[COVID-19: Press Q & A]
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I'M LASHONDRA SHAW PIO FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND I AM THE MODERATOR FOR TODAY'S MEDIA AVAILABILITY.
SPANISH INTERPRETATION OF THIS MEDIA AVAILABILITY IS ON ATX IN THREE TO START AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR.
STEPHANIE HAYDEN WILL FIRST SAY A FEW WORDS FOLLOWED BY DR.
MARK S. SCOTT, INTERIM AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH AUTHORITY, THEN AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH, CHIEF EPIDEMIOLOGIST, JANET HACHETTE.
AND THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO OUR POOL REPORTER WHO WILL ASK QUESTIONS FROM THE MEDIA.
I WANT TO START OFF BY FIRST OF ALL, THANKING ALL OF OUR CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE GETTING EXHAUSTED AND, UM, AND, AND AS TIME MOVES ON, UM, THIS DOES GET TO BE A DIFFICULT TASK.
WE HAVE RELAXED AND I UNDERSTAND AND IS DUE TO FATIGUE, BUT WE CANNOT LET OUR GUARD DOWN.
UM, WE MUST THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO WEAR OUR MASKS.
THAT IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO WASH OUR HANDS.
UM, PLEASE STAY HOME IF YOU'RE NOT FEELING WELL.
AND LASTLY, PLEASE WATCH YOUR SOCIAL DISTANCING IN IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE AROUND, YOU MUST KEEP THOSE, THOSE THREE THINGS THAT YOU DO.
UM, PLEASE REACH OUT IF YOU ARE.
UM, IF YOU HAVE INSURANCE, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR INSURANCE OR ASK A PHARMACY AND, UM, YOU CAN SHOW UP TO A PHARMACY.
YOU CAN GET THE FLU SHOT THERE.
WE HAVE, UM, AN EVENT THIS WEEKEND AT THE, UM, SOUTHEAST BRANCH LIBRARY ON IN DOVE SPRINGS NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, THE EVENT STARTS AT 8:00 AM TO NOON ALSO.
UM, WE WILL BE PARTNERING WITH WHOLE FEST IN EAST AUSTIN, UM, AND THE, UM, NELSON FEEL.
SO PLEASE GO TO ONE OF THOSE EVENTS IF YOU NEED A, UM, A FLU SHOT.
UH, FIRST I WANT TO TALK A BIT ABOUT OUR CONCERNING TRENDS IN AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
UH, YESTERDAY I SPOKE ABOUT THE NEARLY 90% CHANCE THAT OUR EPIDEMIC IS GROWING TODAY.
THIS WEEK WE HAVE 64 MORE CASES THAN WE HAD IN THE PREVIOUS 14 DAYS.
OUR NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL ARISING.
UH, THIS IS, THIS IS NOT AN ELECTION DAY GIMMICK.
AND THE SITUATION IS CHANGING.
UH, WE SPENT SEVERAL WEEKS OVER THE PAST MONTH, AS A MATTER OF FACT, IN A PLATEAU WHERE WE'RE RELATIVELY FLAT.
NOW WE'RE ON AN UPWARD TRAJECTORY AND WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE THAT.
WE'VE GOT HALLOWEEN COMING UP AND IF WE WANT TO AVOID HAVING A VERY UGLY THANKSGIVING, WE'VE GOT TO BE VERY SAFE.
THIS HALLOWEEN, WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE OUR TRADITIONS SO THAT WE CAN AVOID THE RISK OF TRANSMITTING THIS DISEASE.
I'LL ALSO SAY THAT THIS MORNING I WENT OUT AND VOTED AND THAT, THAT PROCESS IS VERY IMPRESSIVE.
EVERYONE HAD A MASK ON, THERE WERE MARKINGS ON THE FLOOR.
SO PEOPLE STAYED SIX FEET APART.
THERE WERE COVERS TO PUT OVER YOUR FINGERS SO THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO TOUCH A MACHINE.
THERE WAS A NO CONTACT, UH, DRIVER'S LICENSE PROCESS, WHERE YOU SHOW YOUR LICENSE AND THEY CONFIRM THE INFORMATION.
THEY SCAN IT IN, UH, AND IT WAS ALL WITHOUT CONTACT WITH ANY OTHER PERSON AND SANITIZER AT THE EXIT.
UH, OUR COUNTY CLERK HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB AT ENSURING THAT THE RISK OF TRANSMISSION IS EXTREMELY LOW FOR IN-PERSON VOTING.
SO IT FOLKS HAVE NOT SELECTED A MALE AND BAUER BALLOT OR ABSENTEE BALLOT.
THEY SHOULD FEEL CONFIDENT IN THOSE SAFETY PROCEDURES AT THEIR POLLING PLACE.
WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JANET PASHA.
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GOOD MORNING.UM, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF REEMPHASIZE THINGS THAT BOTH DR S GOD AND DIRECTOR HAYDEN HAVE MENTIONED, AND, UH, ONE OF THEM IS JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO CONTINUE WITH OUR PREVENTION.
LEISURE'S THAT'S WEARING YOUR MASK.
IF YOU NEED TO GO OUTSIDE SOCIAL DISTANCING, WASHING YOUR HANDS FREQUENTLY AND AVOID TOUCHING YOUR FACE.
AND IF YOU ARE SICK, YOU NEED TO STAY HOME.
WE HAVE INVESTIGATED MANY, MANY CASES WHERE TIME AFTER TIME PEOPLE ARE SYMPTOMATIC AND THEY CONTINUE TO GO, UH, OUT AND ARE ABOUT AND EXPOSING OTHER INDIVIDUALS, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE, THEY KNOW THEY'RE SYMPTOMATIC AND THEY'RE WAITING TEST RESULTS AT IF YOU ARE IN QUARANTINE, I JUST WANT TO REEMPHASIZE.
THIS IS NOT TIME THAT YOU WOULD GO OUT WHILE YOU'RE WAITING FOR TEST RESULTS.
AND IT'S ALSO NOT A TIME WHERE IF YOU GET A CHEST THAT YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO GET OUT OF QUARANTINING, UH, AS WE'VE SAID OVER AND OVER AGAIN, YOU CANNOT TEST YOUR WAY OUT OF QUARANTINE.
UH, YOU WILL STILL NEED TO QUARANTINE FOR A 14 DAY PERIOD BASED ON YOUR VERY LAST EXPOSURE TO AN EXPOSED CASE.
I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE THAT THEY NEED TO COOPERATE WITH OUR CASE INVESTIGATORS AND CONTACT TRACERS WHO ARE DOING, UH, EVERY EFFORT TO GET MORE INFORMATION FROM CASES SO THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY CONTACTS AND, UH, GET THEM INTO QUARANTINE OR INTO TESTING SO THAT WE CAN REDUCE, UH, DISEASE TRANSMISSION IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, AGAIN, WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE.
WE, WE ENJOY HAVING, UH, A LITTLE FLATTENING OF THE, OUR CURVE, BUT AS CASES CONTINUE TO GO UP, IT'S GOING TO BE ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE, UH, USE THESE PREVENTION MEASURES AND ABIDE BY, UH, QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION PRACTICES THAT ARE PUT IN PLACE FOR THEM.
IF THEY'RE EXPOSED OR BECOME ILL.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO OUR POOL REPORTER.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS FROM KUT.
WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN HOSPITALIZATIONS AND CASES.
IF WE SEE ANOTHER SURGE THIS WINTER, ARE WE BETTER EQUIPPED THAN WE WERE IN THE SUMMER? WELL, I'LL SAY THAT OUR ALTERNATE CARE SITE IS, IS STILL SET UP AND READY TO GO AT THE CONVENTION CENTER.
UH, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, OUR HOSPITALS ARE BETTER PREPARED.
OUR TEAMS ARE, ARE USED TO MANAGING COVID-19 CASES, UH, CASES THAT USED TO HAVE TO GO TO THE ICU CAN NOW BE MANAGED IN, IN LOWER ACUITY SETTINGS BECAUSE OUR, OUR TEAMS ARE WELL-SKILLED AND WELL-EXPERIENCED AT MANAGING THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
UH, I, I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE CONCERNED THOUGH.
WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE DUAL THREAT OF COVID-19 AND INFLUENZA JUST LAST YEAR, OUR HOSPITAL ICU CAPACITY WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY TAKEN UP BY OUR SEASONAL INFLUENZA.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL THROUGHOUT THE WINTER.
AND THAT MEANS THAT, THAT THE MASKING AND DISTANCING AND PROTECTIVE MEASURES THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HAVE TO STAY IN PLACE.
THAT'S JUST THE NEW WAY OF LIFE FOR US, AT LEAST AT THIS STAGE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL ALSO SAY THAT THE SAME MESSAGING WE GAVE LAST YEAR, UH, REGARDING THE FLU SEASON, EXCEPT FOR THE MASK PIECE, WE TALKED ABOUT HAND SANITIZER AND HAND WASHING AND COUGHING INTO BENTO, AND ALL THESE THINGS ARE GOING TO PROTECT US FROM THOSE COVID-19 INFLUENZA.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT.
WE'VE GOT TO BE PROTECTED FROM BOTH.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM K O P RADIO.
WHAT DETAILS HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH APH ABOUT THE RECENTLY RELEASED T DHS VACCINE DISTRIBUTION PLAN BASED ON ITS EARLIER 2009 SWINE FLU ALLOCATION PLAN.
AND, UH, HOW ARE YOU INTEGRATING ELEMENTS INTO YOUR NEWLY DEVELOPED PLAN, PARTICULARLY THE NEED FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS TO VOLUNTARILY SIGN UP, TO RECEIVE THE VACCINE FOR DISTRIBUTION THE DEPARTMENT, UM, WENT THROUGH THE TRAINING AND WITH THE, UH, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES THAT THE STATE, OUR, UM, MOST OF OUR TEAM WENT THROUGH THAT, UM, PRESENTATION THAT THEY'VE
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PROVIDED.WE HAVE ALSO ESTABLISHED A, A VACCINE DISTRIBUTION COALITION.
THIS COALITION, UM, HAS, UM, INDIVIDUALS FROM THE HEALTH CARE AS WELL AS, UM, AND IN HEALTH CARE, UM, OUR, UM, OUR COMMUNITY ADVOCATES, NONPROFIT PROVIDERS.
AND SO AS WE MEET, WE ARE GOING TO, UM, DEVELOP A DISTRIBUTION PLAN IN ORDER TO, UM, FOLLOW THE OUTLINE THAT, UM, DISH HAS, HAS PROVIDED FOR US.
BUT WE ARE ALSO GOING TO DETERMINE THE PRIORITY POPULATIONS THAT WE KNOW IN THIS COMMUNITY WILL NEED TO BE, UM, PRIORITIZED WITH THE INITIAL, UH, VACCINE THAT IS GOING TO COME TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AS SIMILAR AS BEFORE, UM, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, UM, AS WELL AS FIRST RESPONDERS ARE NOTED AS THE FIRST INDIVIDUALS THAT WILL RECEIVE IT.
UH, WE HAVE SENT THE INFORMATION TO OUR PARTNERS, UM, FOR THEM TO ENROLL, UM, WHETHER IT'S A HOSPITAL PROVIDER OR A PRIVATE PHYSICIAN, UM, WE'VE SHARED THAT WITH THEM AS WELL.
AND SO THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO ENROLL TO BE A PROVIDER.
WE, OUR HOPE IS, IS THAT IF, IF EVERYONE SIGNS UP TO BE A PROVIDER, AS THEY HAVE DONE WITH COVID, UM, THEN IT'S GOING TO BE, UH, IT WILL BE VERY SMOOTH FOR US AS A COMMUNITY, AND WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH INDIVIDUALS PROVIDING IN BUSINESSES, PROVIDING THE VACCINE.
UH, WE'VE ALSO BEEN VERY BUSY, UM, MODIFYING OUR EXISTING VACCINE DISTRIBUTION PLANS AND ALSO OUR COLD, UH, YOU KNOW, CA LOOKING AT COLD STORAGE CAPACITY TO STORE THAT VACCINE.
UH, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT OUR PLANS, MODIFYING THEM AND MAKING SURE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ARE BEING THOUGHTFUL IN EVERY ASPECT OF A VACCINE DISTRIBUTION AND THE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN PUSH VACCINE OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH PRIVATE PROVIDERS, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH A MASS CLINIC OR A DRIVE-THROUGH CLINIC, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OPTIONS.
UH, CURRENTLY, UM, WE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE WE'RE TAKING AND USING SOME OF OUR FLU CLINICS TO, UH, SUPPORT, UH, AND TEST SOME OF THOSE PLANS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE OPERATIONAL AND SO THAT WE CAN FINE TUNE ANY ISSUES WE MIGHT HAVE BEFORE WE ARE LIVE, UH, WITH COVID VACCINE.
WE DID THAT DURING, UH, H ONE N ONE IN 2009 AND 2010 TIME PERIOD WHEAT.
SO, UH, WE'RE JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL THOSE NUTS AND BOLTS IN PLACE SO THAT WE CAN BE READY, UH, AND CAN RESPOND ACCORDINGLY.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM KX N HOW WORRIED ARE YOU ABOUT SCHOOLS REOPENING AN AUSTIN, RIGHT, AS HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE STARTING TO INCREASE.
UM, SO I'LL START BY SAYING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE TRANSMISSION RELATED TO SCHOOLS REALLY HAS BEEN ISOLATED TO EITHER SOCIAL EVENTS OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL SETTING OR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.
UH, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE GROWING NUMBERS OF CASES ASSOCIATED WITH EXTRACURRICULARS IN PARTICULAR FOOTBALL PROGRAMS, UH, WHERE WE HAVE SEEN THAT SITUATION DEVELOP OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT AS THE CASES GROW IN THE COMMUNITY, THERE'LL BE SOME GROWTH IN, IN RISK AT SCHOOLS.
HOWEVER, I'VE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED WITH, WITH THE MEASURES THAT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE PUT IN PLACE TO KEEP THINGS SAFE IN THE SCHOOL SETTING.
ULTIMATELY, THE SUCCESS DEPENDS ON WHETHER OR NOT STUDENTS IN FACULTY AND STAFF ARE MASKING AND DISTANCING AND FALLING THE HAND HYGIENE.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IF THEY ARE STAYING HOME, WHEN THEY'RE SICK, AS, AS JANET MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'VE CERTAINLY SEEN CASES OF INDIVIDUALS GOING TO SCHOOL WHILE THEY ARE SICK, THAT AFTER THEY'VE BEEN TESTED FOR COVID-19, AND WE SIMPLY CANNOT TOLERATE THAT, UH, THOSE INDIVIDUALS, WHETHER OR NOT THEY THINK THEY HAVE COVID OR NOT, OR PLACING OTHER PEOPLE AT RISK, THEY'RE PLACING THE CONTINUITY OF EDUCATION OPERATIONS AT RISK.
AND WE'VE GOT TO BE VIGILANT ABOUT THAT.
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STUDENTS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, STAFF, AND, UH, AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THAT THEY'RE ALL ACTING TO PROTECT THE SCHOOL.I WILL ALSO ADD, UM, YES, WE ARE ABSOLUTELY CONCERNED, BUT I WANT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, APPLAUD THE DISTRICTS BECAUSE, UM, THE DISTRICTS IN TRAVIS COUNTY HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
UM, THE DEPARTMENT EARLY ON HAS, UM, HAS PUT TOGETHER THE GUIDANCE IN, UM, THOSE THAT GUIDANCE IS ON OUR WEBSITE AND WE MEET FREQUENTLY WITH THEM.
AND WE HAVE A, UM, A STRIKE TEAM THAT HAS, UM, SET UP WITH EPIDEMIOLOGISTS, UM, NURSES, UM, AS WELL AS OUR, OUR FOLKS THAT TYPICALLY WORK WITH, UM, IN THE AREA OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO WE ARE PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE SPOCKS, UH, AT THE CAMPUSES AND AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL.
SO WITH THOSE THINGS IN PLACE, WE FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT, UM, WE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE, BUT I AGREE WITH DR.
S SCOTT, THE EXTRA CURRICULUM, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, THE OUTSIDE GATHERINGS THAT INDIVIDUALS, UM, ARE ATTENDING, WHERE THEY ARE LETTING THEIR GUARD DOWN.
THEY ARE NOT SOCIALLY DISTANCING, AND THEY'RE NOT WEARING THEIR FACE MASK, UH, BECAUSE THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE, UM, IN THIS SETTING THAT IS NOT THEIR HOME, AND IT IS A WAY FROM THEIR HOME.
AND SO WE'VE GOT A REALLY, REALLY, UM, BE CAREFUL IN THOSE SETTINGS AND DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT OURSELVES AND INDIVIDUALS IN OUR HOMES.
AND I'M GOING TO ADD THAT IN, IN SITUATIONS, UH, IT, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE, UH, EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE CONTACT TRACING AND COOPERATION WITH EPIDEMIOLOGISTS TO IDENTIFY CONTACTS, TO REDUCE TRANSMISSION WITHIN THAT SETTING OR WITHIN YOUR INNER CIRCLE AT WHETHER IT BE AT SCHOOL OR IN YOUR HOME IS CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT IN REDUCING DISEASE TRANSMISSION.
UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE ASKING THAT PEOPLE BE VERY COOPERATIVE, UH, WITH CONTACT TRACING AND EFFORTS, BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT IN, UH, IN REDUCING, UH, RISKS TO OTHER MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, MAKING SURE THAT YOU IDENTIFY WHO YOUR CONTACTS ARE, UH, IF THEY BECOME ILL, THEY NEED TO, UH, GET INTO TESTING SO THAT THEY ARE FURTHER SPREADING DISEASE, UH, OUT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND IF YOU ARE IN QUARANTINE TO STAY IN QUARANTINE UNTIL YOUR PARENTING PERIOD IS OVER, WHICH IS 14 DAYS AFTER YOUR LAST EXPOSURE TO THAT EXPOSURE TO A CASE, UM, IT, IT, ALL, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, UM, TO REDUCING DISEASE, TRANSMISSION RISKS.
NEXT QUESTION IS FROM CVS AUSTIN, THE GRAY LINES ON THE UT MODELS SHOW SO MANY POSSIBILITIES FOR WHAT THE FUTURE COULD HOLD, HOW POSSIBLE IS IT TO GET MEANINGFUL PROJECTIONS OF WHAT WE SHOULD EXPECT IN THE COMING WEEKS? UH, SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THE, THAT THE MODELING IS, IS NOT A WEATHER FORECAST.
UH, THE MODELING IS BASED ON WHAT WE'VE SEEN RECENTLY IN TERMS OF HOSPITALIZATIONS, UH, PARTICULARLY ADMISSIONS TO THE HOSPITAL AND WHAT WILL BE SEEN IN THE MOBILITY DATA.
HOW OFTEN ARE PEOPLE GOING OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOUSEHOLD? THAT'S, THAT'S THE MATH THAT GOES INTO THAT, THAT MODEL.
UH, ULTIMATELY WE CERTAINLY HOPE THAT THAT, UH, THE FUTURE WILL LOOK DIFFERENT THAN THE PROJECTIONS, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO DETERMINE, AGAIN, IT'S BASED ON CURRENT TRANSMISSION ACTIVITY, WHICH IS MUCH HIGHER THAN ONE RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT AS WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST, WE CAN AFFECT THAT.
WE CAN'T CHANGE THE WEATHER, BUT WE CAN CHANGE WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR US IN TERMS OF COVID-19 AGAIN, COVID-19 IS, IS NOT, UH, IT'S NOT MAGICAL.
IT'S A VIRUS AND THE WAY IT SPREADS.
AND THE REASON IT'S INCREASING NOW IS BECAUSE WE'VE LET OUR GUARD DOWN.
WE'VE GROWN TIRED OF, OF THE PROTECTIONS.
WE WANT TO HAVE A NORMAL LIFE.
WE WANT TO HAVE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER HUMAN BEINGS.
UH, WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE DINNER AND HAVE BARBECUES, BUT THE FACT IS THAT IF WE DO THOSE THINGS, WITHOUT HAVING PROTECTIONS
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IN PLACE, THE CASES ARE GOING TO GROW, UH, RIGHT NOW, THE PROJECTIONS IN AROUND THE MIDDLE OF NOVEMBER.BUT YOU CAN INFER THAT, THAT A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER THANKSGIVING COULD LOOK VERY BAD, AND NOW'S THE TIME THAT WE CAN CHANGE THAT.
NOW'S THE TIME THAT WE CAN AFFECT THE CURVE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN HAVE A REASONABLE THANKSGIVING.
UM, BUT I'LL TELL YOU THAT, THAT WE'RE SEEING CASES RISE DRAMATICALLY IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS, IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE PREDICTIONS FOR THE
AGAIN, THAT'S BASED ON TRANSMISSION STAYING THE SAME MOBILITY, STAYING THE SAME.
IF WE CHANGE THOSE THINGS, THE PROJECTIONS WILL CHANGE AS WELL.
AND SO IT'S UP TO ALL OF US TO CHANGE WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR US.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM A COMMUNITY IMPACT, WE'RE CONSTANTLY LEARNING MORE ABOUT THIS VIRUS, SEVERAL RECENT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES HAVE FOUND THAT THE DEATH RATE FOR COVID-19 HAS SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED.
WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT? UH, SO I'LL START BY ANSWERING.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED.
UM, NUMBER ONE, WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT OUR HOSPITALS DON'T EXCEED CAPACITY.
UH, WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THERE'S GOING TO BE EXCESSIVE DEATHS.
AND WE CERTAINLY SAW THAT, UH, EARLY ON AND MOVE ON THAT.
UM, WE'VE ALSO MADE GREAT STRIDES IN TERMS OF LEARNING HOW TO MANAGE THIS DISEASE, OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS, OUR NURSES, OUR PHYSICIANS ARE USED TO MANAGING THESE CASES.
THEY'VE GAINED SKILL AND EXPERIENCE IN MANAGING PEOPLE WITH COVID-19, WHICH MAKES THEM BETTER AT SUCCESSIVELY TREATING THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS OF LEARNING THE TREATMENTS THAT DON'T WORK, THE TREATMENTS THAT DO WORK AND THE TREATMENTS THAT MIGHT WORK.
AND, YOU KNOW, PART OF THAT IS, IS, UH, IMPROVING OUR OUTCOMES.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'VE ALSO DONE A GREAT JOB AT, AT WORKING HARD WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PROTECTING BETTER.
THOSE WHO ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE, THAT WHICH WOULD BE OUR INDIVIDUALS RESIDING IN A NURSING HOME OR LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY, UH, IF WE CAN COCOON OR INSULATE THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER RISK OF AN ICU ADMISSION OR DEATH, WE CAN HAVE DISEASE TRANSMISSION WITHOUT A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON OUR DEATHS.
UH, SO AGAIN, IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE, AS A COMMUNITY, CONTINUE TO PROTECT THOSE WHO ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE, SO THAT WE CAN KEEP OUR, OUR DEATH RATES LOW AND KEEP OUR HOSPITALS, UH, IN GOOD CONDITION.
UH, THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM KVU AS HEALTH LEADERS HAVE WARNED US OF A SECOND SURGE, WHAT IS THE BREAKING POINT FOR US TO GO BACK TO STAGE FOUR, STAGE FOUR? CURRENTLY THE THRESHOLD IS, IS 40 ADMISSIONS ON THAT SEVEN DAY MOVING AVERAGE, THERE IS A RANGE 40 TO 70, DEPENDING UPON THE TRAJECTORY OF ENTRY INTO THAT ZONE.
UM, BUT RIGHT NOW THE, YOU KNOW, THE COMMONLY USED FOR YEARS, THAT THRESHOLD, AGAIN FOR FOUR WEEKS, WE OSCILLATED BETWEEN 12 AND 15 ON THAT SEVEN DAY MOVING AVERAGE, UH, ALL OF A SUDDEN OVER THE PAST 14 DAYS, UH, WE'RE CREEPING UP TOWARDS 20 OR 19 YESTERDAY.
UH, SO WE ARE, ARE SOLIDIFYING A SPOT CLOSER TO THE CENTER OF UPSTAGE.
DURING RESEARCH CERTAINLY MAKES US CONCERN, UH, THAT STAGE FOUR COULD BE HAPPENING IN THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS.
AGAIN, IT'S NOT A FORECAST OF THE WEATHER.
THIS IS A POTENTIAL OR THE MOST LIKELY FUTURE.
IF THINGS DON'T CHANGE, MY HOPE IS THAT THINGS, THINGS WILL CHANGE.
WE CAN FLATTEN THE CURVE ONCE AGAIN IN TRAVIS COUNTY, AND WE CAN BE IN A BETTER SITUATION FOR THANKSGIVING.
ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION IS THE THING WE TYPICALLY, WHEN WE MAKE A DECISION TO TRANSITION TO A, ANOTHER LEVEL, WHETHER IT'S HIGHER OR LOWER, UM, WE WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS TO, UM, TO COLLABORATE AND COME UP WITH A COLLECTIVE DECISION.
UM, AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO, UM,
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AS WE HAVE DURING THIS TIME HAD RECEIVED, UM, DATA FROM OUR HOSPITAL PARTNERS.IT'S, IT'S KEY FOR US TO, UM, CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THAT, UM, DATA FROM THEM AND HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM BECAUSE, UM, THEY ARE KEY PARTNERS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, WORKING WITH, UM, WITH UT DALE MAY AND, UM, ON THE MODELING IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US AS WELL.
SO THOSE ARE THINGS COLLECTIVELY, UM, AND HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH, UM, CITY MANAGEMENT AND OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, UM, AS WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, BASED UPON THE DATA AND THE SCIENCE, UM, WHERE WE WILL ELEVATE WHETHER WE, UM, LOWER THE RESPONSE, UM, OR GO TO THE NEXT LEVEL TO INCREASE.
WE CONSTANTLY TALK ABOUT PREDICTIONS OF STUDIES THAT MANY TIMES HAVE BEEN OFF.
WHY SHOULD WE TRUST IN PREDICTIVE MODELS? IF SO MANY TIMES THEY HAVEN'T BEEN RELIABLE.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE MODELS ARE NOT WEATHER FORECASTS.
THEY ARE SHOWING US THE POTENTIAL FUTURE, THE MOST LIKELY FUTURE, IF WE DON'T SHOW, UH, CHANGE OUR BEHAVIOR, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST, SOME OF THOSE HAVE LOOKED VERY SCARY, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SIMPLE MATH, YOU TAKE THE POPULATION, WHO'S STILL VULNERABLE.
YOU TAKE THE TRANSMISSION OF DISEASE, YOU TAKE THE RECENT HISTORY OF, OF CASE TRANSMISSION, AND YOU TAKE MOBILITY INTO ACCOUNT.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE MODELS ARE SHOWING.
UH, AGAIN, W W WE CAN'T MODEL HUMAN BEHAVIOR AS EASILY AS THINGS THAT ARE QUANTIFIABLE, UH, THAT I JUST MENTIONED.
UH, SO AGAIN, OUR HOPE IS THAT WE CAN CHANGE WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE.
I'LL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TEND TO FOCUS ON, UH, THE, THE SCARY MODELS THAT, THAT DIDN'T COME TO PASS, UH, IN THEIR CRITICISM OF THE MODELING, BUT ALSO POINT OUT THAT WE ALSO SHARE HELPFUL MODELS THROUGHOUT SEPTEMBER INTO EARLY OCTOBER, I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE MODELS LOOKING BETTER, THAT WE WERE GETTING CLOSE TO THE STAGE TO THAT WE WERE ABOUT TO BREAK THAT, THAT A SEVEN DAY MOVING AVERAGE OF 10 TO MOVE TO A BETTER STAGE OF RISK, BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
AND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE WE RELAXED BECAUSE WE GREW TIRED OF, OF THE PROTECTIONS.
UH, SO AGAIN, UH, MY HOPE IS THAT IN, YOU KNOW, IN NOVEMBER ON THANKSGIVING, I WAS WRONG ABOUT WHAT I SAID TODAY.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE DON'T SEE THE RISE THAT THAT IS PREDICTED, BUT THE ONLY WAY THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS IF WE CHANGE OUR BEHAVIOR, WE, ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADD IS THAT, UM, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO REALLY PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION.
ESCADA STATED, WE PROVIDE THE INFORMATION, WHETHER IT'S POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE, UM, AND WE WANT TO PROVIDE IT BEING AS WE CAN BE AS TRANSPARENT AS WE CAN BE.
WE WANT TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE IF WE PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION IN A VERY TIMELY MANNER, THEN AS A COMMUNITY, WE KNOW IT TAKES TIME FOR US ALL TO GET ON BOARD.
UM, AND WE HAVE TO HEAR THINGS MORE THAN ONE TIME.
AND SO IF WE PRESENT THAT INFORMATION TO YOU, UM, AT MULTIPLE SETTINGS AND PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION, SO YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO SAY, LET ME REEVALUATE, WHERE HAVE I AS AN INDIVIDUAL, UM, OR ME AND MY HOUSEHOLD HAVE MADE SOME CHANGES THAT ARE NOT ALIGNING WITH WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON AND STAND UP HALF THE STORE.
UM, HAVE I BEEN ATTENDING PARTIES? HAVE I NOT BEEN WEARING MY MASK? HAVE I NOT SOCIAL DISTANCE? UM, HAVE I NOT BEEN WASHING MY HANDS AS FREQUENTLY AS I NEED TO, SO YOU CAN REEVALUATE.
AND SO THAT BEHAVIOR, OUR GOAL IS, IS THAT WE WANT THE BEHAVIOR TO SHIFTS, UM, AND SHIFT TO WHERE IT WAS.
SO WE CAN COME BACK AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT THE MODELING IS SHOWING US NOW.
AND THANKS TO YOU AND THE BEHAVIOR THAT YOU'VE CHANGED, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM KUT.
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO USE THE TWO UPCOMING FLU SHOT EVENTS TO PREPARE FOR A COVID VACCINE DISTRIBUTION? UH, YES, ACTUALLY, UM, WE ARE USING EVERY, YOU KNOW, FLU OPPORTUNITY
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TO KIND OF TEST WHAT THINGS WORK WELL AND WHAT DON'T WORK WELL, SO THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT INTO OUR, OUR, UH, COVID VACCINATION PLANNING.WE'LL ALSO BE, UH, PARTICIPATING IN A STATE RUN TABLETOP EXERCISE ON THE 28TH TO, TO, UM, GET, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL INSIGHT ON, ON HOW DISTRIBUTION WILL GO.
UM, I WANT TO MAYBE PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION.
UM, THE, THE FIRST, UM, EVENT AT DOVE SPRINGS IS A SMALLER EVENT.
UM, AND SO IT ALLOWS US TO, TO SET A TARGET OF HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS WE WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE THE VACCINE TO.
UM, AND TYPICALLY WE RUN THE PROCESS AFTER THE PROCESS IS COMPLETED.
WE DO A DEBRIEFING PROCESS WHERE WE DECIDE WHAT WORKED WELL AND WHAT DID NOT WORK WELL AND WHAT WE NEED TO CHANGE IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AND SO THAT'S THE EVENT ON THE 24TH.
THE EVENT ON NOVEMBER 7TH IS A LARGER SCALE EVENT.
AND SO WE WILL TAKE INTO THAT EVENT AS WELL AS WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IN THE PAST FROM H ONE N ONE IN 2009 AND 2010, UM, AND TO THEN USE WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IN THAT LARGER SETTING.
AND SO, UM, AND WE WILL TYPICALLY REPEAT THE SAME PROCESS BECAUSE THE GOAL IS, IS THAT, UM, WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO REPLICATE THE EVENTS, WHETHER THEY ARE A SMALLER SCALE EVENTS, ARE LARGER SCALE EVENTS AND BE ABLE TO, UM, HAVE A SAFE PROCESS WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO MAXIMIZE THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT RECEIVE THE FLU VACCINE.
AND THAT WILL BE THE SAME FOR THE COVID, UM, VACCINATION AS WELL.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM K O P RADIO AND ANOTHER FEDERALLY FUNDED AND STATE RUN DISTRIBUTION PLAN.
RAPID TEST KITS ARE TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO CERTAIN TEXAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHILE OTHERS HAVE TO APPLY FOR THEM.
WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON THE VALUE OF THESE RAPID TESTS IN SCHOOLS AND THE WAY THEY ARE BEING ALLOCATED ACROSS THE STATE? SO THE RAPID TESTS, I THINK, ARE GOING TO BE A USEFUL TOOL FOR US AS WE WORK TO GET TIMELY RESULTS, PARTICULARLY IN, IN SCHOOL SETTINGS WHERE A POSITIVE CASE IS GOING TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON INDIVIDUALS NEEDING TO QUARANTINE.
UH, THE TDM HAS SENT US ABOUT A THOUSAND OF THOSE TEST KITS IN ADVANCE OF THEIR LARGER ROLLOUT.
AND I KNOW THAT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, MANY OF THEM HAVE, HAVE APPLIED FOR THE PROGRAM TO RECEIVE EVEN MORE.
I THINK IT'S HAVING A RAPID RESULTS FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S SYMPTOMATIC IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL FOR US TO KEEP OUR SCHOOLS OPEN THIS FALL.
UH, BECAUSE AS WE'VE SAID MANY TIMES BEFORE, THE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19 ARE LARGELY THE SAME AS FLU AND OTHER UPPER RESPIRATORY VIRUSES.
UH, SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW RELATIVELY QUICKLY SOMEBODY WAS A COUGH OR A SORE THROAT, OR ONE OF THE OTHER SYMPTOMS HAS COVID OR NOT.
UH, IT'S NOT A PERFECT TEST, BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE GOOD ENOUGH FOR US TO, UH, TO HELP US EFFECTIVELY MANAGE THE SCHOOL SITUATION THIS FALL.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT, UM, IN OUR PLANNING, UM, WE HAVE THE STRIKE TEAM THAT IS FLOOR, UM, FOR OUR EDUCATION AREA.
AND, UM, AND THAT TEAM, UM, HAS BEEN MEETING WITH THE, WITH THE SUPERINTENDENTS AS WELL AS, UM, MEETING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK.
AND SO, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT TO TARGET SCHOOLS IS WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR TITLE ONE SCHOOLS, UM, KIND OF THROUGHOUT TRAVIS COUNTY, UM, THAT WILL PROVIDE, UH, AN EL SCHOOL WHERE, UM, MOST OF THE INDIVIDUALS ARE ON FREE AND OR REDUCED LUNCH.
AND, UM, BASED UPON THE FEEDBACK AND HAVING THAT PRIORITY, THAT WILL ALLOW US TO, TO DO THE TESTING, UM, AND WORK WITH THE SCHOOLS, UM, AND HAVE THAT RESPONSE BACK TO THE SCHOOLS AND INDIVIDUALS.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM KX, A N IS THE CONVENTION CENTER STILL SET UP AS A HEALTHCARE FACILITY? HOW BAD WOULD THINGS NEED TO GET BEFORE THAT'S OPENED UP? UH, THE CONVENTION CENTER IS STILL SET UP AS OUR ALTERNATE CARE SITE.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE MODELING TO DETERMINE WHEN WE NEED TO TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON WHEN WE NEED TO START,
[00:35:01]
UH, SENDING STAFF THERE AND GETTING THE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT READY TO GO.UH, SO PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE SITUATION, AS WELL AS THE PROJECT PROJECTIONS TO GIVE US AN IDEA OF, OF WHEN WE NEED TO BE READY TO, UH, TO ACTIVATE THAT.
BUT RIGHT NOW THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS STILL THERE.
UH, THE TEAMS THAT ARE STILL ESTABLISHED AND, UH, IN OUR, AGAIN, OUR HOPE IS THAT WE NEVER HAVE TO ACTIVATE THAT SITE.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM CVS, AUSTIN, WHAT DO YOU THINK DIFFERENTIATES AUSTIN, DALLAS, EL PASO, MARIO AND LUBBOCK IN TERMS OF THE SURGES WE'RE SEEING THERE AND NOT AS SIGNIFICANTLY HERE? WELL, I'LL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, THAT THE SITUATION IN AUSTIN HAS, HAS BEEN A BIT DIFFERENT ALL ALONG BACK TO FEBRUARY, MARCH.
I THINK THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS ENGAGED.
THEY'RE KNOWLEDGEABLE, THEY'RE INFORMED OF THE SCIENCE AND BELIEVE IN IT.
UH, I THINK THAT'S DECREASED THE AMOUNT OF CONTROVERSY THAT WE'VE HAD LOCALLY IN TERMS OF, OF THIS PANDEMIC.
I THINK WE HAVE BENEFITED FROM AN INCREDIBLE PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR HOSPITAL SYSTEMS, UH, CAME ON BOARD EARLY, UH, TO START THE COLLABORATIVE PROCESS.
UH, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS DELL MEDICAL SCHOOL, UH, HAS BEEN A GREAT COLLABORATIVE PARTNER, BUT WE'VE HAD A GROUNDSWELL OF, OF COMMUNITY GROUPS ALSO WORKING CLOSELY WITH US TO REACH OUT TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY OUR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
AND I THINK THAT COLLABORATIVE PROCESS, THAT REAL ALL GOVERNMENT, ALL COMMUNITY APPROACH THAT WAS REALIZED HERE AND IS REALIZED HERE IN AUSTIN.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT CERTAINLY SETS US APART.
AND I'LL JUST ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH EPIDEMIOLOGISTS FROM THE OTHER MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREAS, AND WE KIND OF SHARE EXPERIENCES AND THINGS THAT ARE WORKING FOR THEM AND THINGS THAT ARE WORKING WELL FOR US.
AND, UH, WHILE WE WERE, UH, ENJOYING THE LUXURY OF HAVING THE LUXURY OF HAVING THAT FLATTENED CURVE, WE KNEW THAT THOSE OTHER METROPOLITAN AREAS WE'RE BEGINNING TO SEE RISES IN CASES IN HOSPITALIZATIONS.
SO IT KIND OF HELPED US BE A LITTLE BIT MORE READY TO ANTICIPATE THAT THAT ACTIVITY IS HAPPENING, WHETHER IT WAS RELATED TO SCHOOLS OR REOPENING, THEY KIND OF CO COINCIDED AT THE SAME TIME.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT DID GIVE US SOME INFORMATION AND IT GIVES US SOME, UH, INSIGHT ON WHAT WORKS WELL FOR THEM AND OTHER MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREAS AS WELL.
BUT, UH, IT'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE THAT COLLABORATION WITH OTHER EPIDEMIOLOGISTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
I MENTIONED ONE OTHER THING, AND THAT'S A, THAT'S OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THIS SITUATION, THEY'VE LISTENED TO THE SCIENCE.
WE'VE HAD ENGAGED DISCUSSIONS, MAYOR ADLER, JUDGE ECKHART, AND NOW JUDGE FISCO OUR CITY COUNCIL, OUR COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
UH, THIS HAS REALLY BEEN AN OPEN AND HONEST DISCUSSION AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN GRATEFUL FOR, UH, FOR THAT LEADERSHIP AND IN THAT DECISION-MAKING TO, TO REALLY, UH, BACK TO DECISIONS WITH, WITH THE SCIENCE.
AND I THINK THAT HAS, HAS LED US TO A POSITIVE SITUATION.
UH, AND, AND CERTAINLY ONE THAT I AM SURE WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THIS PANDEMIC.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS FROM KVU WHEN IT COMES TO COLLEGES AND HOTSPOTS, WHAT IS TRAVIS COUNTY DOING RIGHT WITH? UT HAS 18.4% OF CASES ARE UT SINCE EIGHT 26, AS OPPOSED TO HAYS COUNTY WITH TEXAS STATE 64% OF CASES ARE TEXAS STATE SINCE EIGHT 24.
YOU KNOW, I THINK AGAIN, WE'VE, WE'VE HAD A, A CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH UT SINCE THE BEGINNING, AND UT HAS DONE A REMARKABLE JOB OF, OF ADDRESSING THE SITUATION.
UM, THEY HAVE A PROACTIVE TESTING PROCESS.
THEY HAVE AN ENGAGED STUDENT BODY WHO IS, UH, WHO IS WORKING TOGETHER WITH, WITH THE FACULTY AND STAFF TO HELP ENSURE THAT THEY ARE DOING THINGS SAFELY, BUT WE'VE GOT STUDENT LEADERSHIP AT UT WHO IS, IS WORKING TO, UH, TO ECHO THAT MESSAGE AMONGST THEIR PEERS.
AND I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT, THAT THESE PARTNERSHIPS ARE, ARE IMPORTANT AND HAVING THAT ENGAGEMENT IS IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK UT HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB, YOU KNOW, EARLY ON WE,
[00:40:01]
UH, WE HAD THE SITUATION RELATED TO THE CABO SAN LUCAS TRAIL THAT WAS CONTAINED.WE HAD, UH, EARLY CONCERNS WITH THE FALL SEMESTER AS WE HAD A SUDDEN RISING CASES, BUT THAT'S TURNED INTO A TRIPLE.
AND I THINK THAT THAT IS REFLECTIVE OF THE LEADERSHIP OF, OF UT AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO MANAGING THIS DISEASE AND, AND BEING A RESPONSIBLE MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I'LL ADD, YOU KNOW, THEY, UH, BECAUSE UT WAS PLACED IN AN INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENT WITH US TO ASSIST US WITH OUR CONTACT TRACING EFFORTS, THEY HAD A REALLY EFFECTIVE, SUCCESSFUL, UH, APPROACH TO CONTACT TRACY AND THAT'S, UM, HELPED, UH, STOP DISEASE TRANSMISSION WITHIN THEIR STUDENT POPULATION AND THEIR FACULTY AS WELL.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH THEM SO THAT WE ARE MAKING SURE WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH THEM AS WELL AS OTHER HIGH EDUCATIONS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE TO ASSIST THOSE, UH, SCHOOLS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, UM, SHOULD THEY NEED SOME TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE? ALTHOUGH YOUTUBE IS QUITE CAPABLE, THEY HAVE, UH, SOME GREAT EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELD THAT ARE, UH, WORKING AT UT DELL MEDICAL SCHOOL.
SO, UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY'RE ABLE TO IDENTIFY CASES THEY'RE ABLE TO WITHIN THEIR STUDENT POPULATION ABLE TO DO SOME OF THE CONTACT TRACING AND, UH, STOP DISEASE AND TEST, UH, I THINK THEY'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AT THOSE EFFORTS.
OUR LAST QUESTION COMES FROM ONE OF HIS JAAN, WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH PEOPLE IN BUSINESSES WHO ARE NOT ABIDING WITH THE QUARANTINE GUIDELINES AND ARE GOING ABOUT THEIR NORMAL LIFE, EXPOSING OTHER PEOPLE? UH, SO FOR THE, THE BUSINESSES, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TEAM, UH, ALONG WITH CODE AND, UH, THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE DOING REGULAR INSPECTIONS OF, OF BUSINESSES OR COMPLIANCE.
UM, THEY ARE GIVING REMINDERS WARNINGS, IF YOU WILL, OUT FOR VIOLATIONS, IF THOSE VIOLATIONS ARE REPEATED, UH, THEN, THEN FINES WILL BE ISSUED.
UH, WE CERTAINLY HAVE THE AUTHORITY AND THE WILL TO CLOSE BUSINESSES.
IF WE SEE PATTERNS OF, UH, VIOLATIONS THAT, UH, POSE A RISK TO THE PUBLIC, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK ENFORCEMENT IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS A CHALLENGE.
IT'S A CHALLENGE BECAUSE WE HAVE ON AVERAGE NOW A HUNDRED CASES A DAY, AND ULTIMATELY WE CAN'T ENFORCE OUR WAY INTO, INTO SUCCESS WITH COVID-19.
IT TAKES INDIVIDUALS FEELING THAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY AND, AND BEING PROTECTIVE OF OTHERS.
AND THAT MEANS IF YOU HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19, YOU STAY HOME, YOU ORGANIZE A TEST.
IF YOU ARE, COVID-19 POSITIVE, YOU STAY HOME UNTIL YOU ARE BETTER.
IF YOU'RE EXPOSED TO COVID-19, YOU STAY HOME FOR 14 DAYS, REGARDLESS OF IF YOU HAVE A NEGATIVE TEST OR NOT, IF PEOPLE WILL BE ENGAGED IN THAT AND REALLY EMBRACE THAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY, WE CAN GET THIS THING UNDER CONTROL.
AGAIN, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH TEAM, UM, HAS CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS TO, UM, KNEE IN THIS ENFORCEMENT ROLE.
AND, UM, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IF INDIVIDUALS ARE SEEING INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT BUSINESSES, PLEASE CALL THREE ONE, ONE.
AND, UM, AND LET'S SIT IN BOSTON, KNOW THAT YOU'VE NOTICED, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S AN INDIVIDUAL THAT IS WORKING AT A, UH, YOU KNOW, A RESTAURANT OR A BUSINESS THAT IS NOT WEARING THEIR MASK, UM, OR THERE IS A, UH, THAT YOU FEEL LIKE THE SOCIAL DISTANCING IS NOT HAPPENING.
UM, IF THERE'S NOT INFORMATION THAT IS POSTED AND WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT, UM, ABOUT, UM, PRACTICING SAFE PRACTICES FROM A HEALTH PERSPECTIVE THAT ARE VISIBLE, OH, PLEASE CALL THREE, ONE, ONE.
AND OUR STAFF WE'LL VISIT THAT BUSINESS AND, UM, PROVIDE SOME TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
AND AS DR S SCOTT STATED, OUR SYSTEM IS PROGRESSIVE.
WE STARTED INITIALLY WITH A WARNING WHICH MOVES TO A CITATION.
AND SO PLEASE REACH OUT AND CALL THREE, ONE, ONE.
NOW WE WILL OPEN IT BACK UP TO OUR PANEL MEMBERS FOR FINAL COMMENTS.
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YOU GET YOUR FLU VACCINE.YOU CAN GO TO AUSTIN, TEXAS.GOV, BACKSLASH FLU, AND RECEIVE INFORMATION ABOUT UPCOMING CLINICS THAT WE HAVE.
THERE IS A VACCINE FINDER.ORG.
IF YOU HAVE INSURANCE AND YOU CAN FIND A PROVIDER THERE, UM, JUST ANOTHER REMINDER, PLEASE, PLEASE DECIDE WHAT IS GOING TO BE, UM, YOUR PROCESS MOVING FORWARD WITH YOUR FAMILY.
WE NEED YOU TO WEAR YOUR MASK.
WE NEED TO, TO, UM, WATCH YOUR DISTANCE AS WELL AS WASHING YOUR HANDS.
THOSE KEY THINGS ARE GOING TO BE IMPORTANT AND PLEASE STAY HOME IF YOU'RE NOT FEELING WELL.
AND IF YOU NEED TO HAVE A TEST, GO TO OUR WEBSITE AND SCHEDULE A TEST AT ONE OF OUR COVID TESTING LOCATIONS, THAT'S GOT YOU'RE MUTED.
UH, FOR FOLKS WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF VOTING, UH, THE TRAVIS COUNTY CLERK HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB OF MITIGATING THE RISK.
THEIR PROCESSES ARE FANTASTIC.
UH, EVERYBODY'S MASKED, EVERYBODY'S DISTANCED.
UH, THEY'VE JUST DONE A GREAT JOB.
SO GET OUT AND VOTE AND FEEL SAFE ABOUT, ABOUT DOING THAT.
UH, THE OTHER THING I WANT TO REMIND FOLKS CASES ARE ON THE RISE AND HALLOWEEN IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
AND IF WE DO NOT WANT TO HAVE A, A THANKSGIVING IN A PERIOD OF CRISIS, WE'VE GOT A REALLY TAMPED DOWN OR ACTIVITIES FOR HALLOWEEN.
WE'VE GOT TO REDISCOVER THAT VIGILANCE THAT WE HAD REGARDING THE HAND WASHING AND THE DISTANCING AND THE OTHER ELEMENTS OF, OF SAFETY.
UH, IF, IF WE CAN GET THOSE THINGS UNDER CONTROL, IF WE CAN INCREASE OUR VISUALS AGAIN, WE CAN FLATTEN THE CURVE ONCE AGAIN AND, UH, HAVE A BETTER OUTLOOK FOR THANKSGIVING.
AND I'M GOING TO SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT, UH, AGAIN, FLU IS ON THE RISE.
UH, WE ARE, HAVE START WELL INTO OUR FLU SEASON AND WE'RE BEGINNING TO SEE CASES BEING REPORTED INTO US, UH, AS A POSITIVE FLU.
SO ALONG WITH COVID AGAIN, PLEASE USE THOSE, UH, PREVENTION MEASURES THAT WILL PROTECT YOU FROM DISEASE, TRANSMISSION RISKS.
UH, AS, AS STEPHANIE HAD SAID EARLIER, WEAR YOUR MASK, MAKE SURE YOUR SOCIAL DISTANCING, UH, YOU KNOW, FREQUENTLY WASH YOUR HANDS, AVOID TOUCHING YOUR FACE.
UH, AND IF YOU'RE SICK, STAY HOME.
AND AGAIN, IF YOU'RE IN QUARANTINE AND HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED AS, UH, A CASE THAT HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO A PERSON WHO HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO A CASE, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU STAY IN QUARANTINE AND THAT A NEGATIVE TEST WILL NOT GET YOU OUT OF QUARANTINE.
YOU NEED TO FINISH YOUR 14 DAY QUARANTINE PERIOD.
UM, AGAIN, IF WE HAVE A CASE, INVESTIGATORS CONTACT YOU ABOUT YOUR ILLNESS, WE, YOU KNOW, OR ABOUT YOUR POTENTIAL EXPOSURE.
WE ARE ASKING THAT YOU BE COOPERATIVE WITH OUR CONTACT TRACERS.
WE WOULD NEVER ASK FOR ANY KIND OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION, UH, OR, OR BANK INFORMATION OR IMMIGRATION STATUS, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU COOPERATE WITH THOSE, UH, EPIDEMIOLOGISTS WHO ARE FOLLOWING UP WITH YOU, UH, BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO REDUCE TRANSMISSION RISKS IN THE COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED, WHO GO ON TO DEVELOP ILLNESS ARE GETTING TESTED APPROPRIATELY.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR MEDIA AVAILABILITY FOR TODAY.
THANKS TO APH DIRECTOR, STEPHANIE HAYDEN, DR.
MARK S. SCOTT EPIDEMIOLOGIST, JANET PICHETTE, AND TO OUR POOR PORTER FROM KUT SINGITA MINNOWS.