Austin Public Health this week raised the area’s Risk-Based Guidance to Stage 5, its highest level, in response to the most recent increase in COVID-19 cases.
“The omicron variant is overwhelming our community, and it’s starting to take its toll on our hospitals,” said Dr. Desmar Wakes, Austin-Travis County Health Authority. “We cannot continue to be lax when it comes to protecting ourselves and preventing the spread of COVID-19. That attitude has led us to return to Stage 5 and have one of the highest community transmission rates in the state. We all must do what we can to protect each other and our hospital systems, or else the situation will reach dire levels that no one wants to consider.”
In Stage 5, Austin Public Health recommends:
- Fully vaccinated and/or boosted individuals should continue to wear well-fitting masks whenever leaving their household, and choose curbside/takeout options for dining. High-risk individuals should choose curbside or outdoor options for dining and travel only when essential.
- Partially or unvaccinated individuals, and those who need their booster dose are discouraged from gathering outside of the home and traveling. Choose curbside, takeout and outdoor options for shopping and dining. Get fully vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible.
The omicron variant multiplies at a substantially faster rate than previous COVID-19 variants in airways, however across the world the indications continue to be that it is producing much less severe symptoms than previous variants.
“We see firsthand that the places where we gather, shop and work want to stay open to serve this community and keep our economy progressing forward,” said Laura Huffman, President & CEO of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. “The local business community is counting on all of us to do our part and help keep the community safe and our workforce healthy. Let’s be a city of us by getting vaccinated and boosted and for right now, wearing a mask to protect ourselves and others to help beat the omicron variant.”
