Coronavirus cases have taken a turn in the wrong direction this week in Central Texas, with reports from various counties of some of the highest single-day additions of new cases since the beginning of the pandemic. Travis County this week experienced consecutive single-day records, and while many critics of Governor Greg Abbott’s reopening plan have been quick to cast the blame toward him, Austin Public Health said Wednesday there are other factors contributing to the spike that go beyond the resurgence of the business sector.
“Quite frankly, we also have an increase in risk-taking behavior,” said Travis County Interim Health Authority Dr. Mark Escott. “People are less cautious, they’re not wearing masks as much, and they’re not paying as close attention to the other personal hygiene messages, like washing your hands frequently and not touching your face.”
There has been a lot of speculation that the spike can be attributed to recent protests in which thousands of people have stood shoulder-to-shoulder over multiple weekends. While it’s almost a guarantee the protesters have been vectors for the virus, Escott says case reporting typically lags behind by about two weeks, and so the true impact the protests will have on COVID-19 transmission won’t be known for another week or two.
By Thursday morning, Austin Public Health reported a total of 4109 confirmations, 3248 of which are now recoveries. 104 people are currently in the hospital and 99 have died.
Despite the sharp rise, Escott says it should not be reason for people to stop living their lives.
“That doesn’t mean people need to live in fear,” he said.
