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HI, GOOD AFTERNOON.INTERIM AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH AUTHORITIES AND MAYOR STEVE ADLER THAN SARAH ECKHARDT SPECIALIST, JUDGE SAM DUSKO AND FOR SPANISH MEDIA DOCTOR, ONE OF THE ESSENTIAL HEALTH BOARD OF MANAGERS IS B.
THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR REPORTER WHO ASKS QUESTIONS FROM THE MEDIA AFTER SCOTT OVER TO YOU.
UH, I'M GOING TO SHOW SOME SLIDES HERE, UH, THAT ARE RELATED TO AN UPDATE THAT WE HAVE, UH, AS IT RELATES TO OUR STAGING FOR COVANCE 19 ON A RISK IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING, YOU KNOW, WE INTRODUCED THIS TWO WEEKS AGO AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING TO, UH, IDENTIFY KEY MEASURES TO INDICATE THE NEED TO TRANSITION BETWEEN STAGES, EITHER A MORE RESTRICTIVE STAGE OR LESS RESTRICTIVE STAGE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT AND TALKING ABOUT FOR QUITE SOME TIME IS THIS, THE NEW ADMISSIONS WITHIN THE FIVE COUNTY, UH, AUSTIN MSA.
AND THIS GRAPH IS SHOWING YOU THAT, UH, THE HOSPITALIZATION RATE, UH, SINCE THE BEGINNING OF OUR, OUR PANDEMIC HERE IN AUSTIN.
AND IT SHOWS YOU THAT WE'VE BEEN OSCILLATING BETWEEN ABOUT EIGHT AND 10 HOSPITALIZATIONS SINCE THE END OF MARCH.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE TAKEN THIS INFORMATION, WE PROVIDED THIS DATA TO DR. LAUREN MEYERS AND HER TEAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, UH, AND ASK THEM TO LOOK FOR CUT POINTS, GOOD INDICATIONS OF WHEN WE NEED TO DIAL BACK OR DIAL UP THE ACTIVITY THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, BASED ON, ON THOSE, UH, ON THOSE MEASURES WITH THE FOCUS OF LIMITING THE, UH, THE RISK OF EXCEEDING THE HOSPITAL CAPACITY WITHIN THE FIVE COUNTY MSA.
AGAIN, IF WE EXCEED THE CAPACITY, WE'RE GOING TO EXPERIENCE EXCESS DEATHS.
THIS MEANS THAT WE RUN OUT OF HOSPITAL SPACES, VENTILATORS, ICU BEDS TO CARE FOR PEOPLE, NOT ONLY FOR COBRA 19, BUT FOR ANYTHING ELSE.
SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS THEY'VE TAKEN THAT DATA AND DR. MYERS AND HER TEAM HAVE INDICATED TO US FIVE DIFFERENT STAGES OR FIVE DIFFERENT CUT POINTS OR TRANSITIONED TO STAGES.
THE GREEN STAGE, WHICH IS WHERE WE ALL WANT TO BE, UH, WOULD BE ZERO ADMISSIONS ON THAT, ON THAT SEVEN DAY MOVING AVERAGE OFFER HOSPITALIZATIONS.
STAGE TWO WOULD BE LESS THAN FIVE ADMISSIONS.
STAGE THREE IS THAT FIVE TO 19.
THAT'S THE STAGE THAT WE'RE IN NOW THAT WE'VE BEEN IN FOR SOME TIME.
NEW ADMISSIONS ON THAT SEVEN DAY MOVING AVERAGE AND STAGE FIVE WOULD BE GREATER THAN 70.
UH, SO AGAIN, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT NEEDING TO STAY AT LEAST IN THIS YELLOW STAGE OF STAGE THREE WITH THE HOPES OF GETTING INTO THE BLUE STAGE WHERE WE CAN BE A BIT LESS RESTRICTIVE IN OUR GUIDANCE.
UH, BUT FOR NOW WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE IN STAGE THREE AND WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER TO TRANSITION OUT OF THIS STAGE.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING FOR QUITE SOME TIME ABOUT THE NEED TO CONTINUE THE SOCIAL DISTANCING, TO CONTINUE THAT PERSONAL HYGIENE AND TO CONTINUE MASKING IN PUBLIC SO THAT WE CAN BALANCE THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE ECONOMY IN A WAY THAT CAN GROW BOTH.
UH, THIS STAGING WILL BE PART OF THE DASHBOARD THAT WE WILL BE LAUNCHING TODAY.
THIS IS A SCREENSHOT, BUT THIS IS WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
A, YOU CAN SEE IN THE MIDDLE, IT'S GOT THAT SAME GRAPH THAT I JUST SHARED WITH YOU ON THE LEFT SIDE.
IT'S GOT THE NEW HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS, BOTH THE SEVEN DAY MOVING AVERAGE AND THE NUMBER FOR THAT DAY ON THE RIGHT SIDE, THE SEVEN DAY MOVING AVERAGE OF NEW CONFIRMED CASES, AND THE NUMBER FOR THAT DAY.
AT THE BOTTOM ON THE LEFT, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S GOT OUR DOUBLING TIME, WHICH IS NOW SITTING AT 37.5 DAYS AND HAS CONTINUED TO IMPROVE OVER TIME.
NEXT TO THAT, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A, A, A GAUGE WITH THE HOSPITAL CAPACITY.
BOTH THE REGULAR HOSPITAL HAS BEDS, THEY, UH, THE ICU ROOMS AND THE VENTILATORS.
AND NEXT TO THAT IS THE SEVEN DAY MOVING AVERAGE.
FOR EACH OF THOSE NUMBERS, AGAIN, WE WANT TO PROVIDE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC SO THAT YOU KNOW WHERE WE ARE AND YOU CAN ADJUST YOUR BEHAVIORS AND YOU CAN ASSESS YOUR RISK FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR HOUSEHOLD.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT OVER TO, UH, MAYOR ADLER, OUR DRESS.
GOD, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING.
UH, AND THANK YOU FOR THESE NEW, UH, THEIR CHARTS.
UH, JUST TO REPEAT WHAT DR. SCOTT SAID AT A REALLY HIGH LEVEL, WE ALL WANT TO OPEN UP THE ECONOMY.
EVERYBODY'S DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF STAYING AT HOME AND, AND, AND HELPING US TO AVOID THE FIRST SURGE OF THIS
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VIRUS.UH, AND WE ALL WANT TO GET OUT AND WE ALL WANT TO OPEN UP THE ECONOMY AS THE, AS THE GOVERNOR IS DOING.
UH, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THAT IN A WAY THAT, THAT DOES NOT HAVE US OVERWHELMING OUR HOSPITALS.
AS DR S SCOTT SAID, IT'S NOT ONLY A QUESTION OF HAVING SUFFICIENT SPACE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT, THAT HAVE THE VIRUS, BUT IF YOU HAVE A HEART ATTACK OR YOU'RE IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT, YOU GO TO THE HOSPITAL, YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET THE PROPER CARE.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS THAT WE'RE BALANCING BECAUSE DR S SCOTT HAS SHOWED US WITH HIS CHARTS, WE HAVE TO STAY BELOW 20, UH, DAILY, UH, ADMITTANCES TO THE HOSPITAL.
I LOOKED AT IT ON THE DAY, UH, AVERAGE.
THAT'S THE NUMBER WE HAVE TO STAY BELOW.
I KNOW EVERY DAY WE SHOULD BE TAKING A LOOK AT THAT CHART, THAT GRAPH.
IT'S GOING TO BE UP ON THE WEBSITE AND SAY, ARE WE GETTING CLOSER TO 20 OR ARE WE MOVING DOWN BELOW THAT? AND WE CAN GET BELOW THAT.
UH, WE CAN START OPENING UP EVEN MORE IF WE START GETTING TO 20 WHEN WE GET THE TOUR WITH THE DOCTORS.
AND THE SCIENTISTS TELL US IS IF WE GET THE 20 AND WE'RE ON A PATH TO OVERWHELM OUR HOSPITALS AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PULL BACK AND NOBODY WANTS TO DO THAT.
SO I TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED IN OUR COMMUNITY THIS WEEKEND.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THAT I THINK MOST PEOPLE, MOST BUSINESSES ARE APPROACHING THIS CAUTIOUSLY, AVOIDING LARGE GROUPS OR THEY'RE MAINTAINING THE SOCIAL DISTANCING OF SIX FEET.
UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE WEARING FACE COVERINGS WHEN THEY'RE OUT IN AND AMONG OTHER PEOPLE.
UH, MOST PEOPLE ARE DOING THAT, BUT WE SAW SOME REAL EXAMPLES AND WHERE THAT WASN'T HAPPENING.
AND I HOPE THAT THAT WAS JUST A WEEKEND ADJUSTMENT INTO THIS NEW NEW NEW WORLD WE'RE IN BECAUSE WE CAN'T SUSTAIN THAT IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING COMMUNITY MORE.
I THINK THAT PEOPLE IN THAT COMMUNITY MIGHT BE A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT SOME PEOPLE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THIS VIRUS IS OVER.
IT'S NOT, IT'S JUST AS INFECTIOUS AS IT WAS TWO WEEKS AGO, BUT THE TASK IN FRONT OF US IS IF WE WANT TO REOPEN THE ECONOMY, IF WE WANT TO REOPEN THE LINE, IF WE WANT TO INCREASE PHYSICAL INTERACTIONS AND WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING THAT'S WITHIN OUR POWER AND CONTROL TO MAKE THAT SUCCESSFUL, WHICH MEANS MAINTAINING SIX FOOT DISTANCING, WEARING THE FACE, COVERING, MAKING SURE THAT YOU GET TESTED WHEN YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF A SYMPTOM, STAYING HOME.
IF YOU'RE NOT FEELING WELL, WE HAVE CONTROL TO SOME DEGREE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE STAY IN THAT YELLOW AREA IN THE MIDDLE OR UP TO ORANGE WITH GREATER RESTRICTIONS OR DOWN TO BLUE.
WE HAVE IT WITHIN OUR ABILITY TO, TO TO IMPACT THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED BEFORE ABOUT ART.
WHEN WE CAN'T ENFORCE OUR WAY TO THIS, THE HEART IT UP, SHERIFF DEPUTIES OR POLICE OFFICERS, THIS IS GOT TO BE SOMETHING THAT COLLECTIVELY WE WANT TO DO OURSELVES AND OUR INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS THEN AND THEN ACCUMULATE INTO A COMMUNITY COMMUNITY ACTION.
AND FINALLY I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL ISSUE.
YOU KNOW THE GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ENCOURAGING PEOPLE, RECOMMENDING PEOPLE STAY SIX FEET AWAY AND AND WEAR THE FACE MASK.
DR ESCADA SAYS THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO AND SOMETHING THAT'S REQUIRED IN THE ORDERS HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY AND IN THE, IN THE CITY BECAUSE EVERYWHERE IN CITIZENS, THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, EITHER WE'RE GOING TO GET TO INCREASE HOSPITAL ADMITTANCES EITHER WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER 20 OVERNIGHT.
THAT'S NOT A POLITICAL QUESTION.
IF COLLECTIVELY WE CAN AVOID GOING OVER 20 AND WE'RE GOING TO BE A LIBERAL, PARTICIPATE IN THIS REOPENED AND WE HAVE CONTROL OVER THAT.
THE NUMBERS ARE WHAT THEY ARE.
SO MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE FOR ME, THIS PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS WE'RE TRYING TO STAY BELOW THAT 20 NUMBER OR WE'LL SEND THEM NAVAL.
AND YET EVERY DAY WE SHOULD BE, WE SHOULD BE WATCHING, WE SHOULD BE TAILORING OUR ACTIONS.
BUSINESSES SHOULD BE TAILORING THEIR ACTIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY BELOW THAT STATE LOCAL NUMBER.
UM, THIS IS THE COLOR CHART, UH, THAT IS, UH, UP, UH, OR THE YARD.
BUT, UH, BACK THEN THIS GUY WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT'S ALL.
THAT'S EACH OF US DO OUR, OUR, UH, IT'S UP TO US WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO MAKE THE REOPENING OF THE TURN.
AND WITH THAT I'M GOING TO, UH, UH, UH, TURN IT OVER NOW TO, UH, UH, UH, JUDGE ECKHART,
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UH, TO, TO, UH, TO TALK.AS WE HAVE SAID BEFORE AND AS MY WONDERFUL PARTNER, THE MAYOR HAS SAID SO ELOQUENTLY, UM, THE WAY FORWARD IS TO ADAPT.
UH, WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP GOING WITH THE, WITH TRAVIS COUNTY AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS WELL AS WITH CENTRAL HEALTH AND COMMUNITY CARE AND ALSO ALL OF OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES THAT ARE PART OF THE AUSTIN ROUND ROCK MSA THAT OUR PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, DEPARTMENT SERVES.
SO WE'RE ALL GONNA MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER BY ADAPTING TO THE CONTINUING THREAT OF COVEN 19.
AS WE'VE SEEN, UH, ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN WATCHING OUR HANDY DANDY, UM, A ONE PAGER ON THE AUSTIN AND ON THE TRAVIS COUNTY COVERED 19 WEBPAGES.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE AS THE MAYOR HAS MAKE IT PART OF YOUR DAY THAT YOU CHECK THE WEATHER AND YOU ALSO CHECK, UH, WHERE WE ARE ON COVERT 19 THREAT.
UM, IF YOU'VE BEEN CHECKING THAT, YOU'LL SEE THAT OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS, WE PASS THE 3000 MARK IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF CASES IN THE AUSTIN ROUNDROCK AREA.
SO COVA 19 IS NOT DONE WITH US YET.
BUT, UH, THE BEST MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC ADVICE FOR STAYING SAFE IN OUR HOMES, OUR COMMUNITIES AND AT WORK IS TO KEEP PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING, FACE MASKING, PERSONAL HYGIENE, AVOIDING GATHERINGS OF 10 OR MORE, AND STAYING HOME WHEN YOUR SICK.
THESE ARE SIMPLE ADAPTATIONS AT HOME, AT WORK AND AT PLAY, AND THEY HAVE LITERALLY SAVED LIVES.
SO LET'S TRY AND KEEP IN THAT YELLOW ZONE AND KEEP PUSHING IT DOWN UNTIL WE GET INTO THE BLUES END.
BECAUSE IF WE GO TO THE ORANGE AREA WHERE THE THREAT IS HIGHER, WE MAY NEED TO ADAPT HARDER.
WE WANT TO GO FORWARD INTO REAL WORLD ADAPTATIONS WHILE COVEN 19 IS STILL A THREAT.
UM, SO PRACTICE THE LOVE Y'ALL.
UM, LEARN HOW TO SMILE WITH YOUR EYES OVER THAT SUPER FASHIONABLE MASS AND UM, SHOW THE LOVE BY KEEPING THE DISTANCE.
AND WITH THAT I WOULD KICK IT OVER TO OUR, UH, TREMENDOUS PARTNERS IN CENTRAL HEALTH, UH, WITH DOCTORS AND MAURA, WHO'S THE CHAIR OF THE CENTRAL HEALTH BOARD.
BUT I ASKED YOU
ALSO TYPE OF WALKER, ALSO MASCARA.
I WILL NOT
UH, YOU HAVE TO PROPER OUR WORKER OR CMP.
YEAH, I WOULDN'T CLICK IN ALENIA THE OUTER, EVEN AS YOUNG.
THAT'S WHAT I ALSO, I'M GLAD IS HE COMPETENT AND IF I CAN DO THAT AND A FEW OTHER AUSTIN
NOW WE, I SENDING IT OVER TO OUR FULL STEVE, GO AHEAD.
GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE AND THANKS FOR DOING THIS.
UH, THE FIRST QUESTION IS FROM US AT KUT SORT OF IS PROBABLY PRIMARILY FOR DR. SCOTT.
WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE HOSPITALIZATIONS RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF LENGTH OF AVERAGE STAY ICU
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USAGE AND ARE PEOPLE BEING KEPT IN HOSPITALS LONGER WHO WOULD ORDINARILY BE SENT TO REHAB AND ASSISTED LIVING CENTERS ON A SOONER.SO LAST TIME WE ASSESSED THE LENGTH OF STAY, IT WAS AROUND 11 DAYS.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO APPRECIATE, THERE'S SUBSTANTIAL VARIABILITY BASED UPON THE INDIVIDUAL, WHETHER THEY'RE OLDER OR YOUNGER, IF THEY HAVE EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITIONS OR NOT.
AND THE SAME IS TRUE FOR, FOR ICU AND VENTILATOR STAYS.
UH, WE ARE WATCHING THIS AND WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT AS NEW TREATMENTS COME OUT, UH, THE ROOM DESERT VEER IS ONE THE OTHER THAT'S BEING USED QUITE OFTEN HERE IN THE MSA IS THE CONVALESCENT PLASMA THAT PLASMA TAKEN FROM THOSE WHO HAVE RECOVERED ARE BEING ADMINISTERED TO THOSE WHO ARE HOSPITALIZED.
AND NOW THAT'S BEING USED SOONER IN THE CLINICAL COURSE.
AND, UH, AND, AND YOU KNOW, STUDIES THAT HAVE COME OUT SO FAR HAVE SEEN POSITIVE RESULTS.
SO OUR HOPE IS THAT THAT HOSPITAL LENGTH OF STAY WILL DIMINISH, WHICH SHOULD PUT US IN A, IN A BETTER POSITION WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, THE NEED FOR HOSPITAL BEDS IN THE FUTURE.
ASK QUESTIONS FROM, UH, TELEMUNDO, UH, IN, UH, UH, REGARDING SORT OF THE SITUATION IN A LATINO COMMUNITY.
UH, LATINO LEADERS IN THE AREA SAY THE CITY HAS YET TO FULLY ENGAGE WITH HISPANIC COMMUNITY WHEN IT COMES TO AWARENESS AND TESTING IS SUGGEST USING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK DIRECTLY WITH COMMUNITY, POSSIBLY HAVING AN ALL SPANISH LANGUAGE FORM WITH HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AND REPS.
UH, HOW DOES THE CITY COUNTY REGION CLAN TO BETTER ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY MOVING FORWARD? UH, KNOWING, UH, THERE IS A POSSIBLE SURGE EXPECTED IN THE COMING WEEKS AND THIS COMMUNITY IS HAVING A HIGH RATE OF IT.
I THINK THAT ALL THE IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS IN THAT QUESTION ARE, ARE, ARE GOOD ONES.
UH, WE RECOGNIZE THAT, UH, WE HAVE A, AN ESPECIALLY CRITICAL, UH, HEALTH CHALLENGE, UH, IN THE LATIN X HISPANIC COMMUNITIES.
UH, WE ARE, UH, INCREASING THE NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR SPANISH SPEAKERS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS INFORMATION, UH, EVIDENCE.
THE FOLKS WHO WERE SPEAKING ON THE PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY AND THE PRESS RELEASE THAT WENT OUT TO THE, UH, TO THE MEDIA.
BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ALREADY AGED, UH, IN THIS EFFORT REACHING LARGE PARTS OF, UH, THE, THE LATIN X COMMUNITY, UM, UH, COMMUNITY CARE AND CENTRAL HEALTH, UH, HAVE BEEN SPENDING, UM, UH, GREAT RESOURCES OR DIRECTED AT THIS BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT IT HAPPENED.
UH, BUT WE CAN AND NEED TO DO BETTER.
UH, THERE'S A MAILER THAT DOES ABOUT A 40,000 PERSON RUN THAT SHOULD BE GOING OUT HERE SHORTLY.
PAMPHLETS TO BE HANDED OUT, UH, AT SITES.
UH, YOU SAW THE CITY COUNCIL AND TAKING ACTION.
I WAS FOCUSED ON, UH, THIS PARTICULAR SUSCEPTIBLE POPULATION AT OUR LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
UH, ALSO TALKING ABOUT MOVING TO ADDITIONAL, UH, SPANISH SPEAKING FORUM FOR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THOSE THAT ARE MAKING THE DECISIONS, TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THEIR IDEAS AND THEIR SUGGESTIONS AND THEIR CONCERNS AND TO, TO OFFER HELP.
UH, SO IT'S A VOICE THAT WE'RE HEARING, UH, AND ARE CONTINUING TO DOUBLE AND QUADRUPLE.
UH, THE EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE TRUSTED VOICES REACHING OUT TO ALL PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY.
REAL QUICK DOCTORS OF TOMORROW.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD IN SPANISH IN RESPONSE TO THAT QUESTION? SURE.
LESS CLINIC CAUSE THE COMMUNITY CARE, IT'S A LOT OF THOUGHTS IS WHAT THEY NEED.
LIKE A EQUITY INTO AND THEN HANCOCK CENTER.
SO BY, IF YOU DIDN'T QUITE GET IN FRONT OF MY LAST, WHO'S DONE MOTOR VEHICLES, THERE'S ONE ACTUALLY WHEN I WAS
ALL RIGHT, BACK TO YOU SAMUEL.
UH, THE NEXT QUESTION, UH, IS, UH, FOR MOVIES.
UM, AND THIS ONE IS SPECIFICALLY FOR, UH, SARAH ECKERD.
UH, THERE, I MEAN, WE SAW OVER THE WEEKEND THERE WERE SORT OF INCIDENTS WE SEEN VIDEO OF, UH, RODEO AND CONCERT BY, THERE ARE THREE, THIS PAST SATURDAY TOOK PLACE AT FULL CAPACITY.
UH, CAN WE ENSURE FEATURES, SIMILAR EVENTS? I WON'T HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PENALTIES FOR THOSE ESTABLISHMENT? SO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE ASKED THAT SORT OF QUESTION TODAY.
THOSE WERE VERY TROUBLING VIDEOS AND PHOTOGRAPHS THAT WERE SENT OVER THE WEEKEND DIRECTLY TO MY CELLPHONE AS WELL AS TO THE TRAVIS COUNTY FIRE MARSHALL.
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UH, THE FIRE MARSHALL WENT OUT TO INVESTIGATE.UH, WE HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS AND WE HAVE VIDEOTAPED FROM IT AND WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE PROMOTERS AND THOSE WHO WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT EVENT.
UM, WE WILL BE VIGOROUSLY ENFORCING WITH REGARD TO OUR MASS GATHERING PERMITS.
UH, THERE ARE LAWS ON THE BOOKS WITH REGARD TO MASS GATHERINGS WITHOUT PERMIT, UNFORTUNATELY MUCH THAT WAS IN OUR ORDERS WITH REGARD TO COBIT 19.
UM, THE GOVERNOR HAS STRIPPED AWAY OUR ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS. UM, BUT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS ON THE BOOKS THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR, UM, PUTTING FOLKS AT RISK.
SO WE WILL ABSOLUTELY BE REACHING OUT TO THOSE FOLKS.
OUR, OUR PRIMARY OBJECTIVE HERE IS NOT TO PUNCH.
OUR PRIMARY OBJECTIVE IS TO INFORM PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE REASONABLE CHOICES ABOUT THEIR OWN, UH, RISKS, THE RISKS OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD.
AND ALSO THE RISKS TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
SO AS WE REACH OUT TO THESE FOLKS, IT'S REALLY LESS ABOUT PUNISHMENT AND MORE ABOUT INFORMING THEM OF THE VERY SERIOUS AND PRESENT RISK OF SUCH GATHERINGS.
BUT OF COURSE, WE WILL ENFORCE OUR MASCOT AND PERMITS AND MAKE THAT, THAT WE'RE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR PUTTING PEOPLE AT RISK THAT WAY.
QUESTIONS FROM A KX N WE MOVE INTO STAGE FOUR ON THAT CHART.
RECENT EARLIER IN THE WORKPLACE IS OPEN.
IT SAYS, EXPAND THE ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES AND NOT A REAL OPEN BUSINESSES.
UH, CAN CITY OFFICIALS TELL THE BUSINESS THAT ARE CURRENTLY REOPENED TO CLOSE AGAIN? UH, WHEN THE STATE ORDERS SAY THEY CAN BE OPEN? UH, HOW WOULD ALL OF THIS WORK? NO, I THINK THAT THE, WE'RE ALL FOCUSED ON TRYING TO REOPEN BUSINESSES.
UH, BUT IF WE OVERSHOOT OR IF PEOPLE ARE NOT TAKING THE PRECAUTIONS THAT ARE SET OUT BY THE STATE AND BY THE COUNTY AND BY THE CITY, UH, IF WE'RE FACING OUR HOSPITALS BEING OVERRUN AND OVERWHELMED AND PEOPLE DYING NEEDLESSLY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE CARE THAT THEY NEED, UH, THEN WE'RE GOING TO ACT.
UH, I WOULD EXPECT US TO ACT AT ALL LEVELS, STATE LEVEL, AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, UH, AND THAT THE, AND THE CITY LEVEL, UH, BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS PEOPLE TO WHO UNNECESSARILY DIE, UH, IN HOSPITALS.
UH, ULTIMATELY GOING BACK TO WHAT THE JUDGE SAID, THESE ARE DECISIONS THAT WE GET TO MAKE INDIVIDUALLY.
SO I WOULD EXPECT AT THAT SAME TIME, UH, THAT IF OUR COMMUNITY IS SEEING THAT WE'RE ON A PATH TO OVERWHELM OUR HOSPITALS, I WOULD EXPECT OUR COMMUNITY NOT TO GO SHOPPING, UH, AT STORES THAT ARE OPEN, ARE NOT GOING TO, RESTAURANTS, ARE NOT GOING TO BARS OR, OR NOT PARTICIPATING IN CONDUCT.
UH, WHEN WE GET TO THAT PLACE AND WE'LL WATCH IT EVERY DAY.
IF WE GET TO THAT PLACE, HOPEFULLY WE CAN AVOID IT, BUT WE'LL ALL SEE OVER TIME WHETHER WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO 20 OR NOT.
THAT'S A NUMBER THAT ALL OF US AT THE INDIVIDUALLY, THE CITY, COUNTY AT THE STATE, ALL OF US NEED TO BE WATCHING THOSE NUMBERS.
THIS NEXT QUESTION IS FROM CBS AUSTIN.
HOW LONG WOULD WE HAVE TO BE IN A NEW ZONE BEFORE SWITCHES MADE? FOR EXAMPLE, IF WHAT'S FOR PER SE THE HOSPITALIZATIONS DIP BELOW 19.
UM, HOW WOULD IF WE MOVE, WE'RE MOVING TO MOVE UP TO THE NEXT STAGE.
HOW LONG WOULD IT HAVE TO STAY IN THAT RANGE? THE TRIP IS SWITCHED TO A LOWER STAGE AND WE CAN SPEAK TO THIS, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S AN EXACT SCIENCE THAT WAY.
I THINK THAT THAT IT'S GOTTA THE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE COMING TO US AND TAKING A LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, HOW RAPIDLY AREAS, HOW RAPIDLY WE'RE COMING DOWN.
BUT THE MODELERS TELL US WHERE, UH, WHERE THE POINT IS THAT WE NEED TO, TO, TO, TO ACT AS THE KEY INDICATOR IS THE DOCTOR SAID HE'S TAKING A LOOK AT OTHER FACTORS AS AS WELL.
UH, THAT'S A CERTAINLY A GOOD ONE FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY BE FOCUSED ON BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE, WELL IT'S THE KEY INDICATOR AND IT'S THE MOST TELLING DR. SCOTT, DO YOU WANT TO ADDRESS THAT QUESTION? THANK YOU MAYOR.
AND WHAT YOU SAID IS EXACTLY CORRECT.
AGAIN, WE HAVE THE NEW ADMISSIONS TO THE HOSPITAL AS THE KEY INDICATOR THAT SEVEN DAY MOVING AVERAGE, BUT THERE ARE SUPPORTING INDICATORS.
SO FOR INSTANCE, IF WHEN YOU DIP OVER 20 AND A WEEK BEFORE THAT WE SAW A SUDDEN AND MARKED INCREASE IN CASES THAT WOULD CERTAINLY GIVE US THE INDICATION THAT MORE HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE LIKELY TO BE CALMING.
UH, IF THE NEW CASES HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY FLAT TOWED AND WE SEE IT DIP INTO THAT, THAT TWENTIES ZONE, IT MAY GIVE US A DIFFERENT INDICATOR.
UH, SO AGAIN, WE ARE TAKING A NUMBER OF THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION.
THE PRIMARY ONE BEING THAT, UH, THAT NEW ADMISSIONS BY DAY, BUT
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NOT THE ONLY ONE.QUESTIONS FROM CO-OP RADIO, UH, GIVEN WHAT THE DASHBOARD SHOWS RIGHT NOW, WHAT, UH, OR TO CITY AND SORT OF THE COUNTIES SURROUNDING TRAVIS COUNTY DOING TO, UH, SORT OF PROTECT, UH, RESIDENTS AND COMMUTERS AS THE GOVERNOR'S TASK FORCE REOPENED? STATE BUSINESS AND OFFICES? I GUESS SORT OF SPEAKING TO WHAT, HOW ARE WE WORKING WITH THE NEIGHBORING COUNTIES TO, TO HANDLE THIS SITUATION? UM, SHOULD I'M SPEAK TO THAT? I THINK I'M ON MUTE.
UH, OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES ARE IN GREAT PARTNERSHIP.
UM, WE ARE IN A REGULAR COMMUNICATION, UM, WITH ALL OF OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES.
UH, BASTROP COUNTIES INFECTION RATE, UH, AS UH, HAS HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A SPIKE.
UM, I HAVE CHECKED IN WITH THE JUDGE OVER THERE AS WELL AS OUR PUBLIC HEALTH FOLKS.
UH, AND WE BELIEVE THAT THAT PROBABLY IS BECAUSE OF INCREASED TESTING IN THE, THE NURSING HOME COMMUNITY.
UM, SO WE ARE MONITORING THOSE, UM, CIRCUMSTANCES CLOSELY AND WILLIAMSON COUNTY AS WELL AS HAYES COUNTY.
UH, AND, UH, AGAIN, OUR, UM, PUBLIC HEALTH APPARATUS IS SERVING, UM, THE REGION, THE AUSTIN ROUND ROCK MSA AND WE'RE PROUD TO DO THAT.
TWO THIRDS OF THE COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS HAVE NO PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND WE ARE HAPPY AND HONORED TO BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES THAT DON'T HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENTS.
UH, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS UM, THERE'S EQUITY ACROSS THE REGION.
BUT WE REALLY STRUGGLE WITH THAT.
UM, UH, WITHOUT HAVING A STATE BACKSTOP.
UM, WE ARE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE AS WELL, BUT WE ARE WITH RESOURCES ADEQUATE TO STRETCH ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION.
UM, BUT WE WILL STAY IN PARTNERSHIP AND WE WILL GET IT DONE.
YOU WILL STAY AT THE TABLE TOGETHER IN ORDER TO ASSURE A LEVEL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE IN THE REGION.
RELATED TO THAT, THAT THIS QUESTION ABOUT AUSTIN CHRONICLE, HOW IS THE CITY AND COUNTY WORKING WITH THE STATE AND NEIGHBORING COUNTIES TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY AND REDUCE A CONFLICT? SHOULD WE NEED TO SORT OF CHANGE THE STAGES THAT WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING OF? ACTUALLY, WE ARE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION THROUGH OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFELY SAFETY AS WELL AS WITH, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
SO, UH, DR S SCOTT, YOU MIGHT WANT TO SPEAK TO OUR PARTNERSHIP.
DR S GOT HIMSELF, IS THE, UM, THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR.
ARE YOU INTERIM MEDICAL DIRECTOR OR CONTRACTED MEDICAL DIRECTOR FOR DPS AS WELL? YES, I, I ALSO SERVE AS THE MEDICAL FOR, UH, THE DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND UH, AND DPS ALL THROUGH AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE STATE AND THE CITY.
UH, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THESE RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT.
UH, AND WE CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH THOSE ENTITIES.
THAT WAS OTHER ENTITIES IN THE REGION AND AROUND THE STATE.
UH, THIS IS A, THIS IS A NATIONAL EMERGENCY AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE BREAK DOWN THOSE JURISDICTIONAL BARRIERS.
A PART OF THAT WAS TO IMPLEMENT A CONTACT TRACING PLATFORM HERE, UH, WHICH WOULD HELP DISBAND THE BARRIERS.
THAT SALESFORCE PLATFORM THAT WE ARE TRANSITIONING TO IS THE SAME ONE THAT WE RECOMMENDED TO THIS STATE AND THE STATE HAS NOW MOVED TO.
AND THAT HELPS THE CONTACT TRACING PIECES.
UH, SOMETHING THAT FOLKS MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND IF, IF SOMEBODY IS TESTED IN TRAVIS COUNTY, BUT THEY LIVE IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY, THAT'S A WILLIAMSON COUNTY CASE, EVEN IF THEY WERE EXPOSED AT A TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, WORK SITE.
AND SO HAVING THESE BARRIERS CREATE CHALLENGES IN MANAGING EPIDEMICS LIKE THIS.
SO THIS STATEWIDE SYSTEM THAT WE'VE BEEN ACTIVELY ENGAGED WITH WILL HELP US TO BREAK DOWN THOSE BARRIERS, HELP US TO APPRECIATE THIS AS A, UH, A DISEASE WHICH DOESN'T KNOW BOUNDARIES AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL LEAD US TO BETTER CONTROL OF IT.
UH, THERE'S QUESTIONS FOR PATCH THAT COME, UH, IN LIGHT OF A NPR INVESTIGATION THAT SHOWED MANY TESTING SITES ARE IN WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS.
ARE THERE PLANS TO BETTER COMEDY TESTING SITES TO SERVE MORE DIVERSE, UH, POPULATION? AND RELATED TO THAT, SORT OF ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET TESTED KNOWING THAT OUR CAPACITY HAS INCREASED.
AND UH, SARAH AND, AND MARIANNE
UM, SO WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR, OUR GIS ANALYST TEAM TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF THE SITES DOING TESTING ARE LOCALLY ON THAT MAP.
UH, WE HAVE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH SITES.
WE HAVE ONE MAIN ONE THAT WHICH IS A FREE DRIVE THROUGH AND OUR, ALL OF OUR TESTING IS FREE.
UH, WE HAVE ONE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS DEDICATED FOR OUR, OUR FIRE AND EMS AND POLICE OFFICERS AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE TEAM.
UH, THAT'S A SITE, BUT COMMUNITY CARE, OUR PARTNERS IN COMMUNITY CARE HAVE A NUMBER OF SITES THAT THEY ARE OPERATING.
THEY'RE OPERATING MOBILE SITES AS WELL.
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WE HAVE A BAYLOR SCOTT AND WHITE ASCENSION SATAN, THE ST DAVID SYSTEM, WHICH IS ALSO DOING TESTING AUSTIN REGIONAL CLINIC, ALSO DOING TESTING.UH, CVS HAS STARTED DOING TESTING IN THE, IN THE AUSTIN REGION AND WE EXPECT THOSE NUMBERS TO GROW AND GROW AND GROW.
SO WE ARE WORKING ON MAKING SURE THAT MAP IS, IS ACCURATE AN ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF WHERE THE TESTING SITES ARE, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THE TESTING SITES ARE TESTING IS AVAILABLE.
IF FOLKS GO ON TO THAT AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV/COBIT 19 SITE, IT'S A FREE ASSESSMENT.
UH, IT'S, IT'S EASY, IT'S QUICK, THEY ARE NOTIFIED AS SOON AS THERE'S A RESULT AND WE ENCOURAGE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY TO GO TO THAT SITE AND REGISTER AND SEE IF THEY NEED TO GET TESTED.
IT'S NOT JUST FOR PEOPLE WITH SYMPTOMS. WE ABSOLUTELY WANT PEOPLE WITH SYMPTOMS TO GET TESTED, BUT THERE ARE ALSO ASYMPTOMATIC PEOPLE WHO MAY BE AT HIGHER RISK FOR DISEASE OR COMPLICATIONS IF THEY HAVE AN EXPOSURE, IF THEY HAVE UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS, IF THEY HAVE OTHER FACTORS WHICH PUT THEM AT HIGHER RISK THAT IT MAY SUGGEST TESTING THEM EVEN IF THEY DON'T HAVE SYMPTOMS. SO ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GO TO THAT SITE AND DO AN ASSESSMENT SO I CAN SHORE ON THAT.
NPR AS STUDY, THEY SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T CONSIDER TESTS, TESTING SITES THAT WERE NOT OPEN ALL OF THE TIME AND I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE THEY PUT, THEY SAID WAS BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T PREDICT WHEN THE, WHEN THE TESTING SITES WOULD BE OPEN.
WE MOVED REGULAR TESTING SITES TO THE EASTERN CRESCENT IN OUR CITY.
NOT ENOUGH DEMAND FOR US TO KEEP EACH ONE OF THOSE LOCATIONS OPEN FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
UH, BUT THEY ARE REGULARLY OPEN ON THE SAME DAY AT THE SAME TIME, SO THAT PEOPLE ARE IN THOSE AREAS AND ALWAYS UNCLEAR ON THAT ARTICLE WHETHER IT CAN BE, ARE COUNTED ALL THOSE TESTING SITES IN THE HOUSTON PRESS TOMORROW.
I JUST FOUND, I WAS JUST, I'VE ALWAYS KNOWN I WAS NOT CLEVER AS TO WHAT PR ARTICLE, SORRY.
WE'VE ALSO HAD A NUMBER OF MOBILE TESTING SITES IN TRAVIS COUNTY PARKS IN THE SOUTHEAST QUADRANT OF THE COUNTY.
SO IT IS POSSIBLE, AND I HAVEN'T DELVED INTO EXACTLY WHAT THE NPR STORY WAS COUNTING, BUT IT IS A PROBABLE ACTUALLY THAT THEY WERE NOT INCLUDING OUR MOBILE TESTING SITES, UH, FOR WHICH, UM, WE HAVE, UM, A CENTRAL HEALTH AND COMMUNITY CARE, UH, IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH BANK.
UM, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UM, FOR WHERE OUR AND EXPANDING FREE TESTING.
UM, WE'RE ALSO REACHING OUT TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UM, TO ENCOURAGE EMPLOYERS, UH, UM, TO ALSO PAY FOR TESTING FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES.
WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO THIS ALONE.
Y'ALL, UM, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET TO THE LEVEL OF TESTING SATURATION THAT THIS COMMUNITY REALLY NEEDS TO, TO MANAGE THIS VIRAL INFECTION WITHOUT HAVING SOME PRIVATE SECTOR ASSISTANCE AS WELL.
UM, SO THIS NEXT QUESTION IS FROM, OH, GO AHEAD.
I WANT TO INTERRUPT YOU FOR A SECOND.
SO MAY I SPEAK IN SPANISH TO THE PUBLIC? THE
WHO CASA? I MEANT THE NAME OF THE MADISON VALLEY OR IF YOU'VE BEEN THOUGH SPRINGS CALLING YOU PARK YOUR PFLUGERVILLE
UM, THIS NEXT QUESTION IS FROM THE STATE CITY HAS BEEN, AND SOME OF IT'S BEEN ADDRESSED, BUT IT WAS SHORT AND A LITTLE BIT IN TERMS OF, UM, WHETHER THERE ARE ESTABLISHMENTS WHO CHOOSE NOT TO, UM, REQUIRE MASK OR AS THE REPORT.
SO THE BAR OUT AND THE HOGAN THAT, UH, WOULD SAY THEY DON'T WANT YOU WEARING MASK INSIDE.
IS THERE ANY SORT OF MESSAGE FOR THOSE TYPE OF BUSINESSES IN THE REACH? WELL, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, THE CITY, UH, ORDER, UH, MAKES IT MANDATORY TO SOCIAL DISTANCE AND TO WEAR FACE CARDS.
UM, ORIGINALLY THAT WAS ENFORCEABLE BOTH WITH, UH, UH, PUTTING SOMEBODY IN JAIL AS WELL AS A FINE, UH, THE GOVERNOR HAS TAKEN AWAY SPECIFICALLY OUR ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO ENFORCE BASE COVERINGS, UH, EITHER A FINE, UH, UH, OR A JAIL.
SO THE ONLY PENALTY WE CAN NOW BRING FOR FAILURE TO WEAR A FACE COVERING, THE ONLY REAL
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PENALTY IS THAT PEOPLE ARE MORE, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET SICK AND SOME OF THEM WILL BUY.UH, IT'S, IT'S THE PENALTY THAT WE HAVE THAT WE IMPOSE ON ONE ANOTHER AND WE IMPOSE ON OURSELVES, SAY, OUR ORDER STILL ALLOWS US TO HAVE FINES FOR VALUE, TO KEEP SOCIAL DISTANCING.
AND, AND WE HAD OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE OUT TO THE CLUBS.
I, I'M HOPEFUL THAT THAT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED THIS FIRST WEEKEND WHEN THE CLUBS WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT AND THEY GOT OVER OVERWHELMED TOO.
UH, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY'S SAFETY IN THIS COMMUNITY, UH, THAT WE MAINTAIN THAT THAT MEASURED SOCIAL DISTANCE THING AS RECOMMENDED BY THE GOVERNOR TENNECO.
UH, AND WE'LL DO WHAT WE CAN AND WHAT WE NEED TO IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO ENFORCE.
BUT AS HAS BEEN SAID SEVERAL TIMES WHILE YOU'RE ON THIS CALL, THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH SHERIFF DEPUTIES OR POLICE OFFICERS TO ENFORCE THIS.
THIS HAS GOT TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE DO TO HELP PROTECT ONE ANOTHER, TO HELP KEEP ONE ANOTHER.
AND, AND IF THAT OUR GRANDPARENTS AND SOMEBODY ELSE'S GRANDPARENTS, UH, FROM, FROM, FROM NEEDLESSLY PASSING AWAY, AND THAT'S GOTTA BE THE VOTE.
I'M GOING TO JUMP IN HERE ON A SECOND.
SO IF THERE ARE BUSINESSES THAT DO NOT ALLOW THE WEARING OF MASKS AND THEIR BUSINESS, YOU SHOULDN'T GO THERE.
THAT IS, THAT IS COMPLETELY IRRESPONSIBLE.
AND I'LL TELL YOU IF YOU'RE UNHAPPY WITH IT, THE BEST WAY TO MANAGE THAT IS TO NOT GO TO THAT BUSINESS.
AND CAN I JUMP IN ALSO AND TELL EVERYONE, YOU KNOW, NOT TO GO TO THAT BUSINESS.
UM, PEER PRESSURE IS TREMENDOUS AND I WANT TO GIVE BIG KUDOS TO THE TEXAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION THAT PUT OUT BEST PRACTICES WITH REGARD TO RESTAURANTS, UM, TO, TO LOOK AT WAYS TO ADAPT, UM, SO THAT THEY COULD OPEN SAFELY.
UM, EVERY RESTAURANT TOUR SHOULD WANT A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
YOU DON'T WANT ONE RESTAURANT RIGHT NEXT TO THE OTHER THAT'S BEHAVING BADLY WHILE THE RESTAURANT NEXT DOOR IS DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO KEEP THEIR CUSTOMERS SAFE.
UM, UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT WOULD NOT BE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD THAT I FULLY EXPECT CAUSE I'VE ALREADY SEEN, UH, THE, THE RESTAURANT COMMUNITY, THE BAR COMMUNITY, UH, UM, THE FESTIVAL COMMUNITY, THE MUSIC COMMUNITY WANTING TO PUT IN PLACE, UH, ADAPTATIONS THAT KEEP THEM SAFE BUT ALSO KEEP THEIR PATRONS SAY.
SO REALLY IF SOMEONE'S BEHAVING BADLY, REALLY SALLY FORTH AND SAY THIS IS NOT APPROPRIATE AND I DON'T WANT TO, I DON'T WANT TO COME TO A RESTAURANT OR A BAR THAT DOESN'T KEEP ME AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING HERE SAFE.
UH, WE HAD A, I'M GOING TO COMBINE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS HERE.
JUST THE TIMING IN TERMS OF THE HOSPITALIZATIONS AS, AS A BENCHMARK.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY THIS QUESTION FROM KVU HOSPITALS ARE NOW THE MAIN BENCHMARK FOR TO COLOR CODED GUIDELINES AND HOW WAS 20 AGAIN, UH, THIS FROM COMMUNITY IMPACT, HOW WAS THAT DETERMINED AS A THRESHOLD TO STAY UNDER AND WHAT CHANGES COULD BE EXPECTED IF THE COUNTY DOES MOVE INTO THE NEXT DAY? SO AGAIN, WE USE HOSPITALIZATIONS BECAUSE THAT IS LESS IMPACTED BY THE PERCENTAGE OF TESTING.
IT'S GOING TO BE A RELATIVELY FIXED NUMBER AND IT'S A FIRM NUMBER OF ACROSS COMMUNITIES AS A BETTER INDICATOR OF WHEN COMMUNITIES ARE FACING STRESS AS IT RELATES TO COBRA 19.
UH, SO WHAT THE MODELERS DID WITH LAUREN MEYERS AND HER GROUP DID IS LOOK AT THOSE CUT POINTS.
HOW, AT WHAT POINT DO WE NEED TO DIAL THINGS DOWN TO AVOID CLOSURE? AND THEN PRIMARILY TO AVOID OVERWHELMING THE HOSPITAL SYSTEM.
SO, YOU KNOW, IN ONE VERSION OF THE MODEL, IT WAS JUST WHEN DO WE NEED TO STOP THINGS IN ORDER TO PREVENT OVERWHELMING.
BUT THEN WE ASKED HER TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT WHEN DO WE DIAL BACK SO THAT WE CAN AVOID COMPLETE CLOSURE, BUT WE STILL HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO, UH, TO PLACE MORE RESTRICTIONS TO DECREASE AND FLATTEN THE CURVE AGAIN SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO CLOSE.
AND THAT'S HOW THOSE, THOSE CUT POINTS WERE DECIDED.
DO YOU FOLKS HAVE THE THREE EXHIBITS THAT I HAD, THE THIRD EXHIBIT, THAT WAS IT YELLOW, WHICH IS A CHART FROM, UH, FROM, FROM DR. MEYERS.
SO THIS IS A CHART THAT DEMONSTRATES, UH, UH, NOPE, YOU HAD IT ON THE RIGHT ONE.
UH, THAT BLACK LINE SHOWS WHAT HAPPENS IN A SURGE.
UH, HE, IF WE'RE ON THE WRONG PATH, UH, AND IF WE GO UP ABOUT 20 HOSPITALIZATIONS, YOU CAN SEE THAT, UH, WE COULD, UH, EASILY GET TO THE PLACE WHERE WE HAVE THREE TO FOUR TIMES AS NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND WE HAVE, UH, WITH THE, UH, HOSPITAL CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE.
SO WHAT THE MODELERS TOLD US IS AT WHAT STAGE DO WE NEED TO INTERVENE AS A DOCTOR, AS SCOTT WAS DESCRIBING IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PREVENT THAT LACK LINE SURGE IF WE FIND OURSELVES ON THAT PATH.
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TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN NOT TO BE ON THAT PATH SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO CUT OFF, BUT THE CUTOFF, THE IS ESTABLISHED AS THE PLACE WE NEED TO HAVE IF WE'RE ON THE WRONG PATH IN ORDER TO PRESENT THAT SEARCH.THIS NEXT QUESTION IS FROM FOX SEVEN.
UH, MANY COUNTIES THROUGHOUT TEXAS ARE LISTING THE NUMBER OF ACTIVE CASES.
UH, WHY DOES IT TRAVIS COUNTY AND ARE THERE PLANS TO RELEASE THOSE NUMBERS? UH, SO WE WILL BE WORKING ON UPDATING OUR DASHBOARD.
UH, WE ARE TRANSITIONING TO TWO THINGS.
NUMBER ONE, UH, WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE, THE WAY THAT RECOVERED ARE DISPLAYED AND DECIDED HISTORICALLY WE HAD BEEN, UH, UTILIZING THE, UH, THE METHOD WHERE WE'RE CALLING FOLKS BACK TO CONFIRM RECOVERY.
UH, HOWEVER, AS THE OUTBREAK HAS GROWN, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TRANSITION TO NOW WHAT THE STATE IS USING AND THAT'S A CALCULATED RECOVERY.
AND SO BASICALLY THAT'S, THAT'S CONFIRMED CASES MINUS THOSE WHO HAVE DIED MINUS THOSE WHO HAVE RECOVERED EQUALS THE ACTIVE CASES.
AND SO WE WILL BE DISPLAYING THAT, UH, AS SOON AS THIS WEEKEND, BUT PERHAPS EARLY NEXT WEEK.
PIO IS WITH US HERE, BUT I'VE GOTTEN WORD THAT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING AT ONE 30 CAN'T START BECAUSE WE'RE ON THE ONLY CHANNEL THAT FAST ON A, SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD CUT THIS SHORT OR ASK FOR ONE MORE QUESTION, BUT I THINK WE HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION AND THEN WE CAN WRAP.
WELL, I THINK I KINDA, I OF COMBINED THE COMMUNITY IMPACT QUESTION.
SO IN TERMS OF IF THERE'S ANY MOVEMENT, THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT PARKS AND WHAT THE NEXT PHASE IS.
IF WE COULD GET SOME SORT OF CLARITY ON THAT, WHEN WE CAN EXPECT THAT IS PARTICULARLY WITH THE COUNTY.
OUR, UM, OUR COUNTY CAPACITY AND THE PARKS AS WE SAW OVER MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, THE PARKS WERE ABSOLUTELY PACKED.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO GET OUTSIDE AND ENJOY THEMSELVES AND I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO GET OUTSIDE AND ENJOY THEMSELVES.
BUT ONLY IF WE ARE, YOU KNOW, WEARING THE MASKS, PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING, UH, AND HAVE ADEQUATE, UH, FACILITIES AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO PRACTICE GOOD HYGIENE.
SO OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN MONITORING THINGS CLOSELY, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING, UH, MASKING WHERE APPROPRIATE.
AND ALSO THE PERSONAL HYGIENE, UH, CAPACITY.
UM, SO YES, WE ARE HAVING TO LIMIT FOLKS COMING INTO THE PARKS AND IN SOME INSTANCES, UH, SHUT THEM DOWN WHEN WE BELIEVE WE HAVE OVERRUN THE CAPACITY THAT SAFE, UM, FOR THOSE PARTS.
UM, WE, WE HAVE A LOT OF PARKS IN TRAVIS COUNTY AND IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS WELL AS WITH SOME OF OUR OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
WE WORK HARD, UH, TO HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF GREEN SPACE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE.
UM, BUT WE ARE IN UNUSUAL TIMES THAT REQUIRE US TO MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING.
UH, EVEN WHEN WE'RE OUTSIDE, IT'S DEFINITELY SAFER TO BE OUTSIDE.
I THINK THAT THAT IS, UH, UM, UH, HAS BEEN, UH, AT LEAST SUGGESTED BY THE EVIDENCE, UM, THAT WE ARE SAFER OUTSIDE PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING.
UM, SO WE WILL, UH, UH, KEEP ENFORCING SOCIAL DISTANCING IN OUR PARKS, WHICH MAY MEAN, UH, UM, CLOSING THEM DOWN, UM, WHEN THEY GET TO CAPACITY OR WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO ASSURE PEOPLE SAFE.
WRAP THE THEFT SINCE THERE'S A WORK SESSION HAPPENING.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
THE SLIDES THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED, DID THEY JUST REACH OUT TO PIO IN CASE I WANT TO RUN SOME OF THOSE SLIDES IN THEIR COMPANY? THEY SURE CAN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR. SCOTT.
ANYBODY WANTS TO REACH OUT TO ME AND TALK TO ME ABOUT IT?