AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- With days to go until Austin's spring festival season is in full swing, local health leaders are once again lowering the risk level based on declining cases and hospitalizations.
Despite the drop in stages, Austin Public Health says they'll continue to recommend that individuals continue to wear face coverings indoors throughout the festival season, which continues for much of the month.
Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin-Travis County's local health authority, made the announcement Tuesday morning while giving her regular update to members of the Austin City Council and Travis County Commissioners Court.
"We realize that Austin welcomes hundreds of events, races and international festivals and we are strongly, strongly recommending indoor masking until the end of the spring festival season through March 20," Walkes said.
As of Monday, the 7-day moving average of new hospitalizations was at 20 - firmly in the middle of the Stage 3 threshold. The area's positivity rate and community transmission rate have also continued to decline in recent weeks, Walkes said.
The drop to Stage 3 comes just days after the area dropped to Stage 4. Austin Public Health had been at the highest level in its risk-based guidelines since the omicron variant began to cause a surge in late December.
Walkes said once we get past the festival season, the Stage 3 guidelines will likely be updated to align with recently updated guidance from the CDC, which says that those who are current on their vaccinations to unmask with others outdoors, and while dining and shopping indoors. Those at high risk, or not current on their vaccinations, should continue to mask.