Page 36 - Mark Escott News Today

A medical professional walks outside Dell Seton Medical Center in Austin. Roughly nine months into the pandemic, Austin is seeing its highest number of active COVID-19 infections ahead of the holidays, and health officials are begging residents to limit contact to battle back the virus spread. Austin Public Health attributes the rise in cases largely to gatherings over Thanksgiving. Forecasts suggest that if left unchecked, the spread could lead to a "real disaster" that could cripple Austins h...

Austin health authority warns hospitals could be overwhelmed around holidays Dr. Escott warned of Austin becoming another El Paso if people do not listen to the warnings. AUSTIN, Texas - Interim health authority Dr. Mark Escott is concerned about the COVID-19 hospital numbers he is seeing, prompting thoughts of further restrictions. “Overall a significant jump in the individuals hospitalized last week as compared to the previous week 202 to 278. This is the Thanksgiving effect. We are close t...

Rising COVID-19 hospitalizations may spell tighter restrictions for Deep East Texas counties over the next few weeks into the holiday seasons. Gov. Greg Abbotts executive orders allowing restaurants, retailers and offices to open to 75%, hospitals to resume elective surgeries and nursing homes to open to visitors under certain conditions were allowed to counties only if they stayed out of the "danger zone." Angelina County along with others in the Deep East Texas region, including Nacogdoches, ...

Virus cases continue to rise in Texas as vaccine rolls out December 16, 2020 GMT AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The top health official in Austin warned Tuesday that Christmas and New Year’s are likely to be grim as the coronavirus continues its aggressive surge in Central Texas, even as vaccinations provided a glimmer of hope in the fight against the pandemic. Dr. Mark Escott, Austin’s interim health authority, told news station KVUE that the region is seeing “dozens and dozens” of positive ca...

Dec. 1-22. Tuesdays, 5-6pm Online. vidacare@vidaclinic.org, Wednesday 16 PROJECT CONNECT VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE The virtual open house is designed to welcome a new round of feedback on Austins high-capacity transit plan. Online. Free. YMCA EARLY LEARNING READINESS PROGRAM A free community program for qualifying low-income families that focuses on preparing children ages 2-4 for school, while providing their caregivers with the tools to facilitate their child�...

"Were not doing enough": Dr. Escott provides update on COVID numbers By Lauren Reid AUSTIN, Texas - Austin Public Health provided its weekly update to the Travis County Commissioners Court about the latest coronavirus data earlier today. This comes a day after receiving some of Texas’ first COVID-19 vaccines. During Dr. Mark Escotts presentation to the Travis County Commissioners Court, he said that we are not doing enough to curb the spread of the coronavirus within our community. Dr. Es...

Medical Assistant Esmerelda Torres receives the COVID-19 vaccine at Dell Medical School on Tuesday. Esmeralda Torres’ eyes lit up above her mask as she talked about the COVID-19 vaccine she’d gotten in her right arm Tuesday morning. “I’m so excited, I’m like shaking,” she said. “I’m so happy.” Torres, a medical assistant at UT Health Austin’s Musculoskeletal Institute, was one of the first people in Austin to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. On Tuesday morning, front-line heal...

If trends continue on the current path, the Austin area will exceed the average of 50 hospital admissions per day this week and quickly pass the 60 mark within the following week – a trigger to move the region to Stage 5 of its risk-based COVID-19 response. Under Stage 5 guidelines, it is suggested only essential businesses remain open and that all people avoid non-essential travel and gatherings outside their own household. Currently, Travis County remains under Stage 4 risk, with it recomme...

Worsening coronavirus conditions could lead to Austin school district campuses closing to in-person learning once again in January, Superintendent Stephanie S. Elizalde told school board members Monday night.  The district could close schoolhouse doors and offer solely online instruction to its roughly 80,000 students if Austin health officials determine further measures are needed to stymie the spread of the disease, Elizalde said. Such a decision could put the district on a collision course...

Austin-Travis County health officials on Friday reported two more coronavirus-related deaths, bringing the countys pandemic death toll to 504.  In a Friday news release, local health authorities lamented that the number of coronavirus-related deaths had reached above 500 on Thursday, and called the figure a "grim milestone."  "We are so close to having access to a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine, so we must stay the course to protect our loved ones," said Austin Public Health Director ...