COVID-19 Minute
Feb. 7: Numbers — with the notable exception of deaths — continue to trend down.
As of its latest update, Austin Public Health was reporting 181,202 known cases of COVID-19 in Travis County, with 2,951 cases active and 1,281 deaths. Across the Austin metro area, 431 people are hospitalized, with 121 in ICUs and 58 on ventilators. The number of new cases reported per day was 1,050 on Feb. 7.
Austin is in Stage 5 of APH’s risk-based guidelines. Statewide, there are 6,416,762 known cases, with 79,412 deaths. In the last 28 days, there have been 1,326,581 cases.
KEY INDICATORS
There were 47 new hospital admissions related to COVID-19 in the Austin metro area at last report. The seven-day rolling average is 61. The average for new confirmed cases is 1,780.
The community transmission rate in Travis County is 497.7 as of Feb. 6. The positivity rate is 22.4% Go to dashboard »UT AUSTIN COVID-19 DASHBOARD
The UT Austin COVID-19 Dashboard reports an estimated 779 active cases in the campus community as of Feb. 2. To date, 6,738 students and 2,348 faculty/staff have tested positive for the disease.
Last week’s PCT positivity rate was 3.1% for students and 1.6% for faculty/staff, with a 2.91% combined moving average over the past seven (7) days.The rates for clinical testing were 33.5% and 12.5%, with a 38% combined moving average.
VACCINE UPDATE
Effective today, COVID-19 vaccinations will be offered by UT Health Austin (UTHA) in the Health Transformation Building (HTB) on a new schedule:
- Mondays: Noon to 4 p.m.
- Wednesdays: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Fridays: Noon to 4 p.m.
We will continue to work closely with the UT School of Nursing to support its Vaccine Administration Mobile Operations (VAMOS) effort. Learn more »
PEDIATRIC VACCINATIONS
Last week, Pfizer asked the FDA to authorize two doses of its vaccine for children younger than 5 as it continues to research whether three doses would be more effective. An FDA advisory group will meet Feb. 15 to discuss the request and make a recommendation.
UTHA will continue to offer vaccination to people 12 and older. The School of Nursing’s Family Wellness Center is the only UT health care entity providing pediatric doses.
INPATIENT CARE
Across the Ascension Seton network, which includes Waco, numbers continue to decline. There are 259 inpatients with COVID-19 or mild/asymptomatic COVID, down from 357 this time last week.
At Dell Seton, there are 36 inpatients with COVID-19 or mild/asymptomatic COVID; nine (9) are in the ICU and four (4) are on ventilators. These numbers include patients admitted with COVID-19 and patients who are COVID positive and admitted for other reasons.TESTING OPTIONS
If you are symptomatic or were exposed to someone with COVID-19, call 833-UT-CARES (833-882-2737) for clinical testing. See testing guidance »
UT Austin continues its Proactive Community Testing, or PCT, program, providing quick and painless COVID-19 tests for asymptomatic members of our campus community. Make an appointment »
NEW DAY FOR PCT IN HTB
Walk-in PCT at the HTB is moving to Wednesdays effective this week. Get tested from 8 a.m. to noon at the Mitchel and Shannon Wong Eye Institute on the first floor.
Results from these PCR tests are same day.
HOME TESTING SUPPLIES
UT Health Austin has testing supplies available to symptomatic health care workers at the drive-up testing center on the fifth floor of the Health Center Garage.
Please do not pick up additional testing kits beyond what is needed for symptomatic health care workers; one test is allowed per employee. ID badge is required, and no appointment is necessary.
MINUTE UPDATE
Effective immediately, the COVID-19 Minute is on hiatus.