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Williamson Co. Health District downgrades risk of catching COVID-19 from high to moderate

Austin American-Statesman - 5/31/2021

The Williamson County and Cities Health District downgraded the risk of catching the coronavirus in the county from high to moderate on Friday.

For the first time since Nov. 4, the county has met three conditions, based on recommendations by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that allow officials to announce a lower risk of community transmission.

The conditions call for fewer than seven people per 100,000 to have been infected in the past 14 days, county health officials said in a statement Thursday.

"That's between six to 40 new cases per day for our population," said Allison Stewart, lead epidemiologist for the health district.

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Secondly, the rate of people testing positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, has been below 10% for 14 consecutive days, county health officials said.

The third condition that the county has achieved involves the COVID hospitalization rate for Texas Trauma Service Area Region O, which has been below 15% since Jan. 23, according to the county.

Austin-area counties Travis, Williamson, Hays and Bastrop are all in Texas Trauma Service Area O, which includes seven other counties.

“Our collective vaccination efforts are working, and we thank the Williamson County community for making great progress in getting vaccinated and reducing the spread of COVID-19,” said Derrick Neal, executive director of the health district, in a statement. “We encourage all those who are eligible, including those 12 years and older, to take advantage of the opportunity to get vaccinated now so they can head into summer safely.”

READ MORE: Williamson health district recommends 14-day quarantine for coronavirus exposure

The health district made its announcement about lower community risk on Thursday, the same day it reported one new death and 13 new cases of COVID-19. The county had seen a total of 39,695 cases and 476 deaths by Thursday.

As many as 242,249 people have been fully vaccinated in Williamson County and 304,458 people received their first vaccine dose there, according to figures Thursday from the Texas Department of State Health Services. The figures also showed that 49.1% of the county's population ages 12 and up is fully vaccinated.

Downgrading the risk of coronavirus means the district will go from the orange phase (high community transmission risk) to the yellow phase (moderate community transmission risk).

READ MORE: Quarter of Austin-Travis County still vulnerable to COVID, needs vaccine, officials say

“The change in status reflects the hard work we have put in as a community to protect ourselves and each other," said County Judge Bill Gravell. "I am proud of the people of Williamson County. It is time to move forward."

The color-based Phase Guidelines are not changes to local rules or regulations for businesses.

"It is important to note that everyone should continue to follow any additional requirements of local businesses, venues and schools regardless of vaccination status or stage," county health officials said in their statement. "Additionally, residents are reminded that wearing a mask, even when fully vaccinated, is an effective tool to reduce spread of many respiratory illnesses."

Shawn Faulk, owner of the Star Coffee Texas coffee shop and cafe in Round Rock, said Friday that the downgrading of the community risk of transmission was "in line with what's going on."

"More people are vaccinated or beginning to get vaccinated," he said.

Faulk said he will not require customers to wear masks starting June 1. His employees are all vaccinated but will continue to wear masks, he said.

"I think we found out it was just more sanitary," he said. None of his employees have called in sick this past year because wearing masks has kept them from getting illnesses or suffering from allergies, he said.

"We want to keep that going as it has lessened our employees' health issues," he said.

The health district will scale back updating its dashboard that provides information on coronavirus cases in the county back to once per week on Mondays starting June 1. The dashboard is at wcchd.org/covid-19/dashboard.php The district had been providing daily updates on its dashboard from Monday through Friday.

For more information on COVID-19 visit wcchd.org/COVID-19.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Williamson Co.Health District downgrades risk of catching COVID-19 from high to moderate

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