Page 9 - Mark Escott News Today

Coronavirus cases, daily hospital admissions and intensive care unit use in the Austin area are all down since last week, and the area remains in stage 3 of Austin Public Health’s risk-based guidelines. Numbers have declined the most among older populations, since they are more likely to have been vaccinated by now. But hospitalizations in the area for people ages 10 to 19 rose over the past week. After the Food and Drug Administration expanded eligibility for the Pfizer vaccine to kids ages...

The Texas House on Tuesday passed a bill that would curb the governors powers during a pandemic, a response to criticism from both Republicans and Democrats over Gov. Greg Abbotts use of disaster powers during the coronavirus pandemic.  House Bill 3, known as the Pandemic Response Act, approved 104-39, would create an oversight committee with powers to strike down any governors order, waiver or suspension. It now heads to the Senate.  "We must now take what we have learned this past year in...

10,000 variant COVID infections reported in Florida Gina Martinez For Dailymail.Com © Provided by Daily Mail MailOnline logo Cases of variant forms of COVID have surged in Florida just weeks after the state was inundated with spring breakers, data has revealed.   Florida now has the distinction of being the home to the most variant COVID-19 cases in the country as state health officials reported more than 11,800 cases of COVID-19 variants on Wednesday, the Sun Sentinel rep...

A third of vaccine skeptics would get COVID-19 shot if offered a $100 cash incentive, study finds Researchers at UCLA asked more than 7000 unvaccinated Americans whether cash incentives would encourage them to get the COVID-19  shot 34% said they would be more likely to get vaccinated if they were offered $100, 31% said theyd be more likely to get it if offered $50  But cash incentives were not universally popular: 15% said a cash offer  of $100 would make them less likely to get vaccinated...

A third of vaccine skeptics would accept COVID-19 shot if offered $100 Bevan Hurley And Natalie Rahhal, U.S. Health Editor For Dailymail.Com © Provided by Daily Mail MailOnline logo A third of Americans yet to receive a COVID-19 vaccine say they would be more likely to get the shot if offered $100, a study has found. The cash incentives proved far more persuasive than an endorsement from a doctor or pharmacist, a public health expert such as Anthony Fauci or a polarizing poli...

Florida becomes Covid variant capital of the US with 11,800 cases: Surge in infections after Spring Breakers flooded the state but overall cases fall Florida is home to the most variant COVID-19 cases in the country as state health officials reported more than 11,800 cases of COVID-19 variants   As of May 1, Miami-Dade County led the state with 2,279 variant cases, followed by Broward County with 1,950 variant cases Since only one percent of all COVID-19 cases in Florida undergo testing to st...

Escott sheds Travis County health authority role to become Austins chief medical officer full time Interim Austin-Travis County Health Authority Dr. Mark Escott is moving on from his role as the countys top doc and is set to work full time as the chief medical officer for the city of Austin, according to a letter addressed to Mayor Steve Adler.  The letter, which is also addressed to Austin and Travis County elected officials, states that Escott will end his interim role as county health aut...

  Medical Director/Health Authority   The City of Austin has identified Desmar Walkes, M.D. as the City’s next Medical Director/Health Authority. Dr. Walkes will begin her new duties on May 31, 2021. Dr. Walkes has 33 years of experience in health care as a family practitioner, medical authority, medical director, and in administrative medicine. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with honors from Acadia University in Nova Scotia, Canada and her Medical Doctor d...

Desmar Walkes to take over from Escott after shakeup among Austin-area public health leaders The city announced Friday that Dr. Desmar Walkes would take over May 31 as the Austins areas top doc in matters involving public health policy. Walkes will replace Dr. Mark Escott, who served as Austin-Travis County health authority throughout the coronavirus pandemic in an interim role. As the health authority, Walkes will serve as medical director for Austin Public Health and will be responsibl...

May 7, 2021 Austin-Travis County could go into the Stage Two Coronavirus Risk category next week. Dr. Mark Escott announced today the lowering is because people have been dedicated to social distancing, mask-wearing, and getting the COVID vaccine. Escott noted almost all new virus cases are in people under the age of 50. Almost 40-percent of Travis Countys population has been fully vaccinated. Photo: Austin-Travis County Health (Virtual Briefing)