Page 46 - Mark Escott News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

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 public's frustration and provided some insight into the vaccine rollout, which is currently focusing on individuals 65 and older, or the 1...

Echoing Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's 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 residents have an estimated time frame for when they might receive a vaccine. Lastly, Patrick said the vac...

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 community. She said there are 129,438 people in Austin-Travis County alone who are 65 and older, an age g...

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.