[Dr. Mark Escott, Austin-Travis County Interim Health Authority Stephanie Hayden, Director, Austin Public Health]
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GOOD MORNING.I'M ALYSSA ARMSTRONG AND I WILL BE YOUR MODERATOR FOR THIS MORNING'S NEWS CONFERENCE.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR SPEAKERS, STEPHANIE HAYDEN, DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN, PUBLIC HEALTH AND DR.
MARK S. SCOTT INTERN, AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH AUTHORITY.
BEFORE WE JUMP INTO THE Q AND A PORTION, I WILL ASK IF OUR APH REPRESENTATIVES HAVE ANY UPDATES.
WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS TIME TO REALLY EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY, HOW WE CAN TAKE INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR FAMILY AND THE ONES THAT WE LOVE, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO PAY IT FORWARD AND THINK ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
AS WE ARE MOVING THROUGH THIS 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO STAY HOME.
THINK OF NEW TRADITIONS WITHIN YOUR HOME, WITH THE PEOPLE THAT YOU LIVE WITH AND THINK ABOUT HOW YOU CAN CREATE A NEW TRADITION.
WE ENCOURAGE US TO THINK THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THIS PROCESS, IT IS GOING TO BE UPON US TO TAKE OUR INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR US, OUR FAMILY, AND THE COMMUNITY.
SO LET ME START BY SAYING THAT WE ARE STILL AT A CRITICAL PHASE IN THE PANDEMIC OF COVID-19 IN AUSTIN AND ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UH, THE, THE, THE CASES CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN A MANNER THAT WE JUST CANNOT SUSTAIN.
AND WE MUST ALL WORK TOGETHER TO FLATTEN THE CURVE AGAIN, AS WE DID BEFORE, UH, WE ARE SEEING STRESS POINTS IN HOUSTON IN BEAR COUNTIES, SAN ANTONIO, AND OUR JURISDICTION, AS WELL AS DALLAS.
UH, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE MAJOR FIRES BURNING IN ALL OUR MAJOR CITIES AND EXPECT TO, UH, TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THE CALL, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE HOSPITAL BEDS FOR EVERYBODY THAT WHO GETS SICK.
IF WE DON'T MAKE SERIOUS CHANGES.
NOW, TODAY IN TRAVIS COUNTY, WE EXPECT TO SURPASS A NUMBER THAT WE HOPE WE WOULDN'T, AND THAT IS 10,000 CASES.
UH, WE'VE GOT TO WORK HARD AND WE'VE GOT TO DO IT RIGHT NOW.
UH, AS DIRECTOR HAYDEN SAID, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A GREAT TRADITION OF CELEBRATING OUR INDEPENDENCE IN THIS COUNTRY.
ON JULY 4TH, WE CANNOT AFFORD THE MISSTEPS RIGHT NOW, NOT THIS WEEKEND.
UH, THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE DIRE FOR US.
IT WILL MEAN THAT WE ARE GOING TO EXCEED CAPACITY IN OUR HOSPITALS.
IT MEANS THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE PEOPLE DIE, WHO DON'T NEED TO DIE.
UH, AND IT WILL ALSO MEAN THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MONTH TO REFLECT ON THAT BECAUSE IF THIS TREND CONTINUES, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO RECOMMEND TO MAYOR ADLER AND JUDGE MISCO THAT WE REENTER A STAY HOME ORDER, AND THAT'S NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE, BUT NOW'S THE TIME RIGHT NOW TODAY THIS WEEKEND, THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS ARE CRITICAL FOR US TO MAKE REAL CHANGES, TO PROTECT OURSELVES, PROTECT OUR FAMILIES AND PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY.
AT THIS TIME, I WILL GIVE THE FLOOR TO OUR POOR REPORTER TO BEGIN THE Q AND A SECTION OF THIS CONFERENCE.
OUR FIRST QUESTION IS THREE HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS ARE REPORTING TO THE OCCUPIED AT 70%.
WHAT LIMIT WILL WE WAIT FOR BEFORE WE BEGIN TO UTILIZE THE CONVENTION CENTER? AND DO WE HAVE ENOUGH SUPPLIES AND PERSONNEL IN PLACE TO ASSIST? SO OUR, OUR HOSPITALS, UH, WHILE THEY'RE AT 70% AND THAT MAY SEEM DIRE IN ITSELF RIGHT NOW, UH, W WE'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND THAT HOSPITALS NORMALLY OPERATE AT 85 TO 95% CAPACITY.
UH, THIS PAST WINTER, UH, WE SAW CLOSE TO 99% CAPACITY IN OUR, IN OUR ICU, UH, IN MANY OF OUR MAJOR HOSPITALS.
UH, SO I'M NOT REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE 70% RIGHT NOW.
UH, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE, THE RATE OF INCREASE IN CASES.
UH, OUR HOSPITALS HAVE INDICATED TO US THAT, THAT THEY HAVE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY.
UH, WE HAVE ANOTHER THOUSAND BEDS, WHICH WE EXPECT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR COVID-19.
UH, SO SOME INDIVIDUAL HOSPITALS
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MAY GET CLOSE TO CAPACITY.THEY MAY REACH CAPACITY, BUT THEY HAVE A PROCESS OF COOPERATION WITHIN THEIR HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS AND ACROSS THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS WHERE THEY CAN, THEY CAN LOAD DISTRIBUTE PATIENTS TO OTHER HOSPITALS IF NEEDED.
UH, WE HAVE PLENTY OF VENTILATORS, UH, IN DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR HOSPITAL CEOS AND CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICERS, UH, TO SUPPORT OUR JURISDICTION.
UH, THOSE HOSPITAL SYSTEMS ARE OFTEN PART OF, OF LARGE NETWORKS FROM ACROSS TEXAS AND ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
AND THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO PULL IN RESOURCES, PEOPLE IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY THAT MAY NOT BE AS SUBSTANTIALLY IMPACTED AS WE ARE IN TEXAS RIGHT NOW.
AND I WAS REFRESHED, UH, AT MY MEETING THIS WEEKEND WITH THE WHITE HOUSE CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE THAT, UH, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING ADDITIONAL HEALTHCARE PERSONNEL, UH, FROM UNITED STATES, MILITARY, IF NEEDED TO HELP FURTHER SUPPLEMENT STAFFING OF OUR HOSPITALS, AS WELL AS OUR ULTIMATE CARE SITE.
JUST A QUICK FOLLOWUP QUESTION.
SO DOES THAT MEAN Y'ALL ARE GOING TO WAIT, SO HOSPITALS TELL Y'ALL THAT THEY CANNOT, UH, YOU KNOW, EXCHANGE PATIENTS THAN OTHER PLACES THAT THEY'VE REACHED FULL CAPACITY IS THAT WHEN Y'ALL WILL START UTILIZING THAT CONVENTION CENTER.
SO WE HAVE,
UH, THE, THE DECISION TO INITIATE THAT HAS BEEN MADE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IT WILL TAKE, UH, SEVERAL WEEKS FOR US TO BUILD IT UP TO, UH, IN SUCH A WAY TO START TAKING PATIENTS.
BUT THEY, THE ALTERNATE CARE SIDE, THE WAY THAT OUR TEAM HAS, HAS DESIGNED THAT IS THAT THEY CAN TAKE AS FEW AS 150 PATIENTS.
AND THEY CONTINUE TO ADD ON UNITS AS NEEDED.
WE MAY NOT NEED A THOUSAND BEDS.
THEY'RE MENTIONING 150 OR 300 BEDS, UH, TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CARE TO FOLKS, TO HELP OFFLOAD THE BURDEN ON THE HOSPITALS.
UH, SO AS THE DEMAND INCREASES, WE WILL INCREASE THE, THE BED CAPACITY OF THAT ALTERNATE CARE SITE, BUT THAT PROCESS IS UNDERWAY.
THE NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM CDS, AUSTIN, BETTY CROSS AUSTIN HAS BEEN REPORTED TO HAVE THE HIGHEST POSITIVITY RATE IN THE COUNTRY.
WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TO? SO WHEN WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE, THE NATIONAL DATABASES FOR, UH, POSITIVITY RATES OURS EARLIER THIS WEEK WAS, WAS 22.9%.
UH, IT WAS HARD TO GET TRULY ACCURATE NUMBERS BECAUSE WE STILL DO NOT HAVE A STATEWIDE OR NATIONWIDE DATABASE, WHICH COLLECTS ALL THE DATA.
UH, AND THIS WAS ANOTHER TOPIC, UH, THAT, THAT WE DISCUSSED WITH THE CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCES WEEKEND, AS WELL AS WHAT THE US DIGITAL SERVICE.
AND WE DON'T HAVE A TRUE NUMBER, BUT THE NUMBERS, WE DO HAVE SHOW CONCERN.
THEY SHOW THAT WE ARE SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN, UH, MOST OF THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.
UH, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THAT'S NOT JUST TRAVIS COUNTY, THAT INCLUDES OUR SURROUNDING COUNTIES.
AND WE DO HAVE SOME COUNTIES AROUND US, WHICH HAVE AN EVEN HIGHER RATE OF POSITIVITY THAN TRAVIS COUNTY ITSELF.
UM, SO THAT TELLS US THAT, THAT WE'RE NOT DOING ENOUGH AS A COMMUNITY TO, UH, TO REALLY GET A HANDLE ON THIS.
WE HAVE TO DECREASE THAT PERSON TO PERSON INTERACTION, WHICH IS AT THE HEART OF THIS DISEASE SPREAD.
UH, IT DOESN'T, UH, YOU KNOW, SIMPLY SPREAD ON ITS OWN AND SPREADS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GETTING TOGETHER.
UH, THEY'RE GETTING TOGETHER IN A WAY WHICH IS NOT.
AND THAT'S WHY THAT, THAT MASK IS ESSENTIAL.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT RISK WHEN YOU GO OUT TO BUSINESSES OR TO WORK.
IT'S ALSO RISK WHEN YOU'RE GETTING AROUND YOUR FRIENDS AND YOUR EXTENDED FAMILY WHO LIVE OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD.
I THINK TO SOME EXTENT, PEOPLE THINK THEY'RE SAFE AROUND FRIENDS AND SAFE AROUND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS WHO LIVE OUTSIDE OF THAT HOUSEHOLD.
AND THAT MY RESPONSE TO THAT IS THAT YOU CAN'T TELL WHEN PEOPLE ARE SICK WITH COVID-19, YOU CAN'T ALWAYS TELL, THEY DON'T ALWAYS HAVE A COUGH.
THEY DON'T ALWAYS LOOK UNWELL.
SO WE HAVE TO ASSUME THAT ANYBODY, INCLUDING OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO SPREAD THIS DISEASE TO US.
AND EVEN IN THAT KIND OF SETTING, IF YOU MUST COME TOGETHER, YOU NEED TO DO IT IN A PROTECTIVE WAY.
SO YOU NEED THE SOCIAL DISTANCING.
YOU NEED TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THAT, THAT PERSONAL HYGIENE.
WE MUST BREAK THIS CYCLE OF TRANSMISSION.
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KEG SAYIN APH, ACCRETIVELY SET THE GOAL OF CONDUCTING 40,000 TESTS IN JUNE, BUT FELL WELL SHORT, WHAT SPECIFICALLY WENT WRONG? HOW MANY HAS, DOES APH CURRENTLY HAVE TO GIVE COMPARED TO WHAT IT NEEDS? HOW MANY STAFF ARE CONDUCTING THE TEST COMPARED TO HOW MANY ARE NEEDED? SO I'LL START.AND THEN I'LL, I'LL, UH, ASK DIRECTOR, UH, HAYDEN TO, UH, TO COMMENT ALSO, UH, THE, THE, THE GOAL SET BY AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH WAS NOT FOR AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH TESTING ALONE.
IT WAS FOR COMMUNITY WIDE TESTING.
UH, SO WHEN WE LOOK AT JUST THREE PARTNERS OUT OF ALL THE PARTNERS WHO ARE DOING TESTING, UH, COMMUNITY CARE, AUSTIN, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND AUSTIN REGIONAL CLINIC, UH, THE ESTIMATION IS 11,000 TESTS A WEEK LAST WEEK.
UH, SO I THINK WE ARE PROBABLY EXCEEDING THAT GOAL FOR JUNE.
UH, BUT AGAIN, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ALL THAT DATA IN ONE PLACE, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT FOR US TO DETERMINE WHAT THE TOTAL NUMBER IS AT THIS STAGE.
UH, WE DO HAVE A TASK FORCE THAT IS TRYING TO BRING THIS DATA TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN REPORT ON TOTAL TESTING A WEEK BY WEEK, AS WELL AS POSITIVITY RATE WEEK BY WEEK, BASED ON ALL THAT INFORMATION, IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US AS A DOCTOR, AS SCOTT SAID, THIS IS A, THIS IS A COMMUNITY WIDE GOAL, EACH OF THOSE GOALS AND OUR PLAN, OUR COMMUNITY WIDE GOALS.
AND SO AT THIS TIME, AS DR S GOT MENTIONED, THESE ARE THE TESTS, THE PARTNERS THAT WE ARE RECEIVING, THAT INFORMATION FROM THEM.
WE ARE AWARE THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER PARTNERS IN OUR COMMUNITY PROVIDING TESTING.
AND SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE KNOW THAT CVS HAS ABOUT FIVE LOCATIONS IN AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY, WHERE THEY ARE CONDUCTING TESTS.
AND SO IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE WHO IS CONDUCTING TESTS, WE RECEIVED THAT INFORMATION.
WE SENT OUT A SURVEY THIS WEEK IN ORDER TO, UM, HAVE AN IDEA OF ALL OF THE OTHER PARTNERS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE, ARE TAKING TESTS.
AND WE ARE GOING TO, UM, UM, PROVIDE A MAP ON OUR WEBSITE THAT SHOWS ALL OF THE PARTNERS THAT AREN'T CONDUCTING TESTS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, THAT INFORMATION WILL FEED INTO THAT, UM, TASKFORCE, THAT TESTING TASKFORCE, THAT DOCTOR, AS SCOTT JUST MENTIONED TO BE ABLE TO, UM, MAKE SURE WE HAVE AN ACCOUNTABILITY OF EVERYONE WHO IS DOING TESTING.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM
WHAT IS PREVENTING AUSTIN HOSPITAL SYSTEMS FROM PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION AND UPDATING IT REGULARLY? UH, SO WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR, OUR HOSPITAL PARTNERS TO, UH, TO IDENTIFY, UH, A REGULAR DATA FEED, UH, TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION.
AND WE EXPECT TO, UH, TO HAVE THAT LATER THIS WEEK, AND ONE OF THE THINGS TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT, ABOUT HOSPITAL CAPACITY, IT'S NOT LIKE COUNTING, UH, YOU KNOW, BOTTLES OF, OF OLIVE OIL IN A GROCERY STORE, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN JUST THE BEDS AND THE EQUIPMENT.
AND IN FACT, THE MOST CHALLENGING PIECE IS THAT PEOPLE TO STACK THE BEDS.
UH, SO WE DON'T WANT JUST A NUMBER OF BEDS IN THE HOSPITAL THAT ARE AVAILABLE OR VENTILATORS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
WE WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY BEDS AND VENTILATORS ALSO HAVE STAFF THAT CAN, UH, CARE FOR THOSE PATIENTS.
AND THAT'S A CHALLENGING NUMBER TO, UH, TO HAVE, UH, AGAIN, ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES IS THAT BECAUSE THESE HOSPITALS ARE PARTS OF LARGER SYSTEMS, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO FLEX FURTHER IF RESOURCES AVAILABLE FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT AREN'T BEING AS HEAVILY IMPACTED.
UH, SO IT IS HARD TO PIN DOWN EXACT NUMBERS, BUT THAT'S THE NATURE OF, OF HOSPITALS.
AND WE'VE SEEN SIMILAR ISSUES IN HOUSTON AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS AROUND THE STATE AND AROUND THE COUNTRY.
I THINK OUR HOSPITAL PARTNERS DO WANT TO PROVIDE AS ACCURATE INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE, BUT IT IS GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE PRECISION WHEN IT COMES TO THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF BEDS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO THE BEST JOB WE CAN TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.
NEXT QUESTION IS FROM THE AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN IN PREVIOUS WEEKS, HEALTH OFFICIALS SAID WIDESPREAD TESTING WAS THE KEY TO GETTING AHEAD OF THE VIRUS.
AS MANY CARRIERS ARE ASYMPTOMATIC, HOW CAN THE CITY AND COUNTY POSSIBLY UNDERSTAND THE EXTENT OF THE VIRUS SPREAD WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WITHOUT TESTING PEOPLE WITHOUT SYMPTOMS, AT WHAT POINT WOULD SUCH TESTING RETURN? SO AGAIN, THIS IS A TESTING CAPACITY ISSUE, AND WE ARE WORKING
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WITH OUR LABS AS WELL AS WITH THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO, UH, TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY FOR TESTING.UM, THIS WILL ALSO LIKELY REQUIRE A TRANSITION TO WHAT WE CALL POOLED TESTING, WHERE YOU MAY TAKE SAMPLES FROM 20 DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND RUN ONE TEST.
IF THAT TEST IS NEGATIVE, THEN ALL 20 PEOPLE ARE NEGATIVE.
IF, IF THAT TEST IS POSITIVE, THEN YOU HAVE TO TEST EACH INDIVIDUAL PERSON THAT SAVES A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT ALLOWS US TO, UH, INCREASE THE, THE VOLUME OF TESTING SUBSTANTIALLY.
AND I KNOW THAT THEY, UH, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS WORKING HARD ON THAT PARTICULAR PIECE.
WE ARE WORKING LOCALLY WITH, UH, TWO DIFFERENT ENTITIES WHO ARE, ARE WORKING ON THAT POOL TESTING SO THAT WE CAN INCREASE CAPACITY.
UH, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT, AT THE BENEFIT OF TESTING AND THE POSITIVE POSITIVITY RATES, THE POSITIVITY RATES ARE HIGHER FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SYMPTOMS. AND WE REALLY MUST IDENTIFY, UH, WHERE WE CAN BE MOST IMPACTFUL RIGHT NOW WITH THE TESTING CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE.
AND THAT IS WITH THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SYMPTOMS. UH, AS SOON AS WE HAVE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY, WE WILL, UH, PROVIDE TESTING OR ALLOW FOR TESTING FOR ASYMPTOMATIC FOLKS.
UH, BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE WHO ARE SYMPTOMATIC, THOSE WHO ARE AT HIGHEST RISK FOR HAVING COVID-19 CAN GET THAT TEST DONE, AND THEN WE CAN GET THE RESULTS IN A TIMELY FASHION, UH, TO IMPACT THE CONTACT TRACING.
BUT I AM HOPEFUL THAT, UH, THOSE EFFORTS ARE, UH, GOING TO, TO SEE QUICK RESULTS AND THAT WE WILL SAY SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES IN TESTING CAPABILITY THROUGH JULY.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM K O P RADIO A WEEK AGO.
F SCOTT STATED THAT IF THINGS CONTINUE AS THEY ARE NOW GOING, YOU WILL BE FORCED TO TELL THE CITY AND THE COUNTY TO SHUT DOWN IN TWO WEEKS SINCE THEN THINGS HAVE BECOME DRAMATICALLY WORSE.
ARE YOU PREPARED TO SUGGEST A LOCKDOWN? I KNOW YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT, UM, THAT IS A RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT.
CAN YOU MANDATE A LOCKDOWN OR DOES THE CITY COUNTY HAVE TO ORDER IT BASED ON YOUR DIRECTION? DO ANY OF THE GOVERNOR'S ORDERS PRECLUDE EXECUTING A LOCKDOWN? SO WE ARE, WE ARE CLOSELY WATCHING OUR METRICS AS WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE.
OUR KEY MEASURE FOR, UH, NEEDING LOCKDOWN IS THAT INCREASE THEM IN, UH, NEW ADMISSIONS ON, UH, ON THAT SEVEN DAY MOVING AVERAGE, UH, RIGHT NOW, DOES IT INDICATE TO US THAT, THAT WE NEED TO DO IT RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT, BUT YESTERDAY WE HAD MORE THAN A 65 NEW HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS IN A SINGLE DAY.
UH, IF THAT TREND CONTINUES AND SURPASSES 70 ON THAT SEVEN DAY MOVING AVERAGE, THEN I WILL MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION, UH, COULD THAT RECOMMENDATION COME BEFORE 70? AND THE ANSWER IS IT'S POSSIBLE BECAUSE THERE ARE SUPPORTING MEASURES THAT WE LOOK AT AS WELL, WHICH MAY SHOW, UH, INCREASED STRESS ON THE SYSTEM.
BUT I WILL HAVE TO SAY THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORS IN SAN ANTONIO, IN BEAR COUNTY, UH, WHO ARE REPORTING MORE THAN A THOUSAND CASES A DAY RIGHT NOW WHO HAVE SUBSTANTIAL STRESS ON THEIR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, UH, WITH MORE THAN A THOUSAND PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED RIGHT NOW.
UH, IF OUR NEIGHBORS ARE IN STRESS AND THEY EXCEED THEIR CAPACITY, IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT OVERFLOW OF THOSE PATIENTS MAY COME TO TRAVIS COUNTY AND OUR SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS.
SO THIS, THIS CANNOT BE JUST A TRAVIS COUNTY CITY OF AUSTIN ISSUE.
AND CERTAINLY, UM, WE HAVE TO ALSO LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND THE STATE AND TO OUR NEIGHBORS IN SAN ANTONIO TO DETERMINE IF WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION EARLIER.
THIS NEXT QUESTION IS FROM THE AUSTIN BUSINESS JOURNAL WITH COMMUNITY SPREAD, WHERE IT IS, TO WHAT EXTENT CAN AUTHORITY CONTINUE TRACKING, WHICH INDUSTRIES HAVE BECOME HOTSPOTS HAS IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUAL HOTSPOT INDUSTRIES OR LINES OF WORK BECOME EASIER OR MORE DIFFICULT WITH THE TESTING CAPACITY HIGHER THAN BEFORE.
SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE UNCONTROLLED WIDESPREAD COMMITTEE TRANSMISSION.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS IT'S EVERYWHERE IT'S BEING SPREAD EVERYWHERE.
RIGHT NOW, IT'S BEING SPREAD IN HOMES.
IT'S BEEN SPREAD AND FAMILY GATHERINGS.
IT'S BEING SPREAD AT BARBECUES.
IT'S BEING SPREAD IN BUSINESSES BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING MORE THAN 500 CASES A DAY.
AND THOSE 500 CASES HAVE CONTACTS WITH DOZENS AND DOZENS OF OTHER PEOPLE TRYING TO PIN IT DOWN TO SPECIFIC LOCATIONS.
UH, WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE EASILY, EASILY IDENTIFIED, UH, AND, AND WE ARE WORKING ON THOSE CLUSTER INVESTIGATIONS TO TRY TO,
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TO, UH, TO GET A HANDLE ON THAT.UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AWARE OF THE ISSUE RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE AUSTIN, UH, LATINO COALITION AND OUR COMMUNITY RESILIENCE TRUST TO IMPROVE THE TESTING THAT'S AVAILABLE.
WE HAD A GREAT EVENT, A COUPLE OF WEEKENDS AGO TO TEST 300 CONSTRUCTION WORKERS.
UH, I AM DISCUSSING, UH, AS A MATTER OF FACT, HOW THAT CONVERSATION THIS MORNING WITH CHIEF NIM KIDD FROM THE TEXAS DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, WHO OFFERED ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL, UH, TO FURTHER ENHANCE THAT TESTING ABILITY.
UH, SO WE ARE LOOKING AT THOSE HOTSPOTS.
WE ARE TRYING TO FOCUS RESOURCES IN THOSE AREAS WHERE WE KNOW TRANSMISSION IS HAPPENING.
UH, BUT WE SIMPLY CANNOT PROVIDE REASSURANCES TO FOLKS IF INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES ARE SAFE OR NOT.
THE ABSOLUTE MESSAGE THAT THIS COMMUNITY MUST UNDERSTAND IS WHEN THEY LEAVE THEIR HOME, THEY ARE AT RISK FOR CONTRACTING COVID-19 WHEREVER THEY'RE GOING.
AND THEY HAVE TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, TO PROTECT THEIR FAMILIES AND PROTECT THIS COMMUNITY THROUGH MASKING, THROUGH SOCIAL DISTANCING AND THAT PERSONAL HYGIENE.
THIS NEXT QUESTION FROM ONLY THESE, WE CONSTANTLY RECEIVE MESSAGES FROM OUR VIEWERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THEIR WORKPLACE, NOT FOLLOWING GUIDELINES TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS AND THE MOST COMMON ONE IS THAT THEY FEEL THEIR COMPANY DOESN'T DISINFECT COMPLETELY AFTER SOMEONE HAS TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE VIRUS.
WHAT SHOULD THEY DO? AND DO YOU HAVE AN ACTUAL DATE FOR, DO YOU HAVE ACTUAL DATA OF COMPANIES WHO HAVE RECEIVED VIOLATION FOR NOT COMPLYING? WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS THAT THOSE COMPANIES SHOULD REACH OUT TO THREE, ONE, ONE, AND CONTACT THEM AND LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THE VIOLATION.
THOSE REQUESTS CAN BE MADE ANONYMOUSLY AND PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION FROM THERE.
UM, OUR STAFF WILL REACH OUT TO THOSE BUSINESSES AND HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THEIR PRACTICES WHEN THEY HAVE A PERSON THAT TESTS POSITIVE.
SO WHETHER, UM, THEY HAVE A PERSON THAT A PURSUIT IS POSITIVE, OR THEY ACTUAL HAVE A POSITIVE CASE, OUR STAFF CAN TALK WITH THEM ABOUT MEASURES THAT THEY CAN TAKE TO PUT IN PLACE.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT AS I STATED EARLIER WITH THE INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY.
SO IF YOU ARE AT A SITE AND YOU ARE WORKING, MAKE SURE AS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT YOU ARE KEEPING YOUR SPACE CLEAN, UM, AS YOU ARE WORKING WITH YOUR COWORKERS, EMPHASIZE THAT TO THEM AS WELL.
UM, I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES AS AN INDIVIDUAL, SOMETIMES IT SEEMS A LITTLE DIFFICULT, BUT IF WE ARE THE EXAMPLE THAT WE WANT OTHERS TO BE, WE CAN START WITH OURSELVES AND DO EVERYTHING WE CAN OUTSIDE OF THAT AND BRING IN BRINGING THAT INFORMATION TO THE MANAGEMENT, DEFINITELY CALL THREE, ONE, ONE.
AND, UM, AND WE WILL DEFINITELY ADDRESS THAT WITH THAT BUSINESS.
THE NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER.
YOU'VE ASKED PEOPLE WHO ARE ASYMPTOMATIC OR HAVE ACCESS TO INSURANCE, NOT TO GET TESTED AT APH OR COMMUNITY CARE FACILITIES.
HAS THIS LED TO A DECREASE IN WAIT TIMES AT THOSE FACILITIES, IF NOT, WHEN WOULD YOU EXPECT THAT TO HAPPEN? WE, UM, WE MADE THAT REQUEST ON YESTERDAY.
THAT INFORMATION WENT OUT TO THE PUBLIC ON YESTERDAY, PRIOR TO THAT COMMUNITY CARE, UM, HAD PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION.
UM, DURING THIS TIME, THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, WHAT WE ARE REALLY WANTING TO EMPHASIZE IS THAT IF YOU HAVE INSURANCE, GO AHEAD AND CONTACT YOUR INSURANCE PROVIDER, DETERMINE WHERE YOU CAN GO TO GET A TEST IN, IN THE COMMUNITY AND WORKING WITH YOUR INSURANCE PROVIDER.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, YOU CAN ALSO CALL YOUR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER, AND IF THEY'RE, UM, DOING TESTS, THEN YOU CAN WORK WITH THEM TO DO THE TESTS.
BUT WE, WE, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR INDIGENT POPULATION ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE UNINSURED, THAT DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER SOURCE OF, OF, OF MONEY TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THE TEST, TO BE ABLE TO COME TO US.
UM, WE WILL BE ABLE TO, TO SEE HOW THAT IS.
UM, ONE DAY NEXT WEEK, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE CURRENTLY SCHEDULED AND, UM, AND THEY'VE ALREADY SCHEDULED WITH US AND WE WANT TO, UM, GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT APPOINTMENT, BUT WE SHOULD START TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT NEXT WEEK.
LET ME JUST ALSO ADD, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN COVID-19 SEASON NOW AND SIMILAR TO FLU SEASON.
IF YOU HAVE FLU SYMPTOMS DURING FLU SEASON, YOU'RE PROBABLY HAVE FLU IN THE
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MIDST OF COVID-19 STAYS.AND IF YOU HAVE THE SYMPTOMS, YOU HAVE TO ASSUME THAT YOU HAVEN'T, AND YOU CAN'T WAIT ON A TEST TO TELL YOU IF I NEED TO, IF YOU NEED TO PROTECT YOURSELF OR YOUR FAMILY OR NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING HARD TO INCREASE CAPACITY.
IF THE CASE HAS CONTINUED TO RISE, AS THEY'VE HAD AN, AS I'VE DONE IN SAN ANTONIO AND HOUSTON, WE MAY STILL NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH TESTING, BUT WHAT WE NEED IS PEOPLE TO ACT RESPONSIBLY.
IF THEY HAVE SYMPTOMS, WE NEED THEM TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILY BY ISOLATING THEMSELVES FROM THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS, FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SO THAT WE CAN, WE CAN BREAK THIS CYCLE OF TRANSMISSION.
UH, WE SIMPLY MUST HAVE PROTECTION OF THIS COMMUNITY.
AND THAT MEANS ALL OF US HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY IF WE HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS. AND THERE'S A LONG LIST NOW AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE, THE CDC, A LONG LIST.
IF YOU HAVE ANY OF THOSE THINGS, YOU MUST STAY HOME.
YOU MUST ISOLATE YOURSELF UNTIL YOU ARE CLEAR ABOUT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR PUBLIC HEALTH QUESTION FROM KVU.
TEXAS HAS BEEN CALLED A HOTSPOT FOR CORONAVIRUS BY HEALTH OFFICIALS, INCLUDING BOUCHIE WHO WARNED IT COULD GET VERY BAD.
AS PEOPLE CONTINUE TO IGNORE ADVICE ON SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASKING.
HOWEVER, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DAN PATRICK SAID LAST NIGHT THAT SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT AND SAID HE WON'T BE LISTENING TO BOUCHIE ANYMORE.
WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT AS AUSTIN? TRAVIS COUNTY IS ALREADY IN STAGE FOUR.
UH, LOOK, I, I DON'T WANT TO TURN THIS INTO A POLITICAL DISCUSSION BECAUSE AS I SAID, RECENTLY, WE CANNOT AFFORD TO BE POLITICAL ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO DEVELOP POLAR POSITIONS ON THIS ISSUE.
WE CAN CHOOSE OTHER ISSUES TO BE POLAR ON, TO SHOW DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS.
THE CASE ARE SKYROCKETING ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE MUST LISTEN TO THE MEDICAL EXPERTS.
WE MUST PROTECT OURSELVES NOW BECAUSE THE CONSEQUENCES ARE DIRE.
THE IMPACT IS GOING TO BE VAST.
AND WE DO NOT WANT TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE EVERY MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY KNOWS SOMEBODY PERSONALLY, WHO HAS BEEN HOSPITALIZED OR DIED FROM COVID-19.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE WE'RE HEADED RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE GOT TO CUT OUT THE POLITICS AND WE GOT TO GET LASER FOCUSED ON THE ISSUES.
AND THAT IS, WE MUST CHANGE OUR BEHAVIOR RIGHT NOW.
YOU MENTIONED YESTERDAY IN THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING, THAT TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN HINDERING THE COUNTY'S ABILITY TO CONTACT TREY AT THIS POINT, DO YOU FEEL IT IS INEFFECTIVE TO CONTACT RATES WITH HOW RAPID THIS SPREAD IS BECOMING IN OUR AREA? AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, WILL Y'ALL BE MOVING RESOURCES AROUND.
UH, SO W WE ARE, UH, LOOKING AT SHIFTING RESOURCES.
UH, I WOULDN'T SAY CONTACT TRACING IS, IS COMPLETELY FUTILE.
THERE ARE SOME CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE CONTACT TRACING IS REALLY IMPORTANT, PARTICULARLY IN INSTITUTIONAL SETTINGS WHERE, UH, IT'S EASY TO IDENTIFY, UH, INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD CONTACT, UH, IN A HEALTHCARE SETTING.
WHEN WE HAVE, UH, WHERE, UH, THAT MAY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED.
IT'S VALUABLE IN A JAIL SETTING, UH, IN A, IN A SCHOOL SETTING, A UNIVERSITY SITE, THERE'S LOTS OF SETTINGS WHERE IT'S STILL USEFUL, BUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PEOPLE LOOPING AROUND FREELY IN THE COMMUNITY, IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARDER AT THIS STAGE.
IT'S A LOT HARDER TO STAGE, UH, DUE TO THE NUMBER OF CONTACTS AND THE EXTREME VOLUME.
UH, SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO RIGHT NOW IS PRIORITIZE THE CONTACT TRACING WHERE WE CAN BE MOST IMPACTFUL.
UH, CERTAINLY WHEN WE'RE ON THE DOWN SLOPE AND WHEN WE'VE PLATEAUED, IT'S GOING TO BE EVEN MORE VALUABLE TO, TO KEEP A LID ON THINGS RIGHT NOW, THE LIN IS OFF AND WE'RE WORKING HARD TO GET IT BACK ON.
THE CONTACT TRACING IS NOT GOING TO GET THAT LID BACK ON BY ITSELF.
THAT TAKES THE NON-PHARMACEUTICAL INTERVENTIONS.
THAT TAKES INDIVIDUAL DECISIONS TO DO THE RIGHT THING, TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, AND TO DECREASE THIS RISK OF TRANSMISSION.
LAST QUESTION, PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY IS A FACTOR, BUT THAT HOLDS TRUE FOR OTHER CITIES AND STATES AND STATES AS WELL.
WHAT ELSE DO YOU THINK IS CONTRIBUTING TO AUSTIN AND OTHER TEXAS CITIES CURRENTLY HAVING THE HIGHEST POSITIVITY RATES IN THE COUNTRY AND THE PDS AUSTIN? SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COMBINATION OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MEMORIAL DAY, WE HAD BUSINESSES THAT
[00:30:01]
REOPENED, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE KNOW THAT SOME BUSINESSES DID A GREAT JOB AT BEING PROTECTIVE.WE KNOW THAT SOME SEGMENTS OF OUR SOCIETY HEARD THE MESSAGE AND WORE MASKS AND CONTINUED TO, UH, TO SOCIAL DISTANCE AND WASH THEIR HANDS AND AVOID TOUCHING THEIR FACE.
AND WE HAD OTHERS, OTHER BUSINESSES, OTHER SEGMENTS, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT DIDN'T HEAR THAT MESSAGE, UH, AND THAT DIDN'T, DIDN'T TAKE IT TO HEART.
AND SO I, I THINK WE'RE SEEING THE EFFECTS OF THAT.
NOW WE HAVE SOME FOLKS WHO, WHO LACK ACCESS TO THINGS LIKE MASS.
WE HAVE FOLKS WHO LACK ACCESS TO PAID SICK TIME, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO WORK WHEN THEY'RE SICK.
I THINK WE'VE LEARNED A LOT OF LESSONS.
AND I THINK THAT, THAT ONCE WE'RE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS PEAK, THAT WE'VE GOT TO STRONGLY CONSIDER HOW WE DO THINGS TO PREVENT THE NEXT PEAK FROM HAPPENING.
WE'VE GOT A SIMPLE, WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE THINGS.
WE'VE GOT TO LEARN LESSONS, UH, AND, AND WE'VE GOT TO MODIFY OUR STRATEGY.
AND I THINK THAT THAT IS A MESSAGE, WHICH HAS BEEN HEARD ACROSS THIS STATE RIGHT NOW.
NOW I'D LIKE TO ASK IF OUR SPEAKERS HAVE ANY FINAL THOUGHTS, THEY'D LIKE TO SHARE THE RECOMMENDING IT IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT.
AS I SAID EARLIER, AS WE WERE THINKING ABOUT WHAT CAN I DO DURING THIS
WHAT TYPES OF STEPS CAN YOU TAKE ONE BY STAYING HOME? I KNOW IT IS 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND, AND I CANNOT EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF US.
I KNOW SOMETIMES INDIVIDUALS THINK THAT, WELL, I CAN JUST INVITE A WORK FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE THAT DON'T LIVE WITH YOU.
AND YOU MAY NOT THINK THAT THAT'S A BAD IDEA.
IF THE INDIVIDUALS DO NOT LIVE WITH YOU, THEN TRY A NEW TRADITION, SHARE THAT NEW TRADITION BEFORE THE 4TH OF JULY, CREATE A SPACE OF, THESE ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR FAMILY, WITH THE INDIVIDUALS THAT LIVE IN YOUR HOME.
AND AS YOU MOVE FORWARD, THINK ABOUT HOW I CAN.
WHEN I HAVE TO GO OUT TO MY ESSENTIAL PLACES THAT I MUST TRAVEL TO, HOW CAN I DO THE BEST THAT I CAN DO WITH MY FACE COVERING EVERYWHERE THAT I GO AND TAKING MY OWN INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY.
THE OTHER THING THAT IS GOING TO BE SO IMPORTANT AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS, WE ARE VERY EXCITED THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH THE AUSTIN LATINO COALITION AND THE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE TRUST TO WORK WITH OUR LATIN X POPULATION.
WE SEE THE DISPARITIES IN THOSE POPULATION, AND IT TAKES ALL OF US TO DO OUR PART.
AND SO, AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS TRANSITION AND MAKE OUR WAY THROUGH THE JULY 4TH WEEKEND, THINK OF HOW I WILL PAY IT FORWARD.
I WILL DO THE BEST THAT I CAN FOR MY FAMILY AND OTHERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, THREE MESSAGES FROM ME, YOU REALLY MUST STAY HOME RIGHT NOW.
WE REALLY NEED YOU TO STAY HOME SO THAT WE CAN GET THE LID BACK ON THIS, THIS, UH, THIS EPIDEMIC.
YEAH, WE CAN BE IN A BETTER PLACE TO, TO REOPEN BUSINESSES AGAIN, UH, TO, TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH HOSPITAL SPACE, UH, THREE OR FOUR WEEKS FROM NOW.
UH, IF YOU HAVE TO GO OUT, PLEASE PROTECT YOURSELF, PROTECT YOUR FAMILY, PROTECT YOUR FRIENDS BY WEARING A MASK, SOCIAL DISTANCING, AND FOLLOWING THOSE PERSONAL HYGIENE GUIDELINES.
AND AS DIRECTOR HAYDEN SAID, WE'VE GOT TO FIND A NEW WAY TO CELEBRATE THIS YEAR.
UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A TIME TO GET TOGETHER WITH YOUR HOUSEHOLD, YOUR SPOUSE, YOUR CHILDREN, BUT NOT PEOPLE OUTSIDE YOUR HOUSEHOLD.
WE SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD MISSTEPS RIGHT NOW.
WE CAN'T AFFORD THE RISK OF ACCELERATING THIS SPREAD EVEN FURTHER.
IT WILL BE IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION IN A MONTH, BUT WE'VE GOTTA BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL RIGHT NOW.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPEAKERS AND OUR POOR REPORTER FOR JOINING US TODAY.
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THIS MORNING'S PRESS CONFERENCE.