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[ COVID-19: Press Q & A]
I'M SYDNEY BENDER WITH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US FOR TODAY'S MEDIA Q AND A SPANISH INTERPRETATION IS AVAILABLE AS ALWAYS ON ATX.
AND THREE FIRST, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR REMARKS TODAY FROM DR.
JASMER WALKS, AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH AUTHORITY FOLLOWED BY OUR GUEST TODAY, DR.
SARMILA HAGAR PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST AT DELL CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT DELL MEDICAL SCHOOL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.
THEN WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM JANET FISCHER, AUSTIN, PUBLIC HEALTH, CHIEF EPIDEMIOLOGIST, AND KASSANDRA, EXCUSE ME, CASSANDRA DALIAN, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR DISEASE PREVENTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION DIVISION.
FINALLY, ADRIAN STIRRUP DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
GOOD MORNING, AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY.
WE'RE HERE TODAY TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE SITUATION IN OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR EFFORTS TO CURB THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE.
WE'RE STARTING TO SEE OUR CASE NUMBERS GO DOWN.
UM, WE ARE, UM, REALLY ENCOURAGED BY THAT AND WE NEED TO REDOUBLE OUR EFFORTS TO DO WHAT WE KNOW, UH, TO STOP THAT SPREAD WITH MASKING AND VACCINATIONS AND STAYING UP TO DATE ON THE SEX SCENES, BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN EARLY REPORTS OF THE EMERGENCE AND ARRIVAL IN TEXAS OF THE SUB LINEAGE OF THE VARIANT ARM ACROSS IN TEXAS.
UH, THE NEW VARIANT IS ONE THAT SPREADS QUICKLY MORE QUICKLY THAN THE BA ONE SUB VARIANT THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY PREDOMINANTLY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, IT IS HOWEVER BEING, UM, ATTACKED BY THOSE VACCINE ANTIBODIES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR, UM, TOOLBOX.
SO THE VACCINES WE HAVE ARE WORKING AGAINST IT, AND IT DOES APPEAR TO ALSO, UH, PRODUCE MILD DISEASE, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE DON'T LET OUR GUARD DOWN, THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO BATTLE WITH THOSE.
WE'RE SEEING LARGE NUMBERS OF PET PEDIATRIC CASES IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH 91% OF THOSE CHILDREN WHO ARE ADMITTED ON VACCINATED TO OUR HOSPITALS.
AND FOR THAT REASON TODAY, WE'VE ASKED DR.
THE HIKER TO JOIN US, TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR PEDIATRIC HOSPITALS.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT ON TO DR.
I'M A PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASE PHYSICIAN PRACTICED IN AUSTIN FOR A LONG TIME, 25 YEARS OR SO.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT WE'VE SEEN WITH, UM, THIS PARTICULAR SURGE AND IN COVID AND OUR CHILDREN.
UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, OVER 9 MILLION CHILDREN HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN NATIONWIDE.
AND IMPORTANTLY, SINCE JANUARY ABOUT 900,000 HAVE TESTED POSITIVE, STILL A SMALL AMOUNT THAT ARE HOSPITALIZED, BUT IT HAS INCREASED.
UM, IN JANUARY, I THINK NATIONWIDE, THIS, THE STATISTICS ARE ABOUT, UH, CHILDREN ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 2.9% OF ALL HOSPITALIZATIONS.
WE HAVE FELT IT IN OUR HOSPITAL.
UM, SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN, WE'VE TAKEN CARE OF OVER 300 CHILDREN THAT HAVE BEEN ADMITTED WITH COVID AND THEY'RE POSITIVE AND SYMPTOMATIC.
UM, SINCE JANUARY, UH, WHEN THIS ALMA CRON SURGE OCCURRED, WE'VE EXCEEDED HOW MANY ADMISSIONS WE HAD SINCE, UH, IN THE SUMMER WITH DELTA, WHEN WE HAD THE DELTA SURGE, THE IMPORTANT CHANGES THAT WE'VE SEEN ARE THERE ARE A LOT MORE YOUNGER CHILDREN BEING ADMITTED.
SO ABOUT ALMOST, UM, 37% OR SO OF OUR CHILDREN THAT ARE ADMITTED SINCE JANUARY HAVE FALLEN INTO THAT YOUNGER AGE GROUP, ZERO TO FOUR.
THIS IS A BIG CHANGE FOR US SEEING IN THE, WITH THE PREVIOUS SURGES WITH FIRST ALPHA AND DELTA, WHICH WERE MOSTLY TEENAGERS OR, UH, ABOVE 12.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT WE HAVE SEEN AND DR WALKS THIS RIGHT, YOU KNOW, VAST MAJORITY OF THESE CHILDREN ARE UNVACCINATED AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE UN-VACCINATED.
UM, THE CHILDREN THAT ARE ILL AND ARE VACCINATED, OR HAVE SOME VACCINE USUALLY HAVE AN IMMUNE PROBLEM THAT CAN'T MOUNT AN ANTIBODY RESPONSE TO THE VIRUS.
SO PEOPLE THAT ARE HEALTHY, THAT CHILDREN THAT ARE HEALTHY, THAT ARE GETTING ADMITTED ARE ALMOST ALL ON VACCINATED.
UM, ABOUT A FIFTH OF OUR CHILDREN HAVE REQUIRED INTENSIVE CARE.
UM, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THEY ARE SO LOW IN OXYGEN THAT WE, THEY REQUIRE EXCESS OXYGEN
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TO BE DELIVERED IN WAYS TO KEEP THEIR OXYGEN LEVELS NORMAL.SO THAT IS HOW THAT HAS BEEN DIFFERENT.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO MENTION THROUGH THE PANDEMIC IS IN PEDIATRICS, SOMETHING THAT IS A BIT UNIQUE TO PEDIATRICS IS WE HAVE SEEN A CASE, UM, A SYNDROME CALLED M I S C, WHICH IS A MULTI INFLAMMATORY SYSTEMIC RESPONSE AFTER COVID USUALLY HAPPENS TWO TO SIX WEEKS AFTER COVID.
AND WE HAD SEEN THIS WITH DELTA, UM, AFFECTING, AND THOSE CHILDREN REALLY DO COME IN VERY ILL.
ABOUT HALF OF THEM REQUIRE CRITICAL CARE.
IT'S AN INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE, ESPECIALLY WE WORRY ABOUT THE HEART.
UM, AND THOSE CHILDREN JUST DON'T, UM, UH, PRESENT UNLESS THEY'RE INFECTED WITH COVID OR HAVE A HISTORY OF INFECTION WITH COVID.
BUT MAJORITY OF THEM ALSO ARE UN-VACCINATED.
UM, WE HAVE NOT STARTED TO SEE THAT YET IN THE, IN THE RATES THAT WE WERE SEEING IT IN THE SUMMER, BUT IT IS A BIT EARLY WE'RE EXPECTING THAT TO HAPPEN SOON.
UM, WE'LL KEEP OUR, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP OUR EYES AND EARS OPEN FOR THAT.
UH, SO AGAIN, UM, THE, THE DIFFERENCES THAT WE HAVE SEEN WITH ALMA CRON REALLY ARE THE EXCESS NUMBER OF CHILDREN GETTING ADMITTED WITH, UH, SYMPTOMS AND THE YOUNGER AGE GROUP.
AND, UM, THEY UN-VACCINATED THE VAST MAJORITY AROUND VACCINATED.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER, UM, TO JIM BURCHETTE.
I THINK SHE HAS AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC THINGS TO SAY, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
UM, SO AS WE'VE HEARD, UH, I THINK THERE IS SOME POSITIVE NEWS ON OUR FRONT WE'RE AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
OUR DATA INDICATES THAT WE HAVE REACHED A PLATEAU AND WE ARE ON THE DOWNWARD SLIDE OF AN INITIAL OMICRON PEAK.
UH, AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING BASED ON OUR DATA INDICATES, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEING DECREASES IN THE NUMBER OF POSITIVE LAB REPORTS THAT ARE BEING REPORTED TO US ON A DAILY BASIS.
JUST LAST WEEK, WE RECEIVED, UH, OVER 22,000, UH, POSITIVE LAB RESULTS AT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND THIS WEEK WE RECEIVED ONLY 15,000.
SO THAT'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE AND, UM, REPRESENTS A 31 DECREASE 31% DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF LABS BEING REPORTED.
AND SHE, UH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WE'RE ALSO SEEING DECREASES IN OUR DEMAND FOR CERTAIN SERVICES, SUCH AS TESTING OPERATIONS.
UH, WE STILL OFFER TESTING, UH, AT TWO LOCATIONS AT THE GEORGE MIRALIS RECREATION CENTER OR, OR THE DEAD SPRINGS RECREATION CENTER LOCATED AT 58 0 1.
I MISS, UH, IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN.
AND THAT, UH, OPERATION IS OPEN TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY OR TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY FROM 8:00 AM TO 2:00 PM.
AND WE'RE ALSO, UH, HAVE TESTING OPERATIONS AT THE TRAVIS COUNTY EXPOSITION CENTER THAT CONTINUE AT THEIR, UH, 73 11 DECKER LANE.
AND THOSE OPERATIONS ARE OPEN FROM, UH, 8:00 AM TO 2:00 PM.
MONDAY TO FRIDAY, YOU CAN REGISTER FOR AN APPOINTMENT OR YOU CAN WALK UP OR DRIVE UP.
IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD AN APPOINTMENT, IF YOU HAVE ANY DIFFICULTY MAKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR AN APPOINTMENT, YOU CAN CALL OUR NURSE HOTLINE AT (512) 972-5560.
AND THEY CAN HELP MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO EITHER REGISTER YOU FOR TESTING.
BUT THE MAIN THING IS IF YOU ARE, IF YOU ARE SUFFERING FROM SYMPTOMS THAT ARE A, COVID LIKE IN NATURE, YOU NEED TO REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, TO GET TESTED.
IF YOU CAN, IF YOU CANNOT GET TESTED, UH, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE ISOLATING AT HOME AND NOT EXPOSING OTHER PEOPLE, YOUR FAMILY TO, UH, THOSE THAT SYMPTOMOLOGY.
SO, UM, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE ARE SEEING BECAUSE OF OMICRON, OUR NUMBERS ARE COMING DOWN, BUT THEY'RE STILL PRETTY HIGH.
IF YOU LOOK AT COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION RATES.
SO, UH, YOU NEED TO, WE STILL NEED TO BE DOING THOSE THINGS TO KEEP US PROTECTED.
I THINK ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE, UH, NUMBER ONE THINGS IS TO GET VACCINATED AS YOU, AS YOU JUST HEARD FROM THE DOCTOR, BOTH DOCTORS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, IT IS AFFECTING MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE, ARE UN-VACCINATED.
SO NOW'S THE TIME TO GET VACCINATED AND TO GET UP TO DATE ON YOUR, UH, BOOSTER AND OTHER VACCINATIONS TO PROVIDE THAT ADDED PROTECTION.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CASSIE DELYON.
UM, WE'VE TALKED A LOT THIS MORNING ALREADY ABOUT VACCINE.
I JUST WANT TO ALSO CONGRATULATE OUR COMMUNITY ON THE GREAT WORK THAT WE'VE DONE ALREADY TO GET OVER
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71% OF OUR ELIGIBLE POPULATION.THOSE THAT ARE FIVE YEARS OLD AND OLDER, UH, FULLY VACCINATED, THAT'S A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT AND THAT'S, UH, REALLY PROTECTING SO MANY PEOPLE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S A HUGE, HUGE, HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR THE COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING YOURSELF AND PROTECTING YOUR NEIGHBORS AND FAMILY AND THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY.
BUT WE STILL KNOW, EVEN WITH 71% OF THE COMMUNITY FULLY VACCINATED, WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF THOSE THAT COULD STILL GET VACCINATED THAT HAVEN'T HAVEN'T HAD EVEN THAT ONE DOSE, UM, OVER 200,000, UM, ELIGIBLE, UM, INDIVIDUALS YET TO EVEN GET ONE DOSE.
AND SO WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE THAT, UM, THE VACCINE IS STILL AVAILABLE.
IT IS FREE, UM, AND YOU DON'T NEED INSURANCE, UH, AND YOU DON'T NEED TO SHOW AN ID.
IF YOU COME TO AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH TO GET THE VACCINE, WE REALLY WANNA ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY WHERE VACCINES AVAILABLE IN MANY, MANY SPACES AND PLACES, UH, FOR YOU TO, TO GET THAT VACCINE.
SO YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF, PROTECT YOUR FAMILY, AND PROTECT EVERYONE, UH, THAT YOU MAY ENCOUNTER IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE ALSO KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT TO, UH, THINK ABOUT THOSE THAT ARE UNDER FIVE, THOSE A FOUR YEAR OLDS AND, UM, NEWBORNS THAT, UM, CAN'T GET VACCINATED.
THEY ARE COMPLETELY VULNERABLE TO THIS VIRUS.
AND SO IF WE, UM, AS A COMMUNITY, AT LEAST GET AS MANY PEOPLE WHO CAN'T GET THE VACCINE VACCINATED THAT OFFERS SOME PROTECTION THAT WE LIKELY, UH, CAN PROTECT THEM FROM HAVING, UM, HAVING TO CONTRACT THIS, THIS, UH, THIS DISEASE.
WE'VE GOT SOME WORK TO DO STILL, AND I KNOW THAT WE CAN DO IT.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL CONTINUE TO OFFER AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO OFFER THE VACCINE, CONTINUE TO BE AVAILABLE.
AND WE JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO WORK TOWARDS, UM, UH, GETTING EVERYONE PROTECTED AS WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PANDEMIC.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT OVER TO HIV.
WE'VE DONE A LOT OF GOOD WORK, BUT THERE'S STILL SO MUCH MORE TO DO.
AND, AND THAT'S WHERE WE BEGIN TO LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF THIS VIRUS FROM A HEALTH EQUITY PERSPECTIVE.
UM, WE KNOW THAT CHRONIC DISEASE IMPACTS THE WAY THAT OUR BODIES ARE ABLE TO FIGHT OFF.
UH COVID-19 AND WE ALSO KNOW IN AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY THAT THERE ARE IN OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND LATIN X COMMUNITIES.
UM, THOSE POPULATIONS ARE MORE AT RISK FOR SEVERE DISEASE OR DEATH DUE TO CHRONIC DISEASE.
AND SO WE KNOW THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN THAT, AND COVID-19, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
AND SO NOT ONLY ARE WE ENCOURAGING COMMUNITIES TO GET VACCINES, WE'RE SUPPORTING THEM AS WELL.
AND CASSIE TOUCHED ON THAT IN HER REMARKS, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE IN PLACES AND SPACES, UM, TO MAKE IT EASY FOR SOMEONE TO GET A VACCINE, UM, WE'RE FREE.
THERE ARE NO APPOINTMENT REQUIRED.
AND MOST RECENTLY ON CITY COUNCIL AGENDA AND ITEM WAS PASSED TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF GIFT CARDS.
AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR, THESE ARE NOT INCENTIVES OR REWARDS FOR PEOPLE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
THESE ARE SUPPORTS, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF BEING ABLE TO TAKE OFF WORK, TO COME AND DO THE RIGHT THING AND KEEP THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES SAFE.
AND SO THAT GIFT CARD PROVIDES A LITTLE RELIEF FOR THE TIME YOU TOOK OFF OF WORK.
THERE'S NOT A GAP IN WHAT YOU'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR YOUR FAMILY.
AND SO THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOO, THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO USE TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITIES THAT NEED US THE MOST.
UM, WE ARE SO APPRECIATIVE OF OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, UM, STANDING UP AND PROTECTING NOT ONLY THEIR WORKERS AND EMPLOYEES, BUT OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.
AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT IF WE JUST KEEP ON THIS COURSE, THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO COME OUT OF THIS.
AND WITH THAT, I OPEN THIS UP FOR QUESTIONS.
SO OUR POOL REPORTER TODAY IS CLAIRE HSU FROM COMMUNITY IMPACT.
SHE'S GOING TO ASK QUESTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE NEWS OUTLETS CLEAR.
HI, I'M THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
THE FIRST QUESTION TODAY IS, ARE STATISTICS AVAILABLE FOR THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN THE AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY AREA WHO HAVE BEEN VACCINATED AND WHAT ARE THE LEADERS BOOSTER SHOT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHILDREN FIVE TO 12 I'LL START.
UM, SO WE KNOW THAT, UM, UM, OVER 94,000 CHILDREN, UM, THAT ARE WITHIN THAT ELIGIBLE POPULATION.
AND, AND TO, TO NOTE THAT'S BETWEEN THE FIVE TO 15 YEAR OLD POPULATION HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST A FIRST DOSE.
AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO KNOW THAT THEY'VE AT LEAST RECEIVED, UH, SOME LAYER OF PROTECTION REGARDING THE BOOSTER RECOMMENDATIONS, ANYONE WHO IS 12 YEARS AND OLDER CAN RECEIVE THAT BOOSTER.
UM, AND IF YOU'RE UNDER 18, UH, YOU WOULD'VE RECEIVED A PFIZER VACCINE.
THAT IS WHAT IS RECOMMENDED FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNDER 18.
AND SO FOR THOSE WHO ARE 12 AND OLDER, UM,
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UH, THEY WOULD BE GETTING A PFIZER VACCINE AND THEN A RECOMMENDED FOR A BOOSTER, UM, AS SOON AS FIVE MONTHS AFTER THEY WERE FULLY VACCINATED.SO WE REALLY WANNA ENCOURAGE ALL OF THOSE, UH, THAT ARE IN THAT CATEGORY TO SEEK THAT BOOSTER SO THEY CAN HAVE FULL PROTECTION.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS HOW WILL THE FREE FEDERALLY FUNDED COVID-19 TEXTING SITE AT METZ ELEMENTARY BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY FURTHER? HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN IT SERVE EACH DAY? I'LL, I'LL START AS, AS JANET MENTIONED, UM, WE'VE SEEN A DECREASE DEMAND OVER THIS SEARCH FOR TESTING.
AND SO THAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCE FROM HHS WILL ALLOW US TO TEST AN ADDITIONAL 900 PEOPLE A DAY.
AND SO NOT ONLY ARE WE EXPANDING OUR CAPACITY, WE'RE ALSO, UM, TAKING SOME OF THE HEAT OFF OF THE TROOPERS THAT APA TO THEY HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY WITH FREE TESTING.
UM, SINCE THE BEGINNING AND JANET, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS TO ADD TO THAT.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, HAS AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH OBSERVED AND RECORDED RE-INFECTION IF SO, IN WHOM VACCINATED, UNVACCINATED, OR WHICH AGE GROUPS, UM, YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD, DR.
WALKER? I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT WE DO HAVE A STATISTICS THAT WE ACTUALLY PRESENTED EARLIER IN THE WEEK ON RE-INFECTION RIGHTS, AND WE ARE SEEING MORE REINFECTION, UM, DURING THIS, ON THE CRUNCH SEARCH THAN WE HAVE SEEN IN PREVIOUS SEARCHES AND THE BREAKDOWN OF, UH, THE AGES AND DEMOGRAPHICS AND SO ON ARE, UM, AVAILABLE.
AND WE CAN PROVIDE THOSE TO YOU AT A LATER DATE, BUT WE ARE SEEING MORE BREAKTHROUGH, UM, SORRY, MORE RE-INFECTION RIGHT NOW, UM, DURING THE SAMBAL CRIME SEARCH THAN WE HAVE IN PREVIOUS SURGEONS.
AND THAT JUST GOES TO THE POINT THAT, UM, NATURAL IMMUNITY DOES NOT PROVIDE THE SAME KIND OF PROTECTION AS HAVING VACCINATE VACCINE, UH, PRIMARY SERIES AND BOOSTER DOSES OF VACCINE TO HAVE A BETTER PROTECTION FROM OMNICON AND OTHER COVID VARIANCE.
THE NEXT QUESTION ASKS, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN TREATING PEDIATRIC COVID COVID CASES AND HOW IS HOSPITAL STAFFING HOLDING UP? I'D LIKE DR.
UM, THE DIFFERENCE IN, IN TREATING CHILDREN WITH COVID INFECTION IN HOSPITAL, WHEN THEY'RE SICK AND A LOT OF IS SIMILAR, WHICH IS OXYGEN AND DELIVERING OXYGEN, MAINTAINING THEIR RESPIRATORY STATUS, BUT THE THERAPEUTICS SOMETIMES ARE DIFFERENT IN THAT NOT ALL DRUGS ARE AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN.
AND IN REGARDS TO STAFFING, THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE ISSUE IN OUR HOSPITALS SYSTEM, ACROSS THE NATION, REALLY IN OURS AND FOR OUR CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL HERE HAS BEEN A BIG ISSUE.
MANY, UH, OF THE FOLKS THAT ARE TAKING CARE OF THESE ARE PATIENTS ARE EITHER HAVE COME DOWN WITH ILLNESS THEMSELVES, OR HAVE ILLNESS IN THE FAMILY AND HAVE TO, UM, HAVE TO QUARANTINE, UM, FOR THAT.
AND SO, UH, AGAIN, THE, UH, THAT'S, THE NATION STATUS IS SO IMPORTANT FOR, UH, PREVENTION OF DISEASE AND FOLKS THAT ARE EXPOSED.
THE NEXT QUESTION ASKS, WHAT ARE THE STATS ON CHILDREN IN THE AREA THAT HAVE HAD COVID AND OTHER RESPIRATORY VIRUSES AT THE SAME TIME? AND THIS PERSON'S WONDERING SPECIFICALLY FOR HISPANIC CHILDREN, SHOULD I TAKE THAT VECTOR WATTS? OKAY.
UM, WELL I CAN SPEAK TO WHAT WE SEE IN OUR HOSPITAL.
I, UM, WE HAVE SEEN, UH, WITH, UM, IN THE WINTER COMING INTO JANUARY, WE HAVE SEEN MORE, UH, UH, EVIDENCE OF CO-INFECTIONS WITH OTHER VIRUSES.
THERE HAVE BEEN VIRUSES THAT ARE USUALLY CIRCULATE DURING THE WINTER TIME.
THERE'S, UH, A VIRUS CALLED METTA PNEUMO VIRUS, WHICH HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY HARD, UM, IN OUR COMMUNITY THIS YEAR.
AND WITH CO-INFECTION WITH COVID CAUSING A LOT OF WHEEZING AND RESPIRATORY FAILURE AND INFLUENZA A HAS JUST STARTED TO RAISE ITS HEAD, NOT QUITE WHERE WE WERE BEFORE, BUT HAS WE HAVE SEEN THAT IN REGARDS TO THE,
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UM, PRESENTATION IN THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY? UM, I KNOW OUR HOSPITAL SERVES THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.WELL, IT SERVES THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, BUT WE DO HAVE A LARGE COME UPON OPPONENT OF OUR CHILDREN THAT ARE ADMITTED, UM, WHO ARE, UH, WHO IDENTIFY AS THAT AND THEIR ETHNICITY.
AND I THINK IT'S FAIRLY EQUAL IN REGARDS TO THE, UM, ADMISSIONS FOR COVID.
I DON'T HAVE THE DATA, WE CAN SPECIFICS TO NUMBERS, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY TRY TO GET THAT IF THAT'S NECESSARY, BUT I'M GOING TO SAY IT'S, IT'S FAIRLY EQUAL TO WHAT WE'RE SEEING FOR GENERAL ADMISSIONS INTO DELL CHILDREN'S IN REGARDS TO ETHNICITY.
THE NEXT QUESTION WAS TOUCHED ON DURING THE REMARKS, BUT ASKS, HOW CONCERNED SHOULD WE BE WITH THE LATEST VARIANT, THE A TWO, WE REMAIN VIGILANT AND NEED TO REMAIN VIGILANT WITH REGARDS TO CAVA.
UM, THIS NEW VARIANT SPREADS MORE QUICKLY.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE'RE GOING TO SEE AN IMPACT, UM, ON THE GENERAL POPULATION, UM, UH, PURE, QUICKLY MORE QUICKLY, AND IT'S GOING TO FIND THE VULNERABLE.
AND IN THIS CASE, IT'S GOING TO FIND THOSE WHO RUN BACKS NEEDED OR UNABLE TO BE VACCINATED, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT ARE UNDER AGE FIVE AND THE ELDERLY.
AND ONE THING TO NOTE IS THAT WE'VE SEEN THAT A HUNDRED PERCENT HOUSEHOLD TRANSMISSION.
SO IF A YOUNG INDIVIDUAL AT OUR SCHOOL CHILD COMES HOME WITH COVID AND THERE IS A, ONE OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO'S VULNERABLE TO COVID AN ELDERLY INDIVIDUAL OR SOMEONE WHO'S UNABLE TO BE VACCINATED.
AND WE KNOW THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE THAT 100%, UM, HOUSEHOLD TRANSMISSION.
AND WE'RE GOING TO PUT THOSE WHO ARE UNPROTECTED AT GREATER RISK FOR BECOMING SEVERELY ILL REQUIRING HOSPITALIZATION AND, AND IN SOME INSTANCES, SUCCUMBING TO THE ILLNESS.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO GET VACCINATED, THAT WE CONTINUE TO MASK UP WHEN WE LEAVE OUR HOMES AND WEAR THOSE MASKS CONSISTENTLY.
SO WE DON'T BRING HOME COVID TO OUR LOVED ONES.
AND I WAS JUST, OKAY, I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A DAUGHTER LINEAGE OFFICE, OMA CALM PARENT BY VARIANT.
SO IT'S BASICALLY GOING TO BE VERY SIMILAR TO, UH, THE ORIGINAL OMNICOM VARIANT , UH, IT IS AS DR.
WACHS MENTIONED DEFINITELY MORE TRANSMISSIBLE.
UH, SO WE'RE IN A CRITICAL POINT RIGHT NOW, AS WE WERE COMING OFF THIS ORIGINAL OMAR KHAN CAKE, THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT, UH, IT WILL OVERTAKE THE VA ONE VARIANT AND, UH, AS IT BECOMES TRANSMISSIBLE IN THE COMMUNITY, WE MAY SEE ANOTHER SPIKE OF, UH, NUMBERS COMING UP.
UH, HOPEFULLY THAT WILL LOVE LAW.
BUT, UH, I THINK THE MAIN IMPORTANT THING HERE IS THAT WE NEED TO BE VERY VIGILANT AND DO MEAN ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN SAYING FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, UH, AS FAR AS I MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE VACCINATING, MAKING SURE WE'RE MASKING SO THAT WE CAN OVERCOME THIS AS WELL.
AND I'LL JUST ADD A VAR FIVE TO 15 YEAR OLD CHILDREN THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO VEX TO RECEIVE BACK THIS VACCINE.
UM, WE KNOW THAT ARE STILL 80,000 OF THEM THAT HAVE NOT EVEN RECEIVED A FIRST DOSE.
AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY DO GO TO A SPACE EVERY DAY WHERE THERE OTHER FOLKS IN SCHOOL, UM, AND THAT MAKES THEM MORE VULNERABLE.
AND THEN ALSO MAKES ANYONE IN THAT HOUSEHOLD THAT THEY COME BACK TO VULNERABLE.
AND IT JUST COMPOUNDS THE ISSUE OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT COULD, UH, CONTRACT CONTRACT COVID-19 THAT CHILD THAT DOESN'T HAVE VACCINE THAT'S GOING TO THE SCHOOL, THAT CHILD COMES BACK HOME.
IF THEY HAVE YOUNGER SIBLINGS UNDER FIVE, THOSE, THOSE KIDS ARE VULNERABLE.
IF THEY HAVE OLDER ADULTS THAT ARE LIVING IN THEIR HOUSEHOLD MAY BE VACCINATED, BUT ARE, ARE IMMUNE COMPROMISED THAT MAKES THEM MORE VULNERABLE.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE VACCINE PROTECTS PROTECTS INDIVIDUALS FROM, UM, SEVERE DISEASE, BUT ALSO PROTECTS AND HELPS US TO, UH, REDUCE TRANSMISSION, UM, AND REDUCE THAT INFECTIOUS PERIOD THAT A PERSON MAY, UM, MAY BRING THEM BACK.
SO THOSE ARE SOME THINGS TO REALLY THINK ABOUT AS YOU'RE MAKING THIS DECISION TO GET YOUR CHILD VACCINATED, UM, TO GET OTHER PERSONS IN YOUR FAMILY'S VACCINATED TO MAKE THAT PERSONAL CHOICE, TO GET VACCINATED, THAT THE IMPACT IS NOT JUST ON YOU.
THERE ARE VERY, THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT THIS COULD PROTECT, UM, AND IT REALLY DOES, UM, MAKE AN IMPACT ON WHETHER OR NOT, UM, THIS VIRUS CONTINUES TO SPREAD AND HOW IT COULD AFFECT YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR COMMUNITY.
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PIGGYBACKING OFF OF THAT QUESTION.DO YOU BELIEVE THAT WE WERE AT THE PEAK OF THE OMICRON WAVE? WHAT MIGHT THE NEXT WAVE OR VARIANT OF COVID-19 LOOK LIKE AND WHEN MIGHT IT OCCUR, I'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT.
UM, I THINK WE HAVE, UH, PLATEAUED AND WE DEFINITELY REACH A PEAK.
I THINK WE'RE ON THE DOWNHILL SLIDE OF, UH, THE EPI CURVE RIGHT NOW.
UM, AS WE MENTIONED, BECAUSE THIS NEW VARIANT IS PRESENTING ITSELF, IT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN TEXAS WITH THREE CASES IN THE HOUSTON AREA.
UM, THE ODDS ARE THAT IT IS, UH, CIRCULATING AMONGST US RIGHT NOW.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY'RE SEEING IN THE, IN THE UNITED KINGDOM IS THAT PEOPLE ARE, AS THEY'RE COMING DOWN OFF OF, UH, THIS, UH, OMAR OMICRON ORIGINAL PEAK, UM, THEY ARE SEEING INCREASES AND, UH, INCREASES FROM THIS BHU VARIANT, UH, TAKING HOLD OVER THERE AND OVERTAKING THE BA ONE VARIANTS.
SO, AS I SAID, BECAUSE IT IS EXTREMELY TRANSMISSIBLE, BUT THE POSSIBILITY IS THAT WE COULD HAVE ANOTHER BLIP THAT GOES UP, UH, THAT WILL REPRESENT A VA TO TAKING OVER.
UH, BUT WE NEED TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO, TO KIND OF FLATTEN THAT AS WELL.
THE NEXT QUESTION DEALS WITH HOSPITALIZATIONS, IT ASKS WHAT APPEARS THE WEEKLY AVERAGE FOR DAILY COVID-19 HOSPITALIZATIONS IS DROPPING NEARLY TWICE AS FAST AS IT TOOK TO ARISE OVER THE PAST TWO.
DO WE EXPECT THE DECREASE IN CASES AND HOSPITALIZATIONS WILL CONTINUE AT THE SAME PACE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, OR DO WE THINK IT WILL PLATEAU SOON? WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT IF WE CONTINUE TO WORK AS A COMMUNITY TO MANAGE, UH, TO STOP THE SPREAD OF AMR CRIME, INCLUDING THE NEW VARIANT BY MASKING AND VACCINATIONS, THAT WE WILL SEE A PEAK IN THE ICU ADMISSIONS IN THE FIRST OR SECOND WEEK OF FEBRUARY, AND A CONTINUED DECLINE OVER TIME IN HOSPITALIZATION RATES.
HOWEVER, ALL OF THAT DEPENDS ON HOW WELL WE DO AND CONTINUING OUR EFFORTS, BECAUSE IF THIS, UM, CONTINUES TO SPREAD AND WE HAVE ANOTHER PEAK, AS JANET JUST MENTIONED, THEN WE MAY SEE A REVERSAL OF OUR GOOD FORTUNE.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO MASK CONSISTENTLY IN PUBLIC SPACES AND PLACES TO GET OUR CHILDREN AND OURSELVES VACCINATED.
AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE, GET THOSE BOOSTER SHOTS SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROTECT OURSELVES FROM BECOMING SICK WITH CRON VIA , AND ALSO TO PREVENT ANY FURTHER NEW MUTATIONS OF THIS VIRUS OR AISD CASE NUMBERS, INCLUDING STAFF AND STUDENTS POINTING TOWARD THE SHARP DECLINE SEEN IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
COULD YOU REPEAT THAT QUESTION AGAIN? YES, IT HAS TO DO WITH, UM, CASES IN AUSTIN ISD AND IT ASKS, ARE THESE STAFF AND STUDENT CASE NUMBERS POINTING TOWARD THE SAME SHARP DECLINE SEEN IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY? I MEAN, I THINK, I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, AS CASES DECLINE, WE'RE SEEING HOME CRON SWEEPING THROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UH, AND REALLY TAKING OUT STAFF, STAFF AND STUDENTS.
AND THEN AT SOME POINT THERE WILL BE A HIGH LEVEL OF IMMUNITY IN OUR POPULATION BECAUSE EVERYONE WILL HAVE GOTTEN SICK.
UH, BUT YEAH, I THINK THE PHENOMENON IS, UH, SIMILAR TO WHAT'S BEING SEEN ELSEWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND, UH, THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
THE NEXT QUESTION ALSO HAS TO DO WITH SCHOOLS AND IT ASKS, CAN WE SEE A SPIKE IN ADULT COVID THIS MONTH FROM SCHOOL CHILDREN BRINGING COVID HOME? DOES ANYTHING STANDS OUT? AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE'S A HUNDRED PERCENT HOUSEHOLD TRANSMISSION WITH THIS VARIANT BECAUSE IT'S SPREAD SO RAPIDLY.
AND SO WHEN CHILDREN ARE SICK AND COME HOME AND PARENTS STAY HOME TO TAKE CARE OF THEM, THEY'RE GOING TO GET SICK.
AND ERICA, THE, THERE IS AN EXTRAPOLATION BETWEEN, OR AN ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE RISING CASES.
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HAGAR HAS MENTIONED THAT TO HIM IN PASSING AS WELL, IF WE WANT TO LAYER ON ABSOLUTELY.UM, WE, WHEN WE TAKE OUR HISTORY, THESE CHILDREN THAT ARE COMING IN INFECTED, IT'S NOT UNCOMMON THAT THE ENTIRE FAMILY HAS BEEN ILL AND IT'S THE SEQUENCE OF THINGS.
AND I WILL SAY ANECDOTALLY, FROM OUR CASE INVESTIGATIONS OF THESE SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN, UH, WE ARE SEEING IT SWEEP THROUGH HOUSEHOLDS AS WELL.
UH, IT SUPPORTS THE TREND THAT'S BEING SEEN WORLDWIDE AS FAR AS, UM, YOUNG CHILDREN WHO ARE SCHOOL AGE, GETTING SICK AND SIMILAR INCREASES IN, UH, THAT ADULT POPULATION.
BUT I'M GOING TO SAY PROBABLY BETWEEN 30, 39 AGE RANGE THAT MAY ALSO HAVE INCREASES AS A RESULT.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS WITH MANY PEOPLE RECEIVING THEIR AT HOME TESTS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, HOW WILL WE KEEP TRACK OF ACTUAL POSITIVE CASES? UM, SO WE ARE, YOU KNOW, HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TASKED BY THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES TO KEEP TRACK OF, UH, PCR, POSITIVE LABORATORY CONFIRMED CASES AND, UH, AND RAPID DAMAGE AND TESTS THAT ARE PERFORMED BY THE LAB.
THAT'S THE CASE DEFINITION AND STRICT GUIDANCE THAT WE FOLLOW AT AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH AND THAT OTHER LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS FOLLOW IN THE, IN THE, UM, UH, IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND SO WE HAVE SET UP, UH, ON OUR, ON OUR WEBSITE, UNDER TESTING, THERE'S A LOCATION WHERE PEOPLE CAN, UH, REPORT THEIR RESULTS IN IF THEY WOULD LIKE, UH, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, UH, SO THAT, THAT TAB IS AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO WHO WISH TO REPORT THEIR INFORMATION IN.
UM, HOWEVER, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY, UH, EVALUATING AT THIS CURRENT TIME.
I KNOW LATELY THE COUNCIL OF STATE AND TERRITORIAL EPIDEMIOLOGISTS, THE ASSOCIATION OF STATE AND LOCAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES, UH, THE, UH, AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORY ASSOCIATION, AS WELL AS THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CITY AND COUNTY HEALTH OFFICIALS AND THE BIG CITIES, HEALTH COALITION HAVE SUPPORTED, UH, THE TRANSITION FOR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS AND STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS TO MOVE, TO, UH, MOVE AWAY FROM DOING CASE INVESTIGATION AND, UH, CONTACT TRACY BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH WIDESPREAD COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION AT THE CURRENT TIME AND REVERT OUR SURVEILLANCE EFFORTS SO THAT WE FOCUS ON OUTBREAKS AND, UH, CONCERNS THAT ARE IN CLUSTER CLUSTERS THAT MAY EMERGE IN AND CONGREGATE SETTINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE'RE WAITING TO SEE IF, UH, CDC AND DISHES WILL MAKE SIMILAR RECOMMENDATION TO LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT'S THE CASE.
IT WOULD THEN TRANSITION OUR SURVEILLANCE EFFORTS INTO A MORE, UH, A SIMILAR MODEL THAT WE FOLLOW FOR, UH, INFLUENZA SURVEILLANCE, WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING SENTINEL SURVEILLANCE AND LOOKING AT, UH, WHAT VARIANTS ARE CIRCULATING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, AND WHEN WE HAVE THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON, WHEN THE SEASON MAY, AND, OR THOSE PEAKS AND VALLEYS THAT WE MIGHT SEE, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, THE, THE GOAL WITH SUCH WIDESPREAD COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SQUASH OUTBREAKS AS A APPEAR IN SPECIFIC SETTINGS OR AMONGST, UH, SPECIFIC GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS.
SO, UH, WE'LL SEE WHAT THAT HAD HAPPENED, HOW THAT HAPPENS, BUT, OKAY.
THE LAST SUBMITTED QUESTION ASKS, WHAT IS THE BREAKDOWN OF PEDIATRIC AGE RANGES, UM, SUCH AS TEENAGERS, CHILDREN, TODDLERS, INFANTS, AND NEWBORNS WHO ARE INFECTED WITH COVID-19 IN AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, A ARE SEEING, UM, ACCORDING TO WHAT OUR STATISTICS ARE SHOWING LESS FAR ABOUT 28%, 30% OF THE CASES ARE OCCURRING IN AGE GROUP SERA FOR, UH, FOR THE 12 AND OLDER AGE GROUPS WE'RE SEEING ABOUT 37, 40% OF OUR CASES ARE IN THAT AGE GROUP.
HAGER, UM, THE PRESENT PRESENTATION OF THOSE, UH, CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL HAS BEEN A LITTLE DIFFERENT DURING THE SONOGRAM ON THE CONCERT THAN
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IN THE DELTA SEARCH.UM, UM, TO THAT POINT IN, DURING THE DELTA SURGE IN THE SUMMER, WE DID NOT HAVE AS MANY CHILDREN THAT WERE IN THAT YOUNGER AGE GROUP, ZERO TO FOUR ADMITTED SINCE JANUARY WITH THIS CRON SURGE, ABOUT 37% OF ALL OUR ADMISSIONS ARE IN THAT AGE GROUP.
SO THAT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR US.
AND SO THAT JUST GOES BACK TO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A SEGMENT OF OUR, THAT ARE UNPROTECTED BY VACCINE AT THIS POINT, AND UNABLE TO BE VACCINATED UNTIL THERE IS A VACCINE APPROVED.
AND SO IT'S ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT THAT THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO BE VACCINATED GO AND GET VACCINATED.
AND THOSE THAT ARE ABLE TO MASK IN PUBLIC PLACES CONSISTENTLY CAN JUST CONTINUE TO DO SO, SO THAT WE CAN PROTECT THOSE WHO ARE ZERO TO FOUR, WHO WERE BEING MORE DRAMATICALLY IMPACTED DURING THE OMNICON SURGE WITH COVID.
THOSE WERE ALL OF THE MEDIA QUESTIONS SUBMITTED TODAY, AND WE DO WANT TO THANK OUR GUESTS TODAY, DR.
HANKER WITH DELL CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER, AND I'M A SCHOOL HEALTH AUTHORITY, DR.
DESMO WALKS, CPH DIRECTOR, ADRIAN STIRRUP, CHIEF EPIDEMIOLOGIST, JANET PICHET, CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR DISEASE PREVENTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION, CASSIE DALIAN, AND TO OUR POOL REPORTER TODAY, WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US FROM COMMUNITY IMPACT.
CLAIRE, THANKS FOR JOINING US.
EVERYONE HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.