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YOU GUYS HEAR ME? I CAN HEAR YOU A LITTLE BIT.
MY NAME IS GEORGE ORTEGA AND I WILL BE YOUR MODERATOR TODAY.
UH, THIS NEWS CONFERENCE IS TO DISCUSS AN EXTENSION OF THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY STAY HOME, WORK SAFE ORDERS WITH US HERE TODAY.
OUR AUSTIN MAYOR, STEVE ADLER WILL SAY A FEW WORDS ALL THE BY TRAVIS COUNTY JUDGE SARAH ECKHARDT MMM.
AFTER WHICH WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO OUR POOL REPORTER TODAY, WHICH IS PHIL JEN KOSKI FROM THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN.
I'D LIKE TO NOW HAND IT OVER TO MAYOR ADLER.
UH, THIS MORNING THE, UH, COUNTY JUDGE AND I WILL BE ISSUING NEW ORDERS, UH, EXTENDING THE ORDERS THAT WERE ALREADY IN PLACE.
I THINK WHAT IS MOST REMARKABLE ABOUT THESE NEW ORDERS IS THAT THERE'S NOT MUCH REMARKABLE ABOUT THE NEW ORDERS.
THESE ORDERS ARE CONTINUATIONS, UH, IN SUBSTANCE, UH, ON OUR PAST ORDERS STILL MAINTAINS THE STAY HOME, A WORK SAFE, UH, STRUCTURE THAT IS BOTH IN OUR ORDERS AND IN THE GOVERNOR'S QUARTERS.
REALLY THE ONLY CHANGE IS WE HAVE NOW INCLUDED, UH, THE, THE REOPENED BUSINESSES THAT THE GOVERNOR, UH, HAD INCLUDED, UH, AS EXCEPTIONS TO THE GENERAL STAY HOME WORK SAFE ISSUE.
WE CONTINUE TO JOIN THE GOVERNOR AND URGING EVERYONE TO STAY HOME WHEN THEY CAN, UH, OTHER THAN FOR ESSENTIAL WORK OR REOPEN BUSINESS OR THE EXCEPTIONS.
WE JOINED WITH THE GOVERNOR AND URGING EVERYBODY, THEY CONTINUE TO, UH, JUST BE NO SOCIAL, BIG SOCIAL GATHERINGS TO STAY AT HOME WITH YOUR FAMILY UNIT, HOUSEHOLD UNIT WHEN YOU CAN, TO CONTINUE, UH, THE SIX FOOT DISTANCING.
UH, WE JOINED WITH THE GOVERNOR AND EXPRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF WEARING FACE COVERINGS.
UH, AS WE KNOW, THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT WE COULDN'T ENFORCE FACE COVERINGS WITH A CRIMINAL OR CIVIL PENALTY IN THE CITY ORDER.
THE PENALTY NOW IS THAT MORE PEOPLE WILL GET SICK AND SOME OF THEM WILL DIE.
UH, IF WE'RE NOT WEARING FACE MASKS, UH, NOT OUGHT TO BE PENALTY ON ENOUGH AT THIS POINT IN THE PROCESS.
THE GOVERNOR, UH, SOONER THAT I WOULD HAVE LIKED, UH, AND, AND MORE QUICKLY THAN I WOULD LIKE, UH, IS INCREASING THE NUMBER OF, UH, SOCIAL AND COMMERCIAL INTERACTIONS.
WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE IN THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS, WILL BE RAISING HOSPITALIZATIONS.
UM, UH, OUR PURPOSE RIGHT NOW IS TO TRY AND DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PREVENT A SURGE, UH, IN OUR HOSPITALS, UH, AT A LEVEL THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH AND STILL GIVE EVERYBODY THE HEALTHCARE THEY NEED.
NOT ONLY THE PEOPLE WITH THE VIRUS, BUT PEOPLE WITH A HEART ATTACK OR AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT THAT STILL NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ROOM FOR THEM.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT, UM, UH, THREE DIFFERENT WAYS.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO EMPHASIZE THE, THE BEHAVIORS, UH, THAT WE, UH, HOPE AND TRUST THAT THIS COMMUNITY IS GONNA FOLLOW THE SIX FOOT DISTANCING.
YOU KNOW, BIG GROUPS STAYING AT HOME WHERE YOU CAN REARING THE BASE COVERINGS.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO DO THAT BY CONTINUING TO AMP UP THE TESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN FIND THE VIRUS WHEN IT'S INFECTED WITH SOMEONE JUST AS QUICKLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
SO WE CAN GET THAT PERSON ISOLATED AND TREATED.
UH, AND BY AMPING UP THE CONTACT TRACING THAN WE DO, WE'RE GOING TO NEED EVERYBODY'S HELP WITH THAT.
UH, SO THAT WHEN WE FIND AN INFECTION, WE'RE ABLE TO GET TO,
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UH, OTHER PEOPLE THAT MIGHT HAVE COME INTO CONTACT WITH THAT PERSON.SO AGAIN, WE CAN CONTAIN THE VIRUS AS BEST AT THE END OF THE DAY, UH, DOING ALL THOSE THINGS.
UH, MY HOPE IS IS THAT THAT FRANKLY WE CAN, WE CAN MAKE THE GOVERNOR'S PLAN AS SUCCESSFUL AS, AS IT CAN BE.
UH, BUT IF FOR WHATEVER REASON, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW OVERSHOOTS THE GOAL, UH, THEN THIS COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE PREPARED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE, UH, THAT OF WHAT IS THE LEVEL TO WHICH WE WOULD REACH WHERE WE NEED TO TAKE, UH, ACTION.
UH, THAT TRIGGER, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT THE EXPERTS AND THE SCIENTISTS ARE NOW WORKING ON.
UH, AND THE, UH, THE JUDGE AND I HAVE HAVE ASKED THEM TO COME BACK AND TELL US AND THE COMMUNITY, UH, WHAT IS THAT LEVEL THAT WHICH WE NEED TO TAKE THAT ACTION.
WE CAN ALL WATCH THE NUMBERS, SEE IF WE'RE APPROACHING IT, SEE IF WE REACH THAT NUMBER SO THAT WE KNOW, UH, WHEN AND IF WE NEED TO ACT.
MY HOPE IS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO WORK ON THOSE TRIGGERS WITH OTHER CITIES AND WITH, UH, WITH THE STATE GOVERNOR, UH, SO THAT WE'RE ALL PREPARED, UH, AS THE GOVERNOR SAID FOR WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE'S A, IF THERE'S A SEARCH, UH, AGAIN, I WOULD JUST REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THIS VIRUS IS AS INFECTIOUS TODAY AS IT WAS A MONTH AGO.
UH, EVERYBODY SHOULD BE MINIMIZING PHYSICAL INTERACTIONS ABSOLUTELY AS MUCH AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN.
AS WE DIP OUR TOE INTO INCREASED, UH, COMMERCIAL AND SOCIAL INTERACTIONS.
THAT'S WHAT THIS ORDER DOES, IS IT TRIES TO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO REMEMBER.
THE OVERARCHING MESSAGE NOW IS TO STILL STAY HOME AND WORK, SAY TO THE FULLEST EXTENT POSSIBLE.
AND, UH, I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP.
UM, I WHAT THE MAYOR SAID, NOTHING MUCH IS DIFFERENT ABOUT OUR ORDERS THAT WE PUT IN PLACE TODAY, BUT THINGS ARE VERY DIFFERENT IN OUR COMMUNITY TODAY.
WHEN THE MAYOR AND I FIRST PUT OUR STAY HOME WORK SAFE ORDERS IN PLACE AT THE END OF MARCH, WE HAD ABOUT A HUNDRED CONFIRMED CASES OF COVERT 19 IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
WE HAD LESS THAN 10 PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL WITH SERIOUS CASES AND NOT A SINGLE PERSON HAD DIED.
WE NOW HAVE MORE THAN 2000 CASES, MORE THAN 50 HAVE DIED.
AND SINCE THE GOVERNOR OPENING, UH, HAD, HAS OPENED SOME BUSINESSES AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MONTH, WE'RE HOVERING AT ABOUT 90 PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITAL.
OUR AWESOME COMMUNITY, THAT'S MY DOG, SORRY.
OUR AWESOME COMMUNITY RESPONDED QUICKLY TO FLATTEN THE CURVE.
EVEN WITH NEARLY 100 PEOPLE HOSPITALIZED.
WE'RE WELL WITHIN OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE CARE.
AND IF WE HAD CONTINUED WITH BUSINESS AS USUAL BACK IN MARCH, MEDICAL SCIENCE PREDICTS, PREDICTS WE WOULD HAVE EXCEEDED OUR HOSPITAL CAPACITY BY NOW.
A LOT MORE PEOPLE WOULD BE SICK AND A LOT MORE OF US WOULD HAVE DIED.
BUT WE SHOWED THE LOVE BY KEEPING OUR DISTANCE.
OUR INFECTION RATE IS 90% LESS THAN WHAT MEDICAL SCIENCE EXPECTED UNDER BUSINESS AS USUAL.
OUR CASES ARE STILL CLIMBING, BUT FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF APRIL, OUR HOSPITALIZATION RATES STABILIZED AT ABOUT 75 PATIENTS WITH SERIOUS CASES, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO STAY THE COURSE EVEN AS WE VENTURE OUT.
WE MUST KEEP LIMITING OUR PERSON TO PERSON CONTACT OUR LIVES OR SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE.
YOU'VE ALREADY SEEN OUR HOSPITALIZATIONS BEGIN TO RISE AGAIN.
WE'RE NOW UP TO 90 OR 95, UH, ON A DAILY BASIS.
SO EVERY DAY ASK YOURSELF, WHAT'S ESSENTIAL FOR ME TODAY? WHO AM I COMING IN CONTACT WITH? HOW CAN I KEEP THEM SAFE? DO I KNOW THEM AND CARE ABOUT THEM ENOUGH TO FIND THEM IF I GET SICK SO THEY CAN GET TESTED.
WITH THAT, I THINK WE COULD TAKE THE QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND JUDGE ALTERNATE OVER TO OUR POOR REPORTER BILL JENKINS.
CAN YOU BEGIN THE QUESTION AND ANSWER PORTION OF THE NEWS CONFERENCE BILL? OKAY, THERE WE GO.
UM, SO, UH, YEAH, PHIL, JEN CASKEY HERE WITH THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN.
OUR FIRST, UH, QUESTION IS FROM, UH, CO-OP RADIO, UM, MAY ASK, IS THERE NOT A MORE EQUITABLE WAY TO DISTRIBUTE LIMITED RENTAL ASSISTANCE THAN BY CHANCE THROUGH A LOTTERY REFERRING TO, UM, UH, THAT CITY PROGRAM? NO, THE QUESTION OF DISTRIBUTING THE ASSETS EQUITABLY IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO HONE.
WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE ASSISTANCE
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AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN AND THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A BALANCE IN THAT.UM, BUT I KNOW WE HAVE ALL ASKED THAT EQUITY QUESTION.
UH, AND, AND TO THE DEGREE WE CAN DO BETTER, WE WILL.
ALSO, TRAVIS COUNTY IS LOOKING AT, UH, DEDICATING A SIGNIFICANT TRAUNCH OF DOLLARS FROM OUR CODE 19, UM, FEDERAL, UH, ALLOTMENT, UH, TO PUT OUT THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS FOR RENT AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE CITY, UM, ON MECHANISMS TO GET RENT AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE TO FOLKS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, THIS, UH, AS I SAID, COVEN 19 IS NOT DONE WITH US YET.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT WAYS THAT WE CAN RAPIDLY ASSIST FOLKS WITH MORTGAGE AND RENT.
UH, NEXT QUESTION IS FROM COMMUNITY IMPACT.
UH, DO YOU EXPECT A SIGNIFICANT SECOND SPIKE IN INFECTIONS AND ANOTHER ROUND OF LOCKDOWNS? ARE WE PREPARED FOR THAT? UH, THE MAYOR AND I BOTH ASKED THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO ASSIST US IN TAKING A LOOK AT, UH, AND PREPARING FOR UH, UH, ANOTHER RED LIGHT.
WE'RE CURRENTLY IN YELLOW LIGHT, WHICH IS, UH, UH, CAUTIOUSLY BEGIN COMMERCE.
UM, BOTH THE MAYOR AND I AGREE THAT WE'VE NOT YET SEEN THE STATISTICS TO INDICATE THAT WE REALLY SHOULD BE IN YELLOW LIGHT JUST YET.
IT WAS PERHAPS IMPETUOUS, BUT, UH, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO DETERMINE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IF YELLOW LIGHT TURNS RED AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE BIKE, UM, WE ARE PREPARING OUR COMMUNITY FOR A POSSIBLE SPIKE THAT WOULD REQUIRE US TO STEP BACK.
UH, THE MAYOR AND I, THE MAYOR MENTIONED, UH, WE'RE BOTH WITH OUR PARTNERS ON DEVELOPING TRIGGERS SO THAT WE CAN OBJECTIVELY WARN THE COMMUNITY WE ARE ABOUT TO HIT A RED LIGHT.
SO WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE'LL GET INTO ANOTHER SURGE.
UH, THE MODELERS TELL US THAT IF WE DROP, UH, THE JUDGE POINTED OUT THAT THIS COMMUNITY, I WAS ABLE TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE HAD REDUCED THE NUMBER OF PHYSICAL INTERACTIONS, THE VIRUS TRANSFER BY OVER 90%.
UH, AND, AND WHEN YOU DO THAT, THE VIRUS CAN'T SPREAD AND THEN YOU DON'T SEE CASES, WHICH WAS WHAT WE SAW.
NOW THAT THERE'S GOTTA BE MORE PHYSICAL INTERACTION, WE DON'T KNOW YET WHAT THAT'S GOING TO DO ABOUT VIRUS TRANSFER.
WE DO KNOW THAT IF WE DROP BELOW 80% A REDUCTION, THAT WE'RE GOING TO START SEEING A SPIKE IN THE SEARCH OR WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE BEHAVIORS AND THE MITIGATION EFFORTS THAT PEOPLE ARE TAKING ARE GOING TO KEEP US ABOVE 80% OR NOT.
AND THEN TO THE QUESTION OF WHAT DO WE DO, PART OF THAT ENDS ON HOW FAR BELOW 80% WE ARE.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT DEPENDING ON HOW FAR BELOW THAT WE DROP, WE STARTED HAVING INCREASED SPEED, UH, THAT WE WOULD THEN START SEEING A SPIKE.
IF WE START HEADING TO A SPIKE REALLY FAST, REALLY RAPIDLY, THEN THERE MAY BE NOTHING WE CAN DO OTHER THAN RETURNING TO THE LOCKDOWN THAT WE WERE, THAT WE WERE IN.
ON THE OTHER HAND, IF THE NUMBERS ARE MORE GRADUAL, AS IT GOES UP, PERHAPS WE START TRYING, UM, UH, OTHER MITIGATION EFFORTS TO, TO, TO, TO RAMP UP.
WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO ANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS EITHER.
DOES THE GOVERNOR, UH, AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE ALL LEANING SO HEAVILY RIGHT NOW ON READING THE DATA AND THE, AND THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE BY THE SCIENTISTS AND THE DOCTORS.
UH, NEXT, UH, QUESTION FOR ME, UH, AMERICAN STATESMAN, UM, WITH, UH, THE GOVERNOR'S ORDERS IN PLACE AND HIS, UH, DECISION TO BASICALLY, UH, SUSPEND BITS OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, UM, AND PREVENT YOU GUYS FROM ISSUING, UM, CERTAIN ASPECTS OF, OF EMERGENCY ORDERS.
WHY DO YOU, WHY DO YOU, WHY DID THE TWO OF YOU FEEL A NEED TO CONTINUE TO ISSUE, UM, LOCAL ORDERS LIKE THESE AND WHERE DO THESE ORDERS GO BEYOND WHAT IS IN ABBOTT'S LATEST ORDERS? OKAY.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, UH, THE, FOR ME, THE REASON IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY TO HAVE ORDERS IS BECAUSE, UH, THE LAW ALLOWS US TO, SO LONG AS IT DOESN'T CONFLICT WITH THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER.
UH, AND IN OUR CASE, UH, WE HAVE PROVIDED, UH, ADDITIONAL DIRECTION, UH, TO OUR COMMUNITY ON THE THINGS THAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING CONSISTENT WITH THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER.
THEY GIVE US THE BEST CHANCE TO AVOID THAT ABRUPT SURGE.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY, UH, ALL KINDS OF CONSTRUCTION WOULD HAPPEN IN THE CITY AT A TIME WHEN WE HAD LIMITED CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY.
WE CHANGED OUR ORDER TO SAY, OKAY, CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY CAN GO.
BUT WE ALSO THEN PUT INTO OUR ORDER CERTAIN MITIGATION RULES THAT ARE REQUIRED TO BE FOLLOWED ON CONSTRUCTION
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SITES, UH, TO MINIMIZE AS BEST WE CAN.UH, THE, THE, THE TRANSFER OF THE VIRUS.
UH, SO WE HAVE THOSE KINDS OF RULES.
THE KINDS OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE, THAT THE GOVERNOR MADE IN TERMS OF MITIGATION BEHAVIOR WITH DIFFERENT REOPENED BUSINESSES.
WE'VE MADE MANDATORY, UH, IN OUR CITY, UH, BECAUSE WE'VE WANTED PEOPLE TO NOT ONLY TAKE THEM AS RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO DO IT, UH, BECAUSE UH, UM, THE GOVERNOR IS PROPOSING THEM FOR FOR A REASON AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS THAT AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FROM A MESSAGING STANDPOINT, UH, AND THE, THE MASK IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT.
UM, I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO HEAR THE GOVERNOR SAY THAT THERE'S NO CRIMINAL OR CIVIL PENALTY FOR FACE COVERINGS AND THINK THAT SOME WERE, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T NEED TO WEAR THEM AND THEY SHOULDN'T DO THEM.
UH, I WAS CONCERNED THIS WEEKEND TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE OUT AND ABOUT NOT WEARING FACE COVERAGE, THAT WE'RE TOGETHER IN THE SAME PLACE, NOT WEARING FACE COVERINGS.
AND AS THE JUDGE SAID, YOU KNOW, WEARING A FACE COVERING IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST SELFLESS THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT IN YOUR FACE COVERED DOES NOT PROTECT YOU FROM GETTING A VIRUS.
BUT WHAT IT DOES IS IT PROTECTS THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE CLERKS AND STORES.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE CUTTING HAIR AND TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE'S NAILS.
UH, THOSE PEOPLE NEED OUR PROTECTION.
THE PEOPLE AT OUR STREETS NEED OUR PROTECTION.
UH, AND SO IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE AN ORDER.
I THINK THAT IT KEPT THAT ISSUE FRONT AND CENTER.
UH, SO AS JUST REALLY SEE IF WE CAN GET OUR COMMUNITY TO DO ALL OF THE MITIGATION, UH, STEPS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED.
THAT WAS MY SON AND MY DOG IN THE BACKGROUND.
LET ME JUST PUT A BUTTON ON WHAT THE MAYOR WAS SAYING.
THE COMMUNITY TRUSTS AND EXPECTS, UH, THE MAYOR AND THE COUNTY JUDGE AND OUR AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH, UH, PROFESSIONALS TO GIVE THE BEST MEDICAL ADVICE ABOUT HOW TO KEEP, UH, KEEP US SAFE IN OUR HOMES AND, UM, AND WE WILL, UH, STAY, UM, UH, AT WORK PROVIDING THAT TRUSTED ADVISOR.
SO EVEN IF, UH, WE CAN'T ENFORCE IT WITH CIVIL OR CRIMINAL PENALTIES, UM, UH, STILL THE COMMUNITY IS WANTING TO HEAR FROM THEIR AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
WHAT WILL KEEP THEM SAFE, WHAT WILL KEEP THEIR NEIGHBORS SAFE, WHAT THEY SAY, AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP GIVING THEM THE BEST, MOST RELIABLE ADVICE THAT WE CAN.
NEXT QUESTION FROM FOX AUSTIN.
UM, HOW LONG HAS THE ORDER, UH, EXTENDED TO OUR ORDER GOES UNTIL THE END OF THE END OF THE MONTH.
UH, AND I THINK THAT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE DEADLINES WE'VE EXTENDED IN THE CITY.
SO AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, UM, IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE US TO COME BACK IN BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH, CHANGE THE ORDER.
OBVIOUSLY WE KNOW THE JUDGES, I MEAN THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER, UH, GOES THROUGH I THINK THE 19TH OF MAY.
UH, SO IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT WE COULD BE TAKING NO ADDITIONAL STEPS BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH.
UH, AND IN THE WORK THAT THE, THE JUDGE AND I ARE DOING TRYING TO GET A TRIGGER FOR THE, FOR THE COMMUNITY, UH, IT'S POSSIBLE WE COULD BE BACK IN WITH A SUPPLEMENTAL ORDER, UH, BEFORE THAT TIME AS WELL.
BUT FOR NOW, THE HORIZON IN OUR ORDER, UH, GOES TO THE, TO THE END OF THE MONTH AND FRANKLY WE WIGGLED BACK AND FORTH AND SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO PULL MINE UP TO SEE IF WE ENDED UP GOING TO THE END OF THE MONTH ALONG WITH THE CITY OR WE STUCK WITH, UH, JUNE 15TH.
THAT WAS A LAST MINUTE CHANGE.
IF YOU CAN JUST LET US KNOW ONCE YOU, ONCE YOU FIND IT.
UM, WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT QUESTION.
UH, WHILE YOU'RE LOOKING, UH, FROM CVS, AUSTIN, UM, BOTH THE MAYOR AND JUDGE HAVE TALKED ABOUT A CERTAIN NUMBER OF HOSPITALIZATIONS, UM, GIVING YOU ALL SORT OF A HEADS UP THAT COMMUNITY IS SPIKING.
WHAT IS THAT NUMBER AND HOW MUCH OF A HEADS UP, UM, WOULD WE EXPECT IN THAT CASE? I DON'T THINK WE KNOW THE NUMBER YET.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING THE SCIENTISTS AND THE DOCTORS TO TELL US A MODELER'S.
UH, I THINK THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING CLOSE TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF LAY OUT A THAT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
MY HOPE IS TO GET THIS INFORMATION AND DATA THE COMMUNITY JUST AS SOON AS THE JUDGE AND I GET IT, UH, SO THAT IT'S TRANSPARENT AND EVERYONE CAN SEE IT, BUY IT.
MY HOPE IS, IS THAT EVERYBODY SEES THESE NUMBERS, UH, WELL IN ADVANCE OF US, UH, BEGINNING TO, TO APPROACH THEM SO THAT WE CAN AS A
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COMMUNITY SEE IF WE ARE APPROACHING THEM OR MAYBE WE'RE NOT APPROACHING THEM SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN FOLLOW, UH, FOLLOW ALONG.UM, UH, SO I THINK IT'S JUST SIMPLY AS WE CAN, BUT YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T RUSH THE SCIENTISTS AND THE DOCTORS BECAUSE YOU WANT, YOU WANT THE BEST POSSIBLE ADVICE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND AS THE JUDGE SAID, I THINK IT'S OUR ROLE, UH, TO A LARGE DEGREE AND JUST TRYING TO GET AS MUCH SOUND MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC DATA AND ADVICE AS WE CAN TO THE, OKAY.
IT IS JUNE 15TH IN THE TRAVIS COUNTY ORDER BY THE WAY.
AND ALSO, UH, I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH SOME SIMPLE MATH CAUSE I CAN'T DO REALLY COMPLEX MATH, BUT JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, WE DON'T YET KNOW AND WE ARE RELYING ON THE EXPERTS ON THE EXPERTS.
CAUSE LIKE I SAID, I, I AM PRETTY GOOD AT MATH BUT NOT AS GOOD AS THEY ARE.
BUT WE HAD 10 HOSPITALIZATIONS AT THE END OF MARCH WHEN WE PUT STAY HOME WORK SAFE IN PLACE.
WE HAVE NEARLY A HUNDRED HOSPITALIZATIONS TODAY.
SO, UM, WE HAVE ROUGHLY A THOUSAND HOSPITALS.
WE HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR ABOUT A THOUSAND HOSPITAL BEDS FOR COVERT 19 AT SURGE.
IF WE REALLY, YOU KNOW, GOT OUT THERE AND SEARCHED, UH, BY PULLING UP MORE HOSPITAL CAPACITY, THAT'S NOT EXACT, BUT IT MAKES IT EASY FOR MATH.
IF WE HAD 10, THE END OF MARCH AND HOSPITALIZATIONS AND WE HAVE A HUNDRED HOSPITALIZATIONS TODAY, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WE HAVE AND WE HAVE A THOUSAND BEDS AND WE'RE DOUBLING EVERY 20 DAYS, EVEN AT 90% REDUCED PERSON TO PERSON CONTACT.
JUST RUN SOME SIMPLE EQUATIONS IN YOUR HEAD ABOUT HOW QUICKLY WE TIP BEYOND OUR CAPACITY TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE HEALTHCARE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO RELY ON MEDICAL SCIENCE AND GIVE US THE BEST, UH, TRIGGER THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY USE TO INFORM THE COMMUNITY.
AND I UNDERSTAND TOO, THAT WAS A GREAT EXAMPLE AND I LOVE THE NUMBERS YOU USE.
DON'T FORGET THERE'S A TWO WEEK LAG PERIOD OF TIME.
SO, SO WE NEED A TRIGGER THAT BACKS UP IN TIME THAT RECOGNIZES THAT EVEN IF WE SHUT DOWN ON DAY ONE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE REDUCED INFECTIONS FROM THAT UNTIL 10 TO 14 DAYS THEREAFTER.
THAT'S WHEN WE WOULD SEE IT SO THAT THE PHYSICIANS HAVE TO IN SCIFEST HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT NOT ONLY WHAT WE DON'T, WHAT DO WE SEE, BUT WHAT IS THE TIMING FOR US TO REACT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T EXCEED.
UH, NEXT QUESTION FROM KFAN, UM, AS THE CITY AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND EXTEND THAT TO THE COUNTY AS WELL.
UM, LAID OFF OR FURLOUGHED ANY WORKERS SINCE THE START OF THE 19 PANDEMIC.
THE CITY HAS NOT, UH, IT HAS NO CURRENT PLANS TO, TO, TO DO THAT.
UM, WE WERE, UM, UH, FORTUNATE TO HAVE REALLY BUILT UP RESERVES, UH, IN THE PERIOD OF TIME OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
IN FACT, WE HAD RESERVES THAT EXCEEDED OUR POLICIES, REQUIRED US TO HAVE A, BUT WE'RE CONTINUING TO STUDY THAT, UH, AND REWIND A HALF TO PLAY THAT BY A YEAR TO A DEGREE AS WE, AS WE SEE WHAT IT IS THAT THIS VIRUS BRINGS TO US WHILE WE HAVE NOW IS UH, ON THE 21ST OF THIS MONTH, UH, THE CITY MANAGER WILL BE COMING TO THE COUNCIL TO TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT THE BUDGET WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR ALL THE FEDERAL MONEY THAT'S COMING IN.
AND THAT WILL NECESSARILY INCLUDE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY, IF ANY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HOLD FOR A REVENUE REPLACEMENT.
AND FRANKLY WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO FIGHT THE VIRUS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS FED AND HAS A HOME IS GOING TO TELL US IN PART HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE TO REPLENISH THE, THE, THE RE THE REVENUE THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING SO COMPLICATED ANSWER TO SAY NO PLANS AT THIS POINT, UH, TO DO FOR LOWS OR LAY OFFS.
AND WE'RE FORTUNATE CAUSE A LOT OF CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE DOING THAT NOW.
BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO, TO PLAY IT.
UH, UH, BASED ON THE ADD IN THE BACKS AS NEEDED.
TRAVIS COUNTY HAS DECLARED A HIRING FREEZE.
WE'VE NOT, UH, LAID OFF OR FURLOUGHED ANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT WE ARE TAKING A VERY CAREFUL LOOK AT OUR BUDGET AS I KNOW THE CITY IS AS WELL.
19 IS A THREAT TO OUR HEALTH AND A THREAT TO OUR ECONOMY.
UM, LOCAL GOVERNMENT RELIES ON SALES TAX AND PROPERTY TAX.
UM, IT IS, UH, THE SALES TAX IS VERY VOLATILE.
UH, SO WE ARE, UH, BEING VERY, VERY CAREFUL.
UM, AND WE WANT TO BE GOOD PARTNERS WITH THE CITY.
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RELIANCE ON SALES TAX.TRAVIS COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE ACCESS TO SALES TAX.
UM, WE ALSO MUST RECOGNIZE THAT THE FEDERAL DOLLARS ARE ONE TIME DOLLARS.
THEY REPLACE OUR IMMEDIATE, UH, A ONE TIME INVESTMENT IN RESPECT TO CODE AT 19.
THEY DON'T REPLACE ONGOING REVENUES, UM, FOR OUR PERSONNEL.
AND, UH, THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY COMPLEX ECONOMIC RECOVERY FOR EVERYONE IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
SO, UM, WE, WE ARE ENGAGED TODAY, UH, ON OUR RESPONSE TO THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY FROM COVERT 19 AS WELL.
UH, IT MUST ABSOLUTELY BE A PARALLEL.
WHAT MEASURES ARE BEING TAKEN TO ADDRESS COVEN 19 CASES AT THE OLDER CARE FACILITIES? BUT, UH, RIGHT NOW WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE, UH, FACILITIES, UH, NURSING HOMES AND OTHER ELDER CARE FACILITIES ARE SOME OF OUR GREATEST SUSCEPTIBILITIES AND, AND VULNERABILITIES.
UH, THIS IS A CRUEL VIRUS AND IT PICKS OUT THE PEOPLE THAT, UH, THAT ARE OUR MOST VULNERABLE.
UH, SO, UH, WE ARE, UH, I PROBABLY NEED TO ISOLATE, UH, AS BEST WE CAN, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING IN THESE FACILITIES.
UH, WE HAVE FACILITIES TO REMOVE THEM IF THEY'RE INFECTED AND TO ISOLATE THEM.
UH, BUT I THINK YOU COULD ALWAYS CAN'T DO THAT WITH THAT POPULATION BECAUSE SOMETIMES THAT POPULATION OF ITS MEMBERS REALLY NEED TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN A PLACE THAT THEY KNOW.
WE'RE TRYING TO INCREASE THE STAFF AND HELP ESTABLISH SOME STRIKE TEAMS INITIALLY WITH THE STATE.
AND NOW THAT THE STATE'S MOVING THOSE STRIKE TEAMS AWAY, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE BACKFILLING THEM.
UH, WE ARE DOING INCREASED TESTING, UH, AND THESE FACILITIES SO AS TO GET A LANDSCAPE FEEL FOR WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
AND OUR CITY COUNCIL YESTERDAY AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING PASSED A RESOLUTION DIRECTED ENTIRELY, UH, AT THESE FACILITIES AND, AND AMPING UP THE RESOURCES AND INTENTION, EVEN BEYOND THE ALREADY AMPED UP PLACE.
UH, AND THE ATTENTION THAT THESE FACILITIES RECEIVE A NURSING HOME FACILITIES ARE REGULATED BY THE STATE.
AND WE DO RELY ON THE STATE TO SET STANDARDS FOR THE NURSING HOME FACILITIES AND BLUE SKY DAYS, BUT ALSO CERTAINLY IN TIMES OF CRISIS LIKE COVEN 19, UM, WHERE UH, WE HAVE A VIRUS THAT DOES PRAY UPON, UM, THOSE WHO ARE OVER 65 IN, IN A TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE WAY.
SO WE ARE LOOKING TO THE STATE FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE IN THESE COMMUNITIES.
WE ARE INVESTIGATING CLUSTERS, I BELIEVE IN 16 NURSING HOMES AT THIS TIME POINT.
UM, UM, I THINK OFTEN AT VALVE, MY MOTHER WHO DIED LAST YEAR IN HOSPICE AND HOW, UM, DIFFICULT IT IS FOR PEOPLE TO DIE ALONE, UM, ISOLATED CRUELLY BY COBIT 19.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE TO NOT BE ABLE TO VISIT MY MOTHER WHEN SHE DIED.
SO WE MUST CURB THE VIRAL SPREAD OF THIS COVE AT 19.
UM, IT'S JUST, IT'S TRAGIC TO THINK THAT WE CAN'T BE WITH OUR LOVED ONES, UM, EVEN AS THEY PASS.
UM, SO WE WILL REALLY, REALLY BEAR DOWN ON THE NURSING HOME ISSUE.
THIS IS, UH, TRAGIC BEYOND COMPREHENSION.
UH, NEXT QUESTION FROM, FROM CAVE VIEW.
UM, SO WHAT HAS CHANGED TODAY? UH, WE HEARD DISCUSSIONS OF BUSINESSES KEEPING LOGS.
IS THAT HAPPENING? YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE REAL STORY IS THAT THINGS HAVE NOT CHANGED.
UH, WE NEED EVERYONE TO STAY HOME AND ISOLATE AND LARGE GROUPS AND DO THE PHYSICAL SEPARATION AND THE FACE COVERINGS.
THE REAL STORY TODAY IS THAT THAT THINGS HAVE NOT CHANGED BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT OUR COMMUNITY, THEY'VE BEEN SOMEHOW OR OTHER THINGS HAVE.
ALL THAT'S HAPPENED IS WE'RE REOPENING SOME ADDITIONAL EXCEPTIONS.
UH, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY THE BIG STORY.
I DID PUT IN THE CITY'S, UH, ORDER, UH, RECOMMENDATION, UH, THAT BUSINESSES HELP ASSIST WITH CONTACT TRACING IN THE CITY.
I DID MENTION KEEPING LOGS AND IN, IN RESTAURANTS, NOT MANDATORY.
UH, JUST SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR FACILITIES TO DO AS THEY'RE ABLE TO DO IT.
UM, BUT THAT JUST MAKES SENSE.
UH, IF SOMEONE HAS AN INFECTION AND THEY WERE IN A PLACE THAT
[00:30:01]
I WAS IN, I WOULD WANT TO KNOW, UH, AND I WOULD WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO FIND ME QUICKLY AND LET ME KNOW THAT I MAY HAVE BEEN NEAR SOMEBODY THAT, THAT, THAT HAD THE VIRUS.UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN A WORLD RIGHT NOW WHERE MOST OF US COULD PROBABLY TELL YOU EVERYBODY THAT WE HAD BEEN THERE LAST WEEK BY NAME, UH, BY DAY BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN AROUND A LIMITED NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
BUT TO THE DEGREE THAT, UH, WITH THE JUDGE, WITH, UH, WITH, UH, WITH THE GOVERNOR OPENING UP NEW BUSINESSES, WE'RE GOING TO BE IN AND AROUND PEOPLE THAT WE DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING WE CAN DO TO, TO HELP THE CONTACT TRACERS, RECREATE WHO WAS WHERE, WHEN IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT.
BUT COREY, AT THIS POINT, JUST A REQUEST FOR, UH, FROM AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH OR FOR ASSISTANCE.
UH, NEXT QUESTION FROM TELEMUNDO.
UM, THE RISE FUNDS HAVE RUN OUT AT CERTAIN OREGON ORGANIZATIONS LIKE
UM, ARE THERE TALKS ABOUT ANY OTHER SUPPORT FOR THE UNDOCUMENTED? UM, WHAT ABOUT OTHER AGENCIES THAT DIDN'T GET ANY FUNDING THROUGH THE RISE FUND? TRAVIS COUNTY IS LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT MAKING INVESTMENTS FOR, UH, WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED A 10 MILLION, $10 MILLION POT OF MONEY FOR, UH, SMALL BUSINESS GRANTS.
WE WILL BE ESTABLISHING ANOTHER POT OF MONEY FOR MORTGAGE AND RENT ASSISTANCE AND THEN YET ANOTHER POT OF MONEY FOR NONPROFITS, UH, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT OUR NONPROFITS ENGAGED IN DIRECT SERVICES, UH, TO, TO FOLKS AT THE MARGINS, UH, STAY UP AND RUNNING AND HEALTHY AND PROVIDING THOSE SERVICES.
UM, TRAVIS COUNTY AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UH, WE DON'T CARE WHERE YOU WERE BORN.
IF YOU NEED HELP, WE WILL PROVIDE IT.
SO, UH, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHERE YOU WERE BORN.
UM, WE WANT TO BE THERE TO, TO, UH, HELP EVERYONE SURVIVE, UH, MEDICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY FROM COBIT 19.
HEY, JUDGE'S ANSWER'S GREAT ON THAT.
WE'RE DOING THE SAME KIND OF THINGS IN THE CITY, UH, WITH NOT ONLY THE RISE FUND BUT WITH THE SUBSEQUENT ACTIONS, UH, MONEY DIRECTED TOWARD, UH, THE ARTISTS COMMUNITY.
WE'RE ALSO HARD YET ALSO WITH THE BUSINESS LOAD PROGRAMS AND THE PROBABLY SEVEN OR EIGHT RESOLUTIONS, UH, YESTERDAY, THE ONLY ROOM WITH NONPROFITS.
BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE EVERYBODY WHOLE, UH, THE DAMAGE AND THE WAKE OF THIS VIRUS.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THE BEST JOB WE POSSIBLY CAN OF HELPING IN ASSISTING ONE ANOTHER, GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER, RECOGNIZING THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE OVER QUICKLY.
UH, WE'RE IN THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL, UH, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE LIMITED RESOURCES AND, AND, AND, AND SEND THEM OUT TO THE COMMUNITY IN PAST MOST EQUITABLE, UH, WAY WE POSSIBLY CAN.
UM, FROM COOPERATIVE LEO, UM, ABOUT THE, UH, RENTAL ASSISTANCE LOTTERY, ARE VETERANS GETTING ANY PREFERENCE IN THE LOTTERY SUCH AS A PARTIAL SET ASIDE LOTTERY SPECIFICALLY FOR VETERANS? IF NOT, SHOULD VETERANS BE SINGLED OUT NOW AS THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST? THE TRUTH IS, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION ON THE DETAILS OF THE LOTTERY ISSUE.
I MADE A NOTE OF IT WITH A CO-OPS INITIAL QUESTION, WHICH WAS THE FIRST ONE WE ADD ABOUT, UH, SHOULD IT BE A MORE EQUITABLE THAN JUST A MERE LOTTERY? I HOPE THAT IT IS MORE EQUITABLE THAN JUST A BEER LOTTERY, BUT I MADE IT INTO IT TO CHECK ON THAT.
UH, UH, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, BUT IT GO OUT WITH FOLLOW UP WITH GLORIA IN MY OFFICE, WE WILL GET THE ANSWER OR WITH PIO.
ALSO THE, THE CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THE COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY, THEY'RE SEPARATE.
THEY'RE SEPARATE ENTITIES AUTHORIZED BY FEDERAL LAW.
THE CITY, UH, APPOINTS THE BOARD TO THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AS DOES TRAVIS COUNTY APPOINTS THE BOARD TO THE COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY.
UM, BUT THE, UH, THE DISTRIBUTION MECHANISM IS, UH, I BELIEVE IS MADE BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN COLLABORATION WITH, UH, UM, HIS BOARD.
UH, NEXT QUESTION FROM COMMUNITY IMPACT WHERE AT A THOUSAND TESTS PER DAY ACROSS THE COMMUNITY, CAN YOU OUTLINE THE BARRIERS IN PLACE? KEEPING US FROM REACHING A RECOMMENDED TESTING CAPACITY OF 2000 TESTS PER DAY.
THERE ARE SEVERAL LIMITATIONS ON TESTS.
UH, AND, AND ONE IS THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE TEST ITSELF.
UH, THERE STILL ARE NOT, UH, ENOUGH TEST TO GO AROUND FOR EVERYBODY.
[00:35:01]
JUST THE TEST THAT IT'S THE MEDIUM, IT'S JUST THAT THE TEST AND THE MEDIUM, IT'S THE SWAB.UH, ONE OF THE ISSUES WITH RESPECT TO TEST IS THE TIMING THAT IT TAKES TO GET TESTS BACK.
UH, DIFFERENT LABS HAVE HAVE DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS, SO THERE ARE SOME TESTS WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ACCESS BUT MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO GET RESULTS BACK FOR, FOR THREE, FOUR DAYS.
UH, SO WE'RE TRYING TO ACCESS TESTS AND FIND SUPPLIERS THAT WOULD GIVE US TESTS, UM, MORE, MORE IMMEDIATELY.
UH, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF COMING UP WITH A, A GREATER STRATEGIC PLAN, UH, FOR TESTING AS WE GO INTO THIS NEW WORLD OF INCREASED SOCIAL AND COMMERCIAL INTERACTIONS, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AN OVERALL STRATEGY THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT NOT ONLY THE TESTING TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE HAVE BEEN USING, BUT TRYING TO DETERMINE IF THERE'S AN APPROPRIATE PLACE FOR, FOR SERUM TESTING OR ANTIBODY TESTING.
UH, WHICH HERE TO FOR HAS IT MADE A LOT OF SENSE YET, UH, JUST BECAUSE OF OUR INFECTION LEVEL WITHIN THE CITY, UH, TOGETHER WITH THE RELIABILITY ISSUES, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH BACK TESTING.
UH, SO, UH, RIGHT NOW, UH, WE DON'T HAVE MORE TESTS, UH, BECAUSE WE ARE PROVIDED A TEST TO GO AROUND.
BUT I WOULD POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE GREATER CAPACITY TO GIVE TESTS THAN WE HAVE PEOPLE SIGNING UP FOR TESTS RIGHT NOW.
UH, SO I WOULD URGE EVERYBODY, IF THEY HAVE THESE INKLING, I'M A SYMPTOM TO GO ON LINE, UH, ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTY, UH, IN THE CITY, UH, TO, TO, TO GO ONLINE.
UH, IF YOU QUALIFIED FOR A, FOR A TASK AND THEY'RE MOVING DOWN THE BARRIERS FOR PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR THE TEST CAUSE WE HAVE THAT CUSTODY AVAILABILITY.
YOU CAN SIGN UP, YOU GET A SET TIME TO SHOW UP TO TAKE THE TEST.
UH, BUT RIGHT NOW, UH, WE HAVE GREATER CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE SIGN.
I JUST WANT TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH AND TO COMMUNITY CARE UNDER CENTRAL HEALTH.
UH, OUR ABILITY TO RAMP UP THE AMOUNT OF TESTING WE HAVE IS BECAUSE OF JUST A TREMENDOUS EFFORT FROM OUR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AS A HOSPITAL DISTRICT AND, AND PUBLIC CLINIC SYSTEM.
UH, IT'S JUST BEEN, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE, UH, TO SEE THEM, UH, PULL UP A TESTING PLATFORM SO QUICKLY THAT ACTUALLY THAT TESTING PLATFORM HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY THE STATE, UH, FOR A STATEWIDE PLATFORM SO THAT PEOPLE CAN GET ASSESSED AND GET A TEST IF THEY ARE EXHIBITING SYMPTOMS OR HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH SOMEONE, UH, WHO HAS TESTED POSITIVE.
IT'S JUST, UH, IT, I'M HONORED TO HAVE BEEN PART OF THIS TEAM.
UH, AND TO SEE THIS FINE WORK.
YOU ALREADY TOUCHED ON THIS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, BUT, UH, HERE'S A QUESTION FROM UH, AMERICAN STATESMAN, GREAT NEWS OUTLET.
UM, UH, GOVERNOR ABBOTT HAS REMOVED MANY TOOLS TO ENFORCE ORDERS LIKE THIS.
HOW DOES THAT RESTRAIN YOUR ABILITY TO ENACT, UM, SOCIAL DISTANCING MANDATES LIKE THIS? YOU KNOW, THIS THING HAS NEVER BEEN OUT.
BEING ABLE TO ENFORCE ANYTHING THAT WAY.
THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH SHERIFFS OR POLICE OFFICERS TO PUT PEOPLE IN JAIL.
AND THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS, THE JUDGE AND I HAVE BEEN REALLY CONSISTENT IN TALKING TO THE COMMUNITY.
WELL, THIS HAS GOT TO WORK OR NOT WORK BASED ON WHAT THE COMMUNITY DOES THROUGH INDIVIDUAL DECISIONS COLLECTIVELY CREATING WHAT IT IS THAT IS THE COMMUNITY RESPONSE.
IT'S WHAT WE HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE FOR.
IT'S THE BEHAVIORS THAT WE EXPECT OUT OF ONE ANOTHER AND EXPECT OF OUR RETAILERS AND OUR BUSINESSES.
IT'S WHAT THEY EXPECT OF US COMING INTO THEIR STORES OF THEIR SHOPS AND THEIR OFFICES.
WE HAVE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UH, AND, AND OUR RESPONSE TO THIS HAS BEEN OVERWHELMING, BUT IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN DRIVEN BY, BY EACH OF US AND, AND I, AND I HOPE AND PRAY THAT WE MAINTAIN THAT DISCIPLINE AND THAT RESOLVE.
UH, NEXT QUESTION FROM FOX SEVEN.
CAN YOU CLARIFY FOR RESIDENTS WHAT ORDERS NEED TO BE FOLLOWED? UH, THE GOVERNOR HAS ISSUED HIS ORDERS.
SHOULD THE STATES ORDERS SUPERSEDE LOCAL ORDERS? YES.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY THE MAYOR AND I FELT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO GO AHEAD AND PUT OUT THESE ORDERS TO CLEARLY STAY.
[00:40:01]
ORDERS ARE CONTROLLING.UM, BUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF YOUR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS HAS NOT CHANGED.
UH, THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS REMAIN ONLY DO WHAT'S ESSENTIAL DURING THE DAY.
ONLY COME IN CONTACT WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ESSENTIAL TODAY.
UM, UH, KNOW THEM, CARE FOR THEM BY WEARING A FACE MASK WHEN YOU INTERACT, KEEPING SIX FEET OF DISTANCE, WASHING YOUR HANDS, STAYING HOME IF YOU CAN.
AND AT THE WORKPLACE, MAKE SURE TO WORK SAFE.
UM, THE RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE NOT CHANGED.
SOME BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN OPENED BY THE GOVERNOR IN AN INCREMENTAL WAY.
UH, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF YOUR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS HAS NOT CHANGED.
THERE IS NO CONFLICT BETWEEN THE ORDER FROM THE GOVERNOR AND THE QUARTERS OF THE COUNTY JUDGE AND, AND MYSELF.
SO EVERYBODY SHOULD BE FOLLOWING ALL OF THE ORDERS THAT PERTAIN TO THEM.
NEXT QUESTION FROM CVS AUSTIN.
IS THERE OR WILL THERE BE RELIEF FOR SMALL LANDLORDS WHO RELY ON INCOME FROM A COUPLE OF RENTAL PROPERTIES AND ARE NOT RECEIVING RENT OR RENT PAYMENTS, UM, UH, OR RENT PAYMENTS THAT ARE UNPREDICTABLE? UH, FOR EXAMPLE, RETIRED PEOPLE WHO SUPPLEMENT, UM, WITH UH, RENTAL INCOME OR RESIDENTS WHO PERHAPS HAVE MOVED BUT ARE PAYING THE MORTGAGE ON PROPERTY WITH A RENT MONEY.
UM, EXAMPLES TO BASICALLY RELOCATE EXAMPLES TO DIFFERENTIATE, DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN LARGE OWNERS, CORPORATE OWNERS, AND A RELIEF FOR A SMALL LAND OWNERS OF FEW RENTAL PROPERTIES.
TRAVIS COUNTY'S PROGRAM FOR MORTGAGE AND RENT ASSISTANCE HAS AS WOULD THE CITY'S PROGRAM HAVE A DOUBLE BENEFIT? FIRST IT FREES UP MONEY FOR THE INDIVIDUAL, THE RENTER, UH, UM, IN ORDER TO PAY FOR OTHER IMPORTANT NECESSARY ITEMS. BUT IT ALSO DOES HELP, BUT THAT SMALL LANDLORD WHO MAYBE HAS A SMALL NUMBER OF UNITS OR MAYBE IS, UH, UM, RENTING A GARAGE APARTMENT, UM, SO EVERY, EVERY, UH, RENTAL ASSISTANCE, UM, TO THOSE SMALL UNIT, UH, LANDLORDS IS A BENEFIT TO BOTH THEIR TENANTS AND TO THE PROPERTY OWNER.
WE'RE FOLLOWING THAT LEAD AS WELL WITH THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE DOING IN THE CITY.
UM, I KNOW THAT YESTERDAY I EXTENDED THE, UH, UM, THE, UH, AND OR PROHIBITION ON FILING NOTICES OF EVICTION.
I THINK COUNTY JUDGE HAS OR IS DOING THE SAME THING.
THE CITY COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION YESTERDAY, UH, EXTENDING A GRACE PERIOD.
RENT STILL ACCUMULATES, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY IT.
WE DID THAT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT ANYBODY IN OUR CITY, OUR STREETS.
BUT AS THE COUNCIL DISCUSSED YESTERDAY, UH, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY FOCUSING AS WELL ON THOSE SMALL LANDLORDS THAT ARE ALSO THE VICTIMS OF THE ECONOMIC WAKE, UM, UH, OF THIS, OF THIS VIRUS.
UH, SO WE, AS WE DISCUSSED YESTERDAY, ARE GOING TO BE TAKE A LOOK AND THEN ANOTHER BOOK.
I'M TRYING TO HELP THOSE FOLKS IN ADDITION TO THE PROGRAMS THAT THE JUDGE WAS DESCRIBING.
UH, THE, THE, THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS THAT ACTUALLY GET RID OF PAID SO THAT THE LANDMARK C.
JUST THREE MORE QUESTIONS LEFT.
AND ARE THERE TALKS OF ANY SUPPORT THAT WILL BE OFFERED FOR CHILDCARE WORKERS WHO ARE NOT CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL? IF SO, WHAT ARE THOSE PLANS? THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE MUST FOCUS ON.
I WAS IN DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS.
UH, CURRENTLY, UH, STATE SUPPORTS FOR CHILDCARE ONLY GO TO CHILDCARE FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS.
UM, AND, UH, WE, UH, I'M GOING TO LOOK INTO, UH, SUGGESTING TO THE GOVERNOR AND TO THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION THAT WE EXPAND.
UH, CHILDCARE SUPPORTS, UM, FOR UH, UM, ALL WORKERS IN OPENED BUSINESSES, WHETHER ARE CLASSIFIED AS ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES OR NOT.
UM, THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT.
UH, FOLKS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT OPENING UP THEIR, THEIR CHILDCARE BUSINESSES.
AND WE ALSO NEED TO WORK WITH THOSE, UH, BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE CHILDCARE INDUSTRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY FEEL THAT THEY'VE MADE THE ADAPTATIONS IN THEIR CHILDCARE FACILITIES THAT KEEP THEM SAFE, THEIR EMPLOYEES SAFE AS WELL AS THE CHILDREN.
AND THOSE CHILDREN'S FAMILIES SAY WE HAVE SEEN SOME
[00:45:01]
EARLY EVIDENCE IN, UH, TESTING ACROSS THE NATION, UH, INDICATING THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE, WHO WORK IN THE PEDIATRIC FIELD, UM, HAVE A HIGHER INFECTION RATE AMONG MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS THAN THOSE WHO WORK IN OTHER FIELDS.THAT IS, UH, AT LEAST A STRONG INFERENCE THAT, THAT BECAUSE CHILDREN ARE, ARE NOT EXHIBITING SYMPTOMS DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THEY ARE NOT, UH, SHEDDING COVE AT 19.
SO WE NEED TO BE VERY MINDFUL OF OUR, UH, DAYCARE COMMUNITY, THE INDUSTRY, UH, AS WELL AS THE CLIENTS OF DAYCARES, UM, THAT WE MAKE SURE WE HAVE ADAPTED IN WAYS THAT KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAY WE COMPLETELY RECOGNIZE.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO OPEN UP BUSINESSES WHEN PEOPLE HAVE THEIR KIDS AT HOME BECAUSE THEY CAN'T HAVE THEM IN A DAYCARE OR AT SCHOOL CAUSE THEY'RE CLOSED DOWN.
WE'VE GOT TO FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE.
WE ABSOLUTELY MUST AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO THAT JUDGE.
I HAVE NO BETTER ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
I WOULD POINT OUT THAT WITH THE UH, UH, UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DIRECTION, IT CAME FROM A GOVERNANCE OFFICE ON THE END OF LAST WEEK.
UH, IF SOMEONE IS CALLED BACK TO WORK AND THEY'RE NOT ESSENTIAL PLACE AND THERE IS NO CHILDCARE THAT'S AVAILABLE TO THAT FAMILY, UM, THAT IS A VALID REASON FOR SOMEONE NOT TO GO BACK TO WORK AND STILL BE ENTITLED, UH, TO, TO, TO RECEIVE UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION.
IT IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE TO ACTUALLY HAVING CHILDCARE IS WHY I GO BACK TO THE ANSWER THAT THE JUDGE GAVE.
YEAH, I DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION IN THAT POLICY.
IT'S BEEN, UH, THEY'RE WONDERFUL PARTNERS AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY, VERY WELL WITH THEM.
NEXT QUESTION FROM K U T WHAT SORT OF DISCUSSIONS HAVE UH, Y'ALL HAVE WITH STATE LEADERSHIP ON THIS ORDER? UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON A COUPLE OF PHONE CALLS WITH THE GOVERNOR, UH, UH, TOGETHER WITH, UH, ALL OF THE OTHER MAYORS AND COUNTY JUDGES, THE STATE.
I THINK WE'RE ALSO ON THE PHONE CALL.
UH, I DID HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO, TO SPEAK MORE INTIMATELY WITH, UM, UH, JAMES HOFHEINZ AND, UH, MICHAEL TOOMEY, UH, WHO ARE THE TWO FOLKS THAT ARE RUNNING THEM AND GOVERNOR'S TASKFORCE.
AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK, UH, ABOUT THE, THE TRIGGER, UH, CONCEPT, UH, AS WELL AS THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THAT, UH, WE REALLY NEED ON TESTING AND ON CONTACT, UH, TRACING.
AND THEY WERE, THEY WERE VERY OPEN TO THE CONVERSATION AND I HAVE BEEN, AS I HAVE SPOKEN WITH DR HELLER STAT, UM, I'VE SPOKEN WITH SENATOR WATSON WHO'S ON THE TASK FORCE, UM, AND HAVE ALSO TRADED SOME PHONE CALLS WITH THE GOVERNOR'S CHIEF OF STAFF.
UH, I TOO HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE CALLS.
UM, WE REMAIN, UH, UH, IN PARTNERSHIP LOOKING FOR APPROPRIATE, UH, AND, UH, PREDICTABLE TRIGGERS FOR HOW TO BALANCE BETWEEN OUR, UH, HEALTH RECOVERY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY FROM COVERT 19.
UH, LAST QUESTION, UM, FROM TELEMUNDO.
UM, YOU'RE EXTENDING THE, UH, ORDER IN PLACE UNTIL JUNE OR JUNE 15TH FOR TRAVIS COUNTY.
WHAT, UM, WHAT WOULD THOSE RESTRICTIONS OR ENFORCEMENT LOOK LIKE WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC SPACES LIKE PARKS, LAKES, CHURCHES AND RESTAURANTS? UM, A LOT OF HOLIDAYS WILL TAKE PLACE DURING THIS SECOND EXTENSION.
UM, AND ALSO, UH, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THESE ORDERS MIGHT BE EXTENDED? AGAIN, WITH REGARD TO, UM, PROPERTIES THAT TRAVIS COUNTY OWNS, WE WILL CERTAINLY LIMIT ACCESS TO THOSE PROPERTIES IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING.
UH, TO THE IX, UH, BUT INTO PRIVATE PROPERTIES.
UM, WE WILL, UH, BE ABLE TO CAUTION FOLKS.
WE WILL CERTAINLY PROVIDE WARNINGS TO INDIVIDUALS IF, UH, IF A NEIGHBOR IS CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN A PROPERTY NEXT DOOR, WE WILL CERTAINLY COME OUT AND PROVIDE THE BEST, UH, UH, INFORMATION THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN AND STRONGLY URGE THAT THEY COMPLY WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, BUT AS THE MAYOR APTLY POINTED OUT PREVIOUSLY, THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES AND POLICE OFFICERS, UH, TO, UH, TO ENFORCE ON, UH, UM, GATHERINGS.
WE'VE SIMPLY GOT TO CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER AND UM, ENCOURAGE
[00:50:01]
EACH OTHER, UH, TO NOT GATHER IN LARGE GROUPS.IT IS JUST TOO DANGEROUS, NOT JUST FOR THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE GATHERING, BUT ALSO FOR EVERYONE.
THOSE PEOPLE COME IN CONTACT WITH AFTER THAT GATHERING THE VIRUS DEPENDS ON US TO MOVE THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY.
THE MORE PEOPLE WE COME IN CONTACT WITH, THE HIGHER THE PROBABILITY IS MORE PEOPLE WILL GET SICK AND MORE PEOPLE WILL DIE.
I MEAN, JUST AS A POSTSCRIPT ADD TO WHAT THE JUDGE SAID AND TALK ABOUT CHURCHES DIRECTLY HERE, YOU KNOW, UH, THERE IS RISK ASSOCIATED WITH LARGE GATHERINGS, UM, JUST BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE PHYSICAL INTERACTION.
WE CAN TRY TO MITIGATE THESE AS BEST WE CAN.
AND IT'S GOOD WHEN WE DO BUY BY SITTING IN EVERY OTHER PEW, UH, BY MAKING SURE THAT FAMILIES ENTER WANTING TO TIE, UH, BY MAKING SURE THAT WE DISINFECT, UH, ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT ANYONE COULD TOUCH OR ANYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO TOUCH IT THAT A SECOND TIME BY LIMITING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE SO THAT IF THERE'S ANY CONTACT TRACING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN, WHERE A BETTER POSITION TO DO IT.
ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS FOR US TO DO AND OUR POLICIES HERE IN THIS CITY AND IN THE COUNTY, UM, FOLLOW THE, THE, THE MANDATE THAT CAME FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AS HE HAS REOPENED, UH, OUR CHURCHES, UH, WITH THE LIMITATIONS THAT THE GOVERNOR I HAD HAD IMPOSED.
THE FIRST IS SOME, MOST OF THE CHURCHES, MOST ALL THE CHURCHES ARE DOING SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB OF, OF, OF TELE BROADCASTING, UH, SERVICES.
SO THE CONGREGATIONS COULD BE TOGETHER, UH, REMOTELY AND VIRTUALLY.
AND I, AND I HOPE THAT, UH, THAT PRACTICE CONTINUES AND THAT EVERYBODY WHO CAN WERE, WILL AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THAT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THAT'S THE SAFEST THING TO DO.
I RECOGNIZE WE HAVE SOME CHURCHES THAT ARE NOW OPENING, UH, OUR CONGREGATIONS.
I IN LIMITED WAYS AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW, I GREATLY APPRECIATE AS DOES THE JUDGE ALL THE LIMITATIONS THAT ARE BEING SELF-IMPOSED.
MAYBE THAT EVEN GO BEYOND WHAT IT WAS THAT THE GOVERNOR SUGGESTED AND WERE REQUIRING IF THE GOVERNOR SUGGESTED THAT THEY GO PASS THAT TO BE INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE, TO THINK THROUGH HOW BEST TO PROTECT, UH, THE MEMBERS OF THE CONGREGATION AS WELL AS THE CLERGY THAT ARE GOING TO BE THERE AND KIND OF PATIENT.
AND THEN I WOULD CONCLUDE WITH, AND HERE'S THE HARD ONE.
ANYBODY OVER 65 SHOULD PROBABLY AVOID GOING IN ANY KIND OF GROUP.
WE REALLY NEED TO PROTECT PEOPLE THAT ARE THE MOST VOLATILE PEOPLE, OVER 65 PEOPLE WITH DIABETES, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE, THAT ARE, THAT ARE OBESE, UH, PEOPLE THAT HAVE LUNG CONDITIONS OR HEART CONDITIONS.
THERE'S SUCH A RISK ASSOCIATED WITH GOING TO A CHURCH GATHERING LIKE THAT.
AND I WOULD REALLY URGE PEOPLE, UM, IN A WAY MY PARENTS AREN'T HERE, UH, ANY LONGER.
UH, BUT IF THEY WERE, UH, I WOULD TRY REALLY HARD NOT TO, BUT TO LET THEM GO.
UH, SO I JUST HAD THAT POSTSCRIPT THOUGHT.
THAT'S THE END OF OUR QUESTIONS.
ANY FINAL THOUGHTS FROM YOU GUYS? I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
I, I'M, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY, YOU KNOW, SHOW THE LOVE.
CONSIDER WHAT AM I GOING TO DO TODAY THAT'S ESSENTIAL, UM, AND ONLY DO THAT, THAT'S ESSENTIAL.
AND WHO AM I COMING IN CONTACT WITH? HOW CAN I KEEP THEM SAFE AND DO I KNOW THEM AND CARE ENOUGH ABOUT THEM TO GO FIND THEM IF I GET SICK SO THAT THEY CAN GET TESTED.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING, MAYOR.
IT'S A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU.
UH, THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESS CONFERENCE.
I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR SPEAKERS ONCE AGAIN AND OUR COURT REPORTER TODAY.
IT'S SUMMERTIME WHEN THE SIDEWALK.