AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Local health officials say declining infections and an improved community transmission rate are allowing them to drop Austin and Travis County back to Stage 4 in Austin Public Health's COVID-19 risk-based guidelines, just weeks ahead of the spring festival season.
Despite the relaxation of the public health agency's guidelines, officials warn that we aren't quite out of the woods yet.
Under Stage 4, fully vaccinated and/or boosted individuals are urged to wear masks when gathering with people outside of their household, and while traveling, dining, and shopping.
Related
Those who are partially or completely unvaccinated, according to the recommendations, should continue to wear masks, avoid gatherings with people outside of their household, only travel and shop if essential and choose takeaway/curbside options for dining - and get fully vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible.
“With omicron, we saw test numbers and positivity rates that surpassed our previous records during the pandemic. This surge posed a threat to our hospital systems and our community as a whole,” said Dr. Desmar Walkes, Austin-Travis County Health Authority. “It’s thanks to the many community members who got vaccinated, continue to wear masks and follow safe practices that our numbers are moving in the right direction.”
APH says during the peak of the omicron variant outbreak, which happened in late January, as many as 1 in 3 COVID-19 tests were coming back positive.
"Today’s announcement comes with cautious optimism. But, we still face a special risk with people about to arrive from all over for South by Southwest and the rodeo," said Austin Mayor Steve Adler. "Let’s all get boosted and wear masks through these spring festival events. Doing this protects our city."
As of Thursday, the 7-day moving average of new hospitalizations had fallen to 31, with a county-wide positivity rate of 11.3% and a community transmission rate of 91.1. 243 people remain hospitalized with COVID-19 across the five-county metro.