[COVID-19: Press Q & A]
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I'M SYDNEY VENTER WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US THIS MORNING.
SPANISH INTERPRETATION IS AVAILABLE ON ATX AND THREE FIRST WE'LL HEAR REMARKS FROM DR.
DESERT WALKS, AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH AUTHORITY, A LOAD BY JANET PATIENT, AUSTIN, PUBLIC HEALTH, CHIEF EPIDEMIOLOGIST, THEN CASANDRA DE LEON AUSTIN, PUBLIC HEALTH ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR DISEASE PREVENTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION DIVISION.
FINALLY, ADRIAN STIRRUP, INTERIM DIRECTOR, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
GOOD MORNING, AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY.
WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE SITUATION THAT OUR COMMUNITY FINDS ITSELF SELF IN WITH REGARDS TO THE OMA CRON SURGE OF COVID-19 ON THE SLIDE THAT WE'RE GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU RIGHT NOW, YOU WILL SEE THAT THE NUMBER OF CASES IN OUR COMMUNITY HAS SURGED DRAMATICALLY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS, AS A RESULT OF THIS MORE RAPIDLY SPREAD VARIANT OF COVID-19 OMNICON IT REPLICATES 70 TIMES FASTER IN THE AIRWAY.
AND FORTUNATELY DOES NOT SEEM TO INFECT THE LUNG TISSUE AS MUCH, BUT BECAUSE IT HAS, THERE'S SO MUCH VIRUS IN YOUR AIRWAY, WHENEVER YOU TALK COUGH, SNEEZE, SING SHOUT, AND YOU'RE NOT MAST.
YOU'RE ABLE TO SPREAD THIS VIRUS MUCH MORE QUICKLY TO OTHERS, WHICH IS WHY I'M ASKING IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE'VE USED IN THE PAST PREVIOUS SURGES SEEN HERE ON THIS GRAPH TO HELP US GET OUR NUMBERS DOWN AND TO USE THAT TERM, THAT WE WERE ALSO FAMILIAR WITH FLATTEN THE CURVE, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING SO MUCH INFECTION SPREADS SO QUICKLY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS ALMA VARIANT IS FINDING THE MEDICALLY VULNERABLE.
AND THAT'S THE THING THAT WE ARE SO CONCERNED ABOUT.
WE'RE SEEING INCREASES IN OUR HOSPITALIZATIONS, PARTICULARLY IN THOSE WHO ARE NOT PROTECTED BY VACCINE AND IN THOSE PEOPLE WITH MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT MAKE THEM MORE VULNERABLE TO HAVING SEVERE DISEASE REQUIRING HOSPITALIZATIONS.
AND THAT'S THE THING THAT WE WANT TO STOP.
WE KNOW THAT WHEN OUR CHILDREN GET SICK, WE HAVE TO TAKE OFF WORK.
WE KNOW THAT WE ARE FACING RIGHT NOW IN OUR HOSPITAL SYSTEMS DECREASES IN THE NUMBER OF STAFF TO START WITH.
AND BECAUSE THIS THING IS SPREADING FAST, STAFF ARE GETTING SICK RELIEF CONTRACT STAFF THAT THE STATE HAS SENT TO HELP US DURING THIS TIME ARE ALSO GETTING SICK.
SO WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE CAN AS A COMMUNITY TO STOP THE SPREAD WITH THAT.
I, I JUST SAY WHAT WE'VE BEEN SAYING FOR MANY, MANY MONTHS NOW WHERE OUR MASK INDOORS AND AN OUTDOOR SETTINGS WHERE YOU CAN'T, UH, SOCIALLY DISTANCE STAYING HOME WHEN YOU'RE SICK AND PLEASE GET VACCINATED AND BOOSTED IF YOU'RE ELIGIBLE.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN THIS OVER TO OUR CHIEF EPIDEMIOLOGIST, JEANETTE, THIS DENNIS PICHET.
WACHS MENTIONED, WE ARE IN A STATE IN AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, AND THROUGHOUT TEXAS IN THE UNITED STATES WHERE WE HAVE WIDESPREAD COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION OCCURRING.
UM, IT'S UM, UNPRECEDENTED RIGHT NOW THAT BASICALLY ANYONE YOU MAY ENCOUNTER MAY HAVE COVID AND WHILE THEY MAY HAVE MILD SYMPTOMS, THEY ARE STILL EXTREMELY INFECTIOUS AS DR.
UM, YOU NEED TO BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHO YOU ENCOUNTER AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO EVERYTHING TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY AT THIS POINT.
WACHS ALSO MENTIONED ALL OF OUR OPERATIONS WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING A SURGE THAT INCLUDES THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
THAT INCLUDES ALL PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE SYSTEMS, TESTING OPERATIONS, OUR ISOLATION FACILITIES ARE REACHING CAPACITY.
IN FACT, WE OPENED A NEW ISOLATION FACILITY THIS WEEK, AND IT IS NEARING CAPACITY AS WELL.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, WE ALSO STILL HAVE VACCINE OPERATIONS GOING ON.
UH, BUT AGAIN, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, UM,
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YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR CASE NUMBERS ARE JUST BASICALLY CLIMBING THROUGH THE ROOF AS WE ANTICIPATED, THEY WOULD.AND BASED ON WHAT WE'RE SEEING AT OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD AND THE UNITED STATES, UM, WHILE WE'RE SEEING A SIGNIFICANTLY STEEP INCLINE IN CASES, WE CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND AS WE DO OUR CASE DATA ENTRY CASE INVESTIGATION.
SO EVEN IF YOU HAVE A POSITIVE PCR CASE, YOU MAY NOT HEAR FROM AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, BECAUSE WE ARE STILL PROCESSING THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF CASE CASES THAT ARE POSITIVE, UH, AND TRYING TO INVESTIGATE AS MANY AS WE CAN.
BUT WE ARE AT A POINT WHERE, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF CASES THAT WE'RE, UM, PROCESSING ON A DAILY BASIS AND TRYING TO WORK ON SOLUTIONS TO AUTOMATE SOME OF THAT DATA ENTRY SO THAT IT CAN, UH, GIVE US A BETTER IDEA OF OCCURRING.
UH, THERE'S ALSO WIDESPREAD, UH, UM, SELF TESTING TAKING PLACE.
SO THE NUMBERS THAT YOU MAY SEE, UH, REPORTED TO CDC, THE STATE, OR TO AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, OR JUST THOSE THAT ARE LABORATORY CONFIRMED.
SO THERE'S VERY MUCH A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE REPORTING OF DISEASE IN OUR COMMUNITY AT THE CURRENT TIME.
UM, I WILL POINT OUT THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE, UH, OUR TEST POSITIVITY RATE, WHICH CDC IS REPORTING OUT TO BE 33%.
SO FOR ALL THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE TESTING 33% OF THEM ARE CONSIDERED POSITIVE, WHICH IS PRETTY HIGH.
HOWEVER, OUR OWN INTERNAL MEASURES FOR TEST POSITIVITY RATE IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, IS MUCH HIGHER.
THAT'S FROM WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN AUSTIN, PUBLIC HEALTH TESTING OPERATIONS, UH, AND INC.
AND IT INCLUDES REGIONAL PARTNERS AS WELL.
UM, BUT IF YOU DO NEED TO GET TESTED, THERE'S TESTING, TAKING PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY IN A VARIETY OF LOCATIONS IN PRIVATE SPACES, BUT ALSO AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH HAS TESTING THAT WILL BE OCCURRING.
UH, OBVIOUSLY UP THE TRAVIS COUNTY EXPO CENTER LOCATED AT 73 11 DECKER LANE THAT WILL THOSE TESTING OPERATIONS OPERATE AT FROM MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, FROM EIGHT TO 2:00 PM.
AND THEN ON TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY FROM 8:00 AM TO 2:00 PM, THERE, THERE IS TESTING OFFERED AT THE GEORGE MIRALIS DOES SPRINGS RECREATION CENTER LOCATED AT ONE I'M AS DRIVE.
SO IF YOU, AND THOSE ARE LISTED ON OUR WEBSITE, IF YOU NEED TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TESTING, BUT IF YOU VIEW, UM, TRY TO GET TESTED AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, THOSE OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU.
IF YOU DO COME DOWN WITH SYMPTOMS AND YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO TEST, OR YOU CAN'T FIND A TEST SOLUTION, YOU NEED TO ISOLATE AT HOME, YOU NEED TO ISOLATE, UH, UNTIL YOU ARE ABLE TO GET A TEST, BUT, BUT ISOLATE YOURSELF FROM OTHER SO THAT YOU AREN'T SPREADING DISEASE WITHIN YOUR HOUSEHOLD.
AND WOULD THAT ALTERNATE OVER TO CASSIE DELEON, IT'S JANET AND GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY NEW YEAR.
UM, I THINK WHAT WE ARE, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, DID NOT EXPECT THAT 20, 22 WOULD RING IN WITH US BEING IN STAGE FIVE.
UM, WE DO KNOW THAT SOME OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE'RE LEARNING IS THAT THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN VACCINATED ARE FAIRING MUCH BETTER.
THEIRS MAY STILL CONTRACT THE OMNICON VARIANT, BUT WE'RE SEEING THAT THEY ARE NOT SUFFERING SEVERE DISEASE.
UM, AND THEY'RE STAYING OUT OF THE HOSPITAL.
SO THAT'S REALLY EXCITING TO NOTE THAT THE VACCINES ARE PROVEN TO WORK DURING THE SURGE.
AND SO WE JUST WANT TO COME AND ABOUT THE VACCINE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF VACCINE.
UM, WE STILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF OUR POPULATION THAT STILL HAS NOT BEEN VACCINATED.
SO WE JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET VACCINATED.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET YOUR CHILD, IF THEY'RE BETWEEN THE AGES OF, UM, FROM FIVE, FIVE YEARS OLD AND UP, THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR VACCINE, AND WE WANT TO GET ALL OF THEM VACCINATED SO THAT THEY'RE PROTECTED.
UM, AND THEN IF YOU ARE VACCINATED, WE KNOW THAT, UM, RESEARCH IS SHOWING THAT VACCINE IMMUNITY DOES START TO WANE OVER TIME.
AND SO, UM, NEW UPDATES, UH, FOR REGARDING PFIZER AND MADRONA VACCINE HAS INDICATED THAT THEY HAVE NOW UPDATED THE GUIDANCE AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT IF YOU HAVE HAD, IF IT'S BEEN FIVE MONTHS SINCE YOUR LAST, UM, SINCE YOUR SECOND DOSE, SINCE YOU WERE FULLY VACCINATED, IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO GET A BOOSTER YOU'RE RECOMMENDED TO GET A BOOSTER.
SO IT'S TIME TO GET YOUR VACCINE CARDS OUT AND LOOK AT AND GET BOOSTED THAT WILL JUST ENSURE ADDITIONAL PROTECTION THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT, UM, THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC.
AND TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE, UM, RESOURCES
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AVAILABLE TO YOU TO HELP FIGHT, FIGHT THIS DISEASE.ADDITION TO THAT, UM, WE REALLY ARE TRYING TO FOCUS ON AREAS THAT WE'RE SEEING LOWER GEOGRAPHIC, UM, LOWER VACCINE UPTAKE IN GEOGRAPHIC AREAS.
WE'RE DOING A LOT OF OUTREACH AND EDUCATION.
UM, WE SPENT, WE DID OVER 5,000 CALLS INTO SPECIFIC ZIP CODES, UM, LAST MONTH THAT WERE EXPERIENCING LOWER RATES OF VACCINE.
AND SO WE'RE REALLY WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF VACCINE AND AWARE OF THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE THAT PERSONAL HEALTH DECISION TO BEST PROTECT THEIR FAMILY.
THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED TIME, UH, THIS SURGE IS LIKE NOTHING ELSE THAT WE'VE EVER SEEN, BUT WE ARE SEEING THAT VACCINES HAVE BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE.
AND SO THIS IS A TIME TO REALLY THINK ABOUT GETTING THE VACCINE TO HELP, YOU KNOW, AND THOSE WHO ALREADY VACCINATED, THAT'S GOING TO HELP YOU THROUGH THE SEARCH.
UM, IF YOU'RE NOT BOOSTED YET, IT'S TIME TO GET BOOSTED.
UM, SO THAT THE NEXT SURGE, THE NEXT VARIANT THAT COMES ALONG YOU'LL HAVE THAT ADDITIONAL PROTECTION WHO WOULD JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS ALL THOSE TOOLS AVAILABLE.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE REALLY KNOW THAT VACCINE NOT ONLY PROTECTS INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN VACCINATED, BUT ALSO HELPS PROTECT THOSE WHO CAN'T GET VACCINE.
WE'RE SEEING THESE NUMBERS OF CHILDREN GOING INTO THE HOSPITAL WITH THIS VARIANT THAT ARE UNDER, THAT HAVEN'T BEEN VACCINATED OR ARE NOT ABLE TO, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT OLD ENOUGH YET.
AND IT'S REALLY, REALLY CONCERNING AS A PARENT MYSELF.
I HATE THAT MY CHILD MIGHT BE MORE VULNERABLE SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE TO GET VACCINATED.
AND SO THIS IS THE TIME TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THAT.
THINK ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL CHOICE, UH, PROTECTS YOU, BUT ALSO PROTECTS OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE VULNERABLE OR WHO STILL JUST CAN'T GET VACCINATED YET.
SO WE, WE, WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY NOW TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO PROTECT OURSELVES DURING THE SURGE, AND THEN ALSO PROTECT OURSELVES THROUGHOUT THE, THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT OVER TO ADRIAN.
UM, YOU KNOW, CASSIE, YOU HIT ON SOME REALLY KEY POINTS.
AND THE ONE I'M FOCUSED ON IS LIKE, AS A MOM OF A TEENAGER AND A HIGH SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, I TELL THEM ALL THE RIGHT THINGS TO DO.
YOU KNOW, I GIVE THEM ALL OF THE INFORMATION AND THEN I GIVE HIM THE TOOLS THAT HE NEEDS TO KEEP HIMSELF SAFE.
HE'S GOT HIS PURPLE MASK THAT MATCHES HIS PURPLE MOHAWK.
HE IS HE'S VACCINATED AND WE'RE SCHEDULING HIS BOOSTER APPOINTMENT CAUSE HE'S RIGHT AT THAT FIVE MONTH MARK.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION OUT THERE.
SO WE ARE DOING OUR BEST EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE MOST ACCURATE AND UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION MATCHED AGAINST NATIONAL GUIDANCE AND THEN MEASURES AND RESOURCES TO USE THOSE INFORMATIONS AND TOOLS THAT WE GIVE YOU TO KEEP YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY SAFE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE BOTTOM LINE, AS WE KNOW THAT COVID IS IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE KNOW THAT IT'S HIGHLY TRANSMISSIBLE.
WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE FRIENDS, FAMILIES, AND LOVED ONES THAT WE'RE HEARING MORE AND MORE EVERY DAY THAT HAVE COVID.
SO WHAT CAN YOU DO? IT'S BACK TO THE BASICS, WEAR YOUR MASK.
IF YOU'RE SICK, STAY HOME AND GET TESTED.
UM, WE HAD A GREAT PUSH BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS TO GIVE OUT, UM, HOME TEST KITS IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR TRAVIS COUNTY PARTNERS AT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER SITES.
AND WE ARE STOCKING UP TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AGAIN.
AND WE PLAN TO ONCE WE GET OUR SUPPLYING RESOURCE, THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS THAT ARE CONNECTED TO FOOD PANTRIES, AS WELL AS SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT ARE DOING GOOD WORK AND PLACES IN SPACES WHERE WE MIGHT NOT HAVE THE INFLUENCE OR RAGE.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO EXPAND OUR TESTING OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME FOLKS WHO WANT THE PCR TEST.
AND SO WE'RE WORKING TO, UM, GATHER RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND OUR CAPACITY, TO GIVE UP TO A THOUSAND ADDITIONAL TESTS PER DAY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE AWARE YOU NEED US FOR VACCINE.
WE HAVE OUR STATIC LOCATIONS, WE HAVE OUR MOBILE VACCINE PROGRAMS. AND THEN WE HAVE THOSE PROGRAMS THAT ARE PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON EQUITY.
UM, SOMETHING THAT CASSIE TOUCHED ON EARLIER, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE ZIP CODES, AS WELL AS, UH, POPULATION SPECIFICALLY ARE BLACK AND LATIN X RESIDENTS THAT ARE NOT EXPERIENCING THE SAME LEVEL OF VACCINE PROTECTION THAT WE KNOW IS NEEDED.
AND SO WE ARE VERY INTENTIONAL IN OUR DIRECT EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT VACCINE IS AVAILABLE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.
AND WE ALSO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO THAT GOOD WORK IN COMMUNITY ON OUR BEHALF.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AS I'VE ALWAYS SAID, THE INFORMATION CAN, CAN BE DAUNTING, BUT WE DO HAVE THE INFORMATION AND WE HAVE THE RESOURCES AND THE TOOLS AT OUR DISPOSAL TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE, NOT ONLY THINK ABOUT YOUR, YOUR PERSONAL HEALTH AND THE HEALTH OF YOUR, YOUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY AND LOVED ONES, BUT OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
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FOR QUESTIONS.SO OUR POOL REPORTER TODAY IS GRACE READER FROM KCC.
AND SHE'S GOING TO ASK QUESTIONS ON BEHALF OF NEWS OUTLET.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH A QUESTION FROM US HERE AT KX, A N A IF HOSPITAL NUMBERS ARE INFLATED BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE TESTING POSITIVE WHEN THEY GO IN FOR NON COVID 19 TREATMENT IS THE HOSPITALIZATION METRICS STILL ONE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT, OR IS THERE ONE THAT'S MORE MEANINGFUL FOR PEOPLE AS THEY LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS, THE HOSPITAL NUMBERS THAT WE'RE REPORTING ARE THOSE THAT ARE REQUIRED BY THE STATE.
AND WE ARE GIVING THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPACTED BY COVID AND TESTED TESTING POSITIVE.
UM, THEY MAY, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO DO GO IN FOR COVID RELATED ILLNESS, AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO GO IN FOR OTHER PROBLEMS WHO TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID AND COVID-19 CAN IMPACT THE COURSE OF HEALING LENGTH OF STAY IN HOSPITALS.
SO IT IS RELEVANT THAT THOSE NUMBERS BE REPORTED ALONGSIDE THOSE WHO GO IN FOR COVID RELATED ILLNESS.
THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION REGARDING THE METRICS TO LOOK AT, UM, RE WITH REGARD TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, WOULD THAT METRICS THAT WOULD HELP, YOU KNOW, WHAT TO LOOK FOR AS YOU'RE GOING OUT INTO PUBLIC SPACES WOULD BE THE COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION, RIGHT? UM, AND OUR COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION RATE INDICATES THAT IF YOU GO INTO A PUBLIC SPACE, YOU ARE LIKELY TO ENCOUNTER SOMEBODY WHO HAS A COVID-19, THE OMNICON VARIANT, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU'RE VACCINATED AND THAT YOU WEAR A MASK TO FULLY PROTECT YOURSELF.
THE NEXT QUESTION FROM THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE, CAN YOU PLEASE PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON APHS WORK TO GET MORE FREE AT HOME TEST KITS TO RESIDENTS? THANK YOU.
UM, I THINK I TOUCHED ON THAT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, BUT, UM, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF, UM, SOURCING ADDITIONAL AT-HOME TEST KITS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY AND OUR OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ARE WORKING TO EXPAND OUR DRIVE UP IN US, UH, STATIC SITES.
SO THAT FOLKS WHO ARE NOT COMFORTABLE DOING THE SWAB ON THEIR OWN CAN COME ON THROUGH AND WE CAN GET THAT TEST DONE FOR THEM.
THE NEXT QUESTION FROM THE STATESMEN WHEN COMPARING DELTA SURGE OVER THE SUMMER TO THE OMICRON SURGE TODAY, WHICH SURGE CHALLENGED OUR LOCAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS MORE, PLEASE EXPLAIN YOUR REASONING.
THE OMNICON SEARCH COMES AT A TIME WHEN OUR HOSPITAL AND HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS ARE EXPERIENCING LOWER NUMBERS OF STAFF TO TAKE CARE OF PATIENTS AND BECAUSE OF ITS RAPID SPREAD THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY, UM, WE'RE SEEING LARGE VOLUMES OF PEOPLE WHO ARE BECOMING ILL AND ON TOP OF THAT IN HEALTH CARE AND OTHER, UM, ASPECTS OF OUR, UM, SERVICE INDUSTRIES, UM, OUR STAFF AND HOSPITALS AND HEALTHCARE CLINICS AND HEALTHCARE SETTINGS ARE GETTING SICK.
AND SO THAT IS A CHALLENGE BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE WE GO TO GET THE CARE THAT WE NEED.
SO THIS SEARCH HAS PROVED TO BE MUCH MORE CHALLENGING.
THE NEXT QUESTION FROM CBS, AUSTIN, OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY ARE STARTING TO SEE THE OMA SURGE LEVEL OFF, OR EVEN START TO DECLINE.
SOME PREDICTIONS ARE THAT AUSTIN WILL FOLLOW SUIT SOMETIME NEXT WEEK.
DOES YOUR INFORMATION AND MODELING AGREE WITH THAT MODELING CAN'T PREDICT HIM IN BEHAVIOR.
AND SO IT REALLY IS GOING TO DEPEND ON THE COMMUNITY'S RESPONSE TO THE CLARION CALL TO ARMS. UM, AND IN THIS CASE, THAT'S PUTTING A MASK ON AND GETTING VACCINATED, AS WE'VE SEEN IN MANY STUDIES MASKING IMPROVED BY 10% IS ABLE TO REDUCE COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND WE ARE SEEING A TREND IN INCREASED MASKING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO IF THAT CONTINUES, IF PEOPLE CONTINUE TO STAY HOME WHEN THEY'RE ILL, SO THEY'RE NOT SPREADING THE ILLNESS, WE COULD POSSIBLY SAY THIS A TURNAROUND IN THE NEAR FUTURE, BUT IT REALLY DEPENDS ON US.
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THE NEXT QUESTION FROM UNIVISION, WE'VE SEEN CASES WHERE CHILDREN IN OUR AREA HAVE BEEN COINFECTED WITH COVID AND THE FLU AT THE SAME TIME.HOW COMMON IS THAT THIS AS THE SEASON FOR RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES AND, UM, MY COLLEAGUES IN THE PEDIATRIC WORLD SAY THAT THEY'RE SEEING CHILDREN, UM, PRESENT WITH COVID AND MANY OTHER RESPIRATORY VIRUSES ARE A STATE, UM, THE FLU AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS CAN BE SEEN, UM, MORE RAW, MORE, UM, MORE SO DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR.
SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE SEEING CHILDREN WHO ARE INFECTED, NOT ONLY WITH COVID, BUT OTHER VIRUSES AND THAT'S CONCERNING.
AND I'LL ADD, YOU KNOW, WE ARE AT ANY POINT IN TIME WHERE HISTORICALLY IN THE PAST, WE MAY HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON DOING POLICE SURVEILLANCE AND OUR PROVIDERS MAY HAVE BEEN, IF SOMEONE PRESENTED WITH, UH, INFLUENZA-LIKE ILLNESS, THEY MAY HAVE ONLY BEEN TESTED FOR FLU.
UH, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO FREELY TEST FOR COVID.
SO, UH, WE'RE ACTUALLY ACTUALLY ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR ALL THESE OTHER RESPIRATORY VIRUSES AT THE SAME TIME NOW, WHEREAS MAYBE IN THE PAST, WE DIDN'T DO THAT.
NEXT QUESTION FROM COOPERATIVE RIO DOES HAVING CONTRACTED OR EVEN BEING EXPOSED TO COVID PRECLUDE ONE FROM DONATING BLOOD.
IF SO, FOR HOW LONG, UM, BLOOD DONATION TYPICALLY IS SOMETHING THAT'S DONE WHEN PEOPLE HAVE RECOVERED FROM ILLNESS.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE A CALL THAT WILL BE MADE BY THE PATIENT, THE PERSON'S HEALTHCARE PROVIDER, AND THEN THEY WOULD BE SENT TO THE BLOOD BANK, ACCORDING TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THEIR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER.
AND I'LL, I'LL JUST ADD THAT THE BLOOD BANK MAY ALSO HAVE SOME CRITERIA THAT THEY'RE SCREENING TO MAKE SURE A PERSON HAS PASSED THEIR INFECTIOUS PERIOD BEFORE THEY'RE ABLE TO DONATE NEXT QUESTION FROM KUT.
CAN YOU COMMENT ON THE CURRENT STATUS OF HOSPITAL AND ICU BEDS AND THE RATE THAT THEY'RE FILLING UP, HOW DOES THIS COMPARE TO PREVIOUS WAVES? WE HAVE, UH, HAD A PERIOD OF RAPID RISE IN THE NUMBER OF CASES AND THAT RISE IN HOSPITALIZATIONS, UM, HAS ALSO INCREASED.
WE'VE SURPASSED OUR NUMBER OF, UH, CASE DAILY CASES, UM, QUICKLY WITH THE SURGE.
AND WE'RE SEEING, UM, UH, UH, 20%, UM, ONE IN FIVE, UM, ENTRY INTO THE ICU.
SO THIS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, UM, FROM OTHER SURGES IN THAT IT'S, IT'S, UM, EVOLVING AND UNFOLDING MORE RAPIDLY, BUT WE'RE STILL SEEING THE NEED FOR ICU BEDS.
AND IN THAT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE SETTING, NOW WE HAVE LESS ICU BED CAPACITY BECAUSE WE HAVE LESS STAFF.
SO THIS IS A MUCH DIFFERENT SITUATION BECAUSE OF OUR STAFFING CHALLENGES.
UM, AND WE AS A COMMUNITY NEED TO DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO DECREASE THE SPREAD, UM, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE MEDICALLY VULNERABLE AND WHO MAY, UM, MORE BE AT MORE RISK TO NEED THOSE ICU BEDS.
AND SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO MASK AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET VACCINATED AND BOOSTED IF WE'RE ELIGIBLE FOR BOOSTERS.
WITH NEW ORDERS IN PLACE, WHAT WOULD ENFORCEMENT LOOK LIKE FOR BUSINESSES REQUIRED TO PLACE SIGNAGE ON DOORS? OUR GOAL AS A PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS, IS TO DO JUST THAT, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PROTECTING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THE NEW ORDERS ARE, ARE MORE ABOUT HELPING BUSINESS OWNERS, UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHTS AND THE FLEXIBILITY OF CHOICE, UM, TO PROTECT THEIR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR PATRONS.
WE'RE MOVING ONTO THE SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS NOW.
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FROM US AT KX.A N HAS ANYONE IN THE AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY AREA STARTED RECEIVING COVID-19 TREATMENT PILLS, IF SO, HOW ARE THOSE BEING USED AND HOW IS IT WORKING? WE HAVE A VERY LIMITED SUPPLY OF THE OUTPATIENT, UM, TREATMENTS FOR COVID 19, AND THEY ARE BEING USED ACCORDING TO THE GUIDANCE, UM, AND THE, UM, APPROVED WAYS OF USE, UM, THROUGH THE, UM, FDA AND THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH.
AND WE ARE SEEING THAT THE PATIENTS THAT ARE RECEIVING THESE TREATMENTS TO DATE ARE, UM, HAVING GOOD OUTCOMES.
UH, BUT IT'S REALLY TOO EARLY TO GIVE YOU EXPANDED INFORMATION ON THAT.
SINCE WE HAVE VERY LITTLE DATA AT THIS POINT AND VERY LITTLE SUPPLY, NEXT QUESTION FROM THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE, WHY DOES AUSTIN'S COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION RATE CONTINUE TO OUTPACE THE STATE'S? UM, I THINK THE ANSWERS AND THE TERM ITSELF, IT'S A COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION, RIGHT? AND SO IT IS, UM, PART OF A COMMUNITY, UM, PICTURE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND WE AS A COMMUNITY, UM, KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO STOP THE SPREAD OF THIS DISEASE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT IS TO WHERE MASS, UM, MASS THAT FIT PROPERLY.
NASA DON'T HAVE GAPS BETWEEN THE MASK AND THE SKIN, UM, AND MASKS THAT ARE WORN OVER THE NOSE AND MOUTH.
UM, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE NEED TO, AS A COMMUNITY, GET VACCINATED OR BOOSTED, AND WHEN WE'RE SICK, STAY HOME ANOTHER, UH, POINT THAT MAY AFFECT, UM, OUR NUMBER BEING HIGHER, THAT WE MAY HAVE, UH, A RESPONSIBLE COMMUNITY IN WHICH THEY, THEY ARE SICK, THEY DO GET TESTED AND THEREFORE THEY ARE COUNTED AS A CASE, WHICH THOSE CASE NUMBERS TEND TO FEED INTO THAT RATE ITSELF.
SO IT COULD HAVE AN IMPACT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE BEING MORE MINDFUL ON TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
UH, SO AGAIN, AS DR WACHS IS MENTIONED, UM, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY NOW.
UM, I'M SURE ALL OF YOU HAVE KNOW, AT LEAST ONE PERSON WHO HAS GOT COVID WITHIN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, UM, AND, OR, YOU KNOW, YOUR WORKPLACE IS AFFECTED BY IT.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE, IT'S BASICALLY TAKING OUT ENTIRE, UH, UH, PLACES OF EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE, UH, PEOPLE, EVERYBODY IN THAT LOCATION IS SICK.
SO WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN TO TRY TO LIMIT DISEASE, TRANSMISSION RISK.
AND, AND ONE OF THOSE, ONE OF THE KEY WAYS IS TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MASKING, UH, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IN THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY AREAS, THAT PEOPLE ARE HAVING VERY MILD SYMPTOMOLOGY, RUNNY NOSE, CONGESTION, SORE THROAT, THEY MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE A FEVER, BUT JUST KIND OF FEEL TIRED AND P AND E AND AS A RESULT, UH, THEY COULD BE INFECTED WITH COVID-19.
AND SO, AND, AND, UM, CRON VARIANT, AND IT CAN BE RAPIDLY TRANSMITTED.
SO, UH, EVEN WITH THOSE MILES SYMPTOMOLOGY, UH, PEOPLE NEED TO STAY HOME WHEN THEY'RE SICK AND ISOLATE FROM OTHERS, UH, AND TRY TO GET TESTED IF THEY CAN, IF THEY CAN'T GET TESTED, JUST STAY HOME AND ISOLATE FROM OTHERS AND PROTECT THOSE AROUND YOU.
THE NEXT QUESTION FROM THE STATESMAN DOES ALMA CRON AFFECT CHILDREN AS SEVERELY AS DELTA, ARE WE NOTICING AN INCREASE IN HOSPITALIZATIONS FOR KIDS IN RECENT WEEKS AS A RESULT OF THE NEW VARIANT AND TALKING TO PEDIATRIC COLLEAGUES, UM, THEY ARE SEEING INCREASED NUMBERS OF CHILDREN WHO HAVE, UM, COVID-19, UM, AND THIS, UM, A CRON SEARCH AND THOSE THAT REQUIRE HOSPITALIZATION ARE, UM, AS SICK AS THE CHILDREN THAT THEY SAW, UM, IN THE DELTA SEARCH.
HOWEVER, UM, THOSE WHO ARE VACCINATED ARE, UM, AND, AND PRESENTING TO HOSPITAL, UM, DO HAVE SOME PROTECTION.
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UM, AND TYPICALLY THOSE WHO ARE ENDING UP IN HOSPITAL OR VACCINATED, OR THOSE WHO HAVE, UM, OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT PUT THEM AT RISK FOR MORE SEVERE ILLNESS.SO, UM, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN SAYING WITH REGARDS TO PROTECTING OUR OURSELVES AND OUR CHILDREN, UM, APPLY IN, IN THE OMNICON SURGE AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE GOLD STANDARD FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET THROUGH THOSE.
THE NEXT QUESTION FROM CBS, AUSTIN, SHOULD PEOPLE BE CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING REINFECTED WITH OMICRON? IS IT POSSIBLE TO RECOVER FROM ONE BOUT IN BEING REINFECTED AND TRANSMITTED TO OTHERS? UH, I'LL ANSWER THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE SEEING PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING REINFECTION.
WE'VE SEEN IT THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THIS PANDEMIC, UH, CONTINUE TO SEE THAT WE'RE SEEING BREAKTHROUGHS AS WELL.
THE MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE VACCINATED, THE ODDS OF A SEEN BREAKTHROUGHS ARE GOING TO INCREASE OVER TIME.
UM, BUT THE, BUT I, BUT AGAIN, THE VACCINE WAS NOT, UH, SUPPOSED TO ELIMINATE DISEASE.
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO REDUCE THE SEVERITY OF THE COURSE OF ILLNESS THAT YOU HAVE AND DECREASE IT.
UH, PEOPLE GOING TO THE HOSPITAL, GOING TO THE HOSPITAL WITH DISEASE.
AND I THINK THAT PART OF IT IS WORKING.
YOU'RE SEEING THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE, HAVE BEEN VACCINATED AND BOOSTED ARE HAVING MUCH MILDER DISEASE THAN, UH, THOSE WHO ARE UNVACCINATED.
AND I'M GOING TO PULL A BETTY ON THIS QUESTION AND ASK A FOLLOWUP TO THAT, BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED ABOUT THIS.
UM, SO IF YOU GET OMICRON RIGHT NOW, RIGHT? I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ASKING US WELL, CAN I GET IT AGAIN IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS? SO WHAT IS THE LEVEL OF RE-INFECTION THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT? SO YOU CAN BE REINFECTED AND ALL WE BREAKTHROUGHS OUT OF THAT, BECAUSE YOU COULD BE REINFECTED WHETHER YOU'RE VACCINATED OR NOT VACCINATED.
UM, BUT, UM, TYPICALLY WE FOLLOW STRICT GUIDANCE FROM CDC AND THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICE OF WHAT CONSTITUTES A REINFECTED CASE.
AND TYPICALLY YOU CAN BECOME REINFECTED BEYOND 90 DAYS.
SO IF YOU HAD COURSE OF ILLNESS WHERE YOU HAD IT A ONE MONTH, 90 DAYS LATER, IF HE DEVELOPED DISEASE AFTER THAT 90 DAY WINDOW, YOU ARE CONSIDERED A REINFECTION.
NOW, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY YOU COULD GET REINFECTED BEFORE THAT? I'M SURE THERE IS.
SO, UM, AND WE ARE CONSIDERING THOSE THAT COME ACROSS, BUT, UH, BUT YEAH, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S DEFINITELY POSSIBILITY OF REINFECTION AND WE ARE SEEING IT, UH, PRETTY WIDESPREAD WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND JUST TO ADD ONTO THAT, UM, WHERE, UM, WHEN I'M A CON FIRST EMERGED IN SOUTH AFRICA, THAT'S WHAT WAS SAYING THAT PEOPLE WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD COVID WERE, WERE BEING REINFECTED BY THIS NEW VARIANT.
UM, AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO PROTECT OURSELVES FROM BECOMING INFECTED FROM THIS VARIANT AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT MAY EMERGE GOING FORWARD BECAUSE EVERY TIME A PERSON IS, UM, ABLE TO BE INFECTED, THAT GIVES US VIRUS THE CHANCE TO MUTATE.
AND THE WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BRING THIS SPREAD TO A HALT IS BY ADDRESSING THE THINGS THAT WE CAN TO STOP THE SPREAD AND, AND STOP THE VIRUS'S ABILITY TO MUTATE SO THAT WE CAN GO ON WITH OUR LIVES IN A, IN A SITUATION WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO TAKE OUR KIDS TO SCHOOL AND GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND GO TO OUR JOBS, UM, AND, AND KNOW THAT WE ARE DOING ALL THAT WE CAN TO PROTECT OURSELVES.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
THIS NEXT QUESTION IS FROM UNIVISION AS TIME HAS GONE BY WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE OMA OMICRON AND THE DELTA VARIANT, ESPECIALLY FOR UN-VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS, I'LL START.
UM, WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT IF YOU'RE UNVACCINATED, YOUR LIKELIHOOD OF SUFFERING, SEVERE DISEASE IS MUCH, MUCH HIGHER REGARDLESS OF THE VARIANT.
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UM, GARLIC HAS DELTA OR MACRON, OR EVEN PREVIOUS VARIANTS OF COVID THAT WE'VE SEEN.SO WE KNOW THAT VACCINE, UH, WORKS AND PROTECTS YOU.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE VACCINE ON BOARD, UM, THE LIKELIHOOD THAT YOU IS MUCH HIGHER, THAT YOU MIGHT SUFFER SEVERE DISEASE HOSPITALIZATION, AND EVEN, UM, POTENTIALLY, UM, COULD SEPARATE, COULD, COULD DIE FROM THIS.
AND SO WE WANT TO ALWAYS ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO GET VACCINATED.
UM, IF YOU'RE NOT BOOSTED AND IT'S TIME GET BOOSTED AND YOU'RE ELIGIBLE GET BOOSTED.
UM, AND FOR THOSE YOUNGER POPULATIONS THAT ARE NEWLY ELIGIBLE, THEY NEED TO BE VACCINATED AS WELL.
BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THOSE POPULATIONS THAT DON'T HAVE VACCINE AND PARTICULARLY YOUNGER POPULATIONS ARE GETTING ON THE CRON, THEY'RE COMING INTO THE HOSPITAL.
UM, SO WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE.
SO WE KNOW THAT, UM, UH, WE SAW THIS IN DELTA, WE'RE SEEING IT'S STILL AN AUTOCRAT AND VACCINATED.
UM, INDIVIDUALS ARE MUCH MORE HIGHER RISK FROM SUFFERING, SEVERE DISEASE, UM, AND, UM, AND OTHER COMPLICATIONS, UM, FROM THIS VIRUS, THE NEXT QUESTION FROM COOPERATIVE AND I AM DIRECTLY QUOTING THIS QUESTION HERE.
CURRENT SCHOOL GUIDELINES ARE AT BEST IT CONFUSING JUMBLE OF LOCAL ISD TEA, AND CDC RECOMMENDATIONS, OVERLAYING PERSONAL CHOICES.
WHAT IS YOUR BEST ADVICE TO PARENTS AND STAFF, IF YOU ARE SICK AND YOU DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO A TEST, YOU SHOULD STAY HOME AND ISOLATE FOR 10 DAYS.
IF YOU TEST POSITIVE AND YOU, UM, YOU SHOULD STAY HOME AND ISOLATE FOR FIVE DAYS, UM, TEST AT THE DAY.
UM, AND IF YOU'RE POSITIVE, UH, CONTINUED TO ISOLATE AT HOME, IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO GO BACK TO A SITUATION AND CONSISTENTLY WEAR A MASK WHEN YOU'RE AROUND OTHER PEOPLE AND IN SETTINGS WHERE YOU'RE EATING AND REMOVING YOUR MASK TO EAT OR DRINK, UM, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO TAKE THE MEASURES THAT WE'VE TAKEN IN THE PAST TO DECREASE SPREAD.
AND THE LAST FIVE DAYS OF THE NEW GUIDANCE REQUIRE THAT MASS BE WORN CONSISTENTLY FOR FIVE DAYS, UM, AFTER, UH, AND THE LAST PART OF THAT ISOLATION PERIOD OR QUARANTINE PERIOD.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THOSE FIVE DAYS OF MASKING THE ADHERED TO SO IN ANY SITUATION WHERE THAT CANNOT OCCUR, UM, THEN THE 10 DAY ISOLATION, UM, AT HOME SHOULD, SHOULD BE THE FALLBACK POSITION.
AND I WANTED TO ADD RELATED TO QUARANTINE.
IF YOU'RE EXPOSED TO A POSITIVE PERSON, QUARANTINE STARTS THE DAY OF YOUR LAST EXPOSURE TO THAT PERSON.
SO IF YOU CANNOT SAFELY QUARANTINE, UH, FROM SOMEBODY WHO'S POSITIVE, LIKE YOUR CHILD, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO GO OUT THROUGH THAT 10 DAYS AS WELL, UH, BECAUSE THE CLOCK RESTARTS FOR YOU BASED ON THE DATE OF YOUR LAST EXPOSURE.
SO IN QUARANTINE DOESN'T MEAN I CAN PUT A MASK ON AND GO ABOUT TOWN AND DO WHATEVER I NEED TO DO.
QUARANTINE MEANS YOU NEED TO BE STAYING AT HOME AND KEEPING YOURSELF AWAY FROM THOSE, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO MAY BE VULNERABLE AND MONITOR YOURSELF TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT DEVELOPING DISEASE, EVEN IF IT IS A SLIGHTEST OF SNOWBALLS.
THIS NEXT QUESTION FROM KUT IS THE ALTERNATE CARE SITE READY FOR IMMEDIATE USE IF NEEDED AND HOW MANY STAFFED BEDS WOULD BE AVAILABLE.
THE ALTERNATE CARE SITE IS IN A, WHAT WE CALL WARM, READY STATE, UM, WITH 50 BEDS.
HOWEVER, WE DON'T WANT TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE TO USE THAT ALTERNATE CARE SITE, RIGHT? WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROTECT OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
IF WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE NEEDING THE ALTERNATE CARE SITE, WE'RE IN A BAD PLACE, WE NEED TO NOT GET THERE.
WE NEED TO, AS A COMMUNITY, STOP THE SPREAD OF THIS DISEASE, UM, WHERE OUR MASS STAY HOME, WHEN WE'RE SICK, GET VACCINATED, GET THOSE TO, AND, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, TAKE THOSE PRECAUTIONS THAT YOU WOULD TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T GET IN A CAR ACCIDENT, DON'T DRIVE WHILE YOU'RE INTOXICATED, WEAR YOUR SEATBELT.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THOSE THINGS RIGHT NOW, UM, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO ENJOY OUR WAY OF LIFE, UM, HAVE THE SUPPLY
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CHAIN SO THAT OUR GROCERY SHELVES ARE STOCKED.UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GO TO SCHOOL WITH, AND DROP OUR KIDS OFF AT SCHOOL, OR HAVE BUS DRIVERS TO DROP THEM TO SCHOOL, UM, BE ABLE TO GO INTO A GOVERNMENT OFFICE AND GET THE SERVICE WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
THIS IS THE TIME FOR US TO PAY ATTENTION, TO PUTTING ON A MASK THAT COVERS OUR NOSE AND MOUTH AND GET VACCINATED.
THIS IS THE FINAL QUESTION, THE PARTS OF THE BUSINESS ORDER THAT SAY PROOF OF VACCINE, NEGATIVE TEST, ET CETERA, BUSINESSES CAN IMPLEMENT THOSE POLICIES ON THEIR OWN DISCRETION.
IS THAT CORRECT? THE ORDER IS NOT SAYING THAT THOSE ACTIONS ARE REQUIRED.
WE WANT TO THANK OUR HEALTH AUTHORITY, DR.
WACHS APH, INTERIM DIRECTOR, ADRIAN STIRRUP, CHIEF EPIDEMIOLOGIST, JANET PICHET, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR DISEASE PREVENTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION, CASANDRA DE LEON, AND TO OUR POOL REPORTER TODAY, GRACE READER FROM KX.
AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE JOINING US, HAVE A SAFE WEEKEND.