Page 23 - Mark Escott News Today

Travis Co. commissioners, Austin City Council get COVID update By FOX 7 Austin Digital Team Published  Travis Co. Commissioners Court and Austin City Council special joint session - 1/26/21 Austin Public Health provides an update to commissioners and city council members on the latest on the coronavirus. AUSTIN, Texas - Austin Public Health provided an update on COVID-19 to a joint session between the Travis County Commissioners Court and Austin City Council. Dr. Mark Escott and Dr. Stephanie...

KUT Hundreds of Austinites wait in line outside the Delco Activity Center for COVID-19 vaccines from Austin Public Health on Jan. 14. Coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in the Austin area are slowly decreasing. The city’s interim health authority says the change is happening because residents are reducing transmission by wearing masks and staying home as much as possible. Dr. Mark Escott said the numbers are declining slowly, but nonetheless it’s a move in the right direction. The numbe...

Along with Round Rock ISD, schools around the Austin region have been trying to ride the waves day by day.

Watch the public briefing live here on Friday at 11:15 a.m.:   Dr. Mark Escott, interim Austin-Travis County Health authority, will be joined by Austin Public Health Director Stephanie Hayden-Howard at 11:15 a.m. to hopefully clear up much confusion regarding vaccine distribution under the states new hub system.  Every media outlet in Travis County is allowed to ask Escott and Hayden-Howard two questions about vaccines or anything related to coronavirus cases. The American-Statesman plans t...

After weeks of urging Austin school district families to keep their children at home to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Superintendent Dr. Stephanie S. Elizalde on Thursday said recent data shows a decrease in COVID-19 cases and invited students who have recently opted for remote learning options to return to campus starting Monday.  In a letter to parents Thursday, Elizalde said returning to campus is not mandatory, adding that remote learning options remain open to students. She als...

Austin officials acknowledge frustration amid slow vaccine rollout APH urged patience as the vaccine rollout continues. WPA Pool / Getty Images Austin health leaders urged patience — and continued vigilance — amid a slow rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. During a virtual news conference on January 22, Austin Public Health director Stephanie Hayden, interim health authority Dr. Mark Escott, and APH chief epidemiologist Janet Pichette acknowledged the publics frustration and provided some ...

Echoing Lt. Gov. Dan Patricks letter this week urging state officials to simplify the coronavirus vaccine rollout plan, Austin-Travis County health leaders on Friday said local residents will continue to be confused and frustrated unless the state intervenes.  Patrick also recommended the state begin by first vaccinating the less than 1.5 million Texans older than 75, then focusing on the fewer than 60,000 teachers and school staff over the age of 65 — that way, qualifying residen...

Hundreds wait in line at a vaccination site in Northeast Austin on Jan. 14. Austin Public Health has provided 18,427 vaccines to the Austin and Travis County community as of Thursday, according to APH Director Stephanie Hayden-Howard. But one thing is certain, she said during a press conference, APH doesn’t have enough doses for everyone right now. “We are asking for you to be patient with us," she said. Hayden-Howard said APH has received only 1% of the doses needed to vaccinate the commu...

Health officials say the community's efforts look to be paying off, but now it's an effort to keep this trend going.

"[We’re] talking about thousands of people who are going to be in contact for six months. That represents a risk for a superspreading event," Dr. Mark Escott said.