Photo by Roschetzky Photography
The commissioner of the Texas Education Agency says he understands what parents are going through right now. With schools closed at least until May 4th, Education Commissioner Mike Morath says he understands what parents are going through because he’s going through it, too.
“For the parents listening at home, we will work through this. We will get through this together. For a little bit more time, we all must remain apart so that we can come back together.” Morath says educators across the state are ready to support parents and their kids through this difficult time and school districts are working hard to keep lessons on track.
Governor Greg Abbott has issued an executive order allowing only essential services to operate through April 30th.
“Texans are expected to limit personal interactions that can lead to the spread of COVID-19 while also still having the freedom to conduct daily activities such as going to the grocery store,” says Abbot.
Those orders will supersede any local orders. 41 people have now died in Texas, and there’s a total of 3,266 cases reported.
More Austin businesses are facing uncertainty about the future with these lengthening shutdowns. I Luv Video clerk, Ian Graham, says Austin’s three week shutdown of non-essential businesses was something he believed his business could handle but Governor Greg Abbott is ordering two more weeks on top of that.
“We have stuff in place, but we’ll have to see after then,” says Graham, “I mean, it’s pretty much uncertain on every level.”
Despite the hardships this will have him endure, Graham says the shutdown was the right decision looking abroad and seeing results in other countries who have done the same.
Austin and Travis County have seen the largest single day jump in new cases of Coronavirus, rising by 38 to a total this morning of 244. 50 cases now confirmed in Williamson County, 38 in Hays County, and still six in Bastrop County. Across the entire region, there are still only two deaths reported.
The downtown Austin Sobering center will be converted into a shelter for people at high risk of catching Coronavirus but County Justice and Public safety executive Roger Jefferies says, will not be a large scale operation by any means.
“Sobering center, following the social distancing guidelines, will only allow for about 15 people. It’s not a great number of people. It’s probably about five females and 10 males,” says Jefferies.
Only the older adults and people with underlying medical conditions will be considered. Jeffrey says others who don’t qualify may find housing in one of the 292 rooms at the Crown Plaza Hotel.
28 University of Texas students return to Austin from a spring break trip to Mexico with Coronavirus. They were on a chartered flight with a total of 70 passengers. Four of those confirmed cases have no symptoms. Mandy McClendon with Austin’s Airports tells CBS Austin that shows how difficult this is to contain the spread.
“Our cleaning procedures are elevated every single day,” says McClendon, “because we might not know for a week or two or a couple of days even, if someone had coronavirus who traveled through Austin-Bergstrom.”
Young adults between 20 and 40 still make up the bulk of local infections. There’s now been a second case of COVID-19 confirmed within the Austin Police Department. Officials say one is a civilian employee and the other is a police officer. APD does believe other employees had contact with the two infected people.
The CDC is expected to reverse its stance on Americans wearing masks out in public. Baylor infectious disease expert Dr Peter Hotez is still not convinced they’ll prevent you from catching COVID-19.
“The thinking is shifting towards wearing that face mask so that if you are infected but not symptomatic yet, you’ll reduce the likelihood that you could infect another person.” Hotez says masks could give you a false sense of security, leading you to venture out more often than you should. Another doctor says wearing masks could increase the likelihood of touching your face.
The Hutto Economic Development Corporation launches an economic recovery program offering loans to small businesses hit hard by closures. Up to $25,000 could be borrowed at no interest, with no payment due for three months. Business owners, who want to apply, have to provide proof that they were directly impacted by the Coronavirus outbreak.
https://omny.fm/shows/klbjam-flash-briefing-1/am-newscast-4-1-20
