TRANSMISSION, UH, AND BEING POTENTIALLY EXPOSED TO, UH, A COVID POSITIVE PERSON.
UM, WE ARE ALREADY IN A STATE WHERE WE ARE, HAVE INCREASES IN CASES, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES AND THROUGHOUT OUR STATE.
[00:25:01]
CITY OF AUSTIN IS FAIRING MUCH BETTER THAN OTHER AREAS OF TEXAS.HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE INCREASE IN CASES.
AND SO I WOULD, UH, DEFINITELY EXPECT THAT IN TWO TO THREE WEEKS, WE WILL ALL HAVE AN EVEN HIGHER NUMBER OF CASES THAT RESULT FROM A GATHERING THAT OCCUR OVER THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS.
AND I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THAT SHARE JANET'S CONCERN.
AND, UH, WE KNOW THAT FOLKS ARE GETTING TOGETHER DURING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
WE KNOW THAT THESE FAMILY GATHERINGS ARE DRIVING A LOT OF SPREAD OF INFECTION, AND WE WILL, AS WE DID AFTER EASTER AND MEMORIAL DAY AND INDEPENDENCE DAY, WE WILL SEE FAMILIES THAT ARE DEVASTATED BY THE SPREAD OF THIS DISEASE.
UH, ACCORDING TO AN OHIO STATE STUDY, UH, THE RESPONDENT AT 38% OF THEM SAID THAT THEY, UM, THAT THEY DID PLAN TO GATHER IN GROUPS LARGER THAN 10 DURING THE HOLIDAY.
AND A CORNER SAID THAT THEY HAD NO INTENTION OF DOING ANY KIND OF PROTECTIVE MEASURES SUCH AS MASKING OR DISTANCING.
UH, SO WHEN I HEAR THAT, AND I SEE THAT THERE IS THIS NATIONAL HOLIDAY THAT, UH, IS ASSOCIATED WITH FAMILY AND, AND, UH, AND TOGETHERNESS THAT WORRIES ME A LOT FOR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE A COUPLE OF WEEKS FROM NOW.
HI, TO, UM, SHARE THE CONCERNS, UM, THAT DR.
PICKETT AND, UM, JANET HAS SHARED WITH YOU.
UM, WE KNOW THAT WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO, UM, REALLY PROVIDE ANY TYPE OF, YOU KNOW, WE WILL SAY, THESE ARE THE THINGS YOU CAN DO THAT WILL BE A LOW RISK.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WILL BE A MODERATE RISK, AND THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WILL BE A HIGHER RISK.
UM, AND SO AS WE HAVE PREPARED IN THE PAST, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE HOPEFUL, UM, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SOME FOLKS THAT HAVE SHARED THAT THEY DID MAKE CHANGES, UM, WITH THEIR PLANS AND THEY ARE GOING TO DO THINGS VIRTUALLY, THEY HAVE CREATED NEW TRADITIONS.
AND SO WE ARE EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT THAT.
HOWEVER, UM, WE ARE PREPARED, UM, WITH OUR, OUR STAFF AND OUR TEAMS, UM, JUST TO BE, UM, IN A COLLABORATIVE SPACE ONCE WE RETURN.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR HOW, UM, THE INFECTION RATE IS HAPPENING FOR US IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
THANK YOU, STEPHANIE, THAT CONCLUDES OUR MEDIA AVAILABILITY FOR TODAY.
WE'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO APH DIRECTOR, STEPHANIE HAYDEN, DR.
JASON PICKETT, AND CHIEF EPIDEMIOLOGIST, JENNIFER SCHMIDT, AND TO OUR POOL REPORTER FROM AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY AND HAVE A GREAT ONE.