[00:00:15]
WELL, I CAN'T HELP, BUT RE I CAN'T RESIST THE CHANCE TO JUST SAY HELLO TO EVERYBODY I'M IN MY OFFICE.
CAUSE I HAVE A COLD, BUT I WANTED TO TELL THE MAYOR THAT, UH, MY DAUGHTER'S RESTAURANT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST IN NEW YORK TO REQUIRE PROOF OF VACCINATION.
AND, UM, THEY'VE BEEN ON LIKE EVERY NEWS, YOU KNOW, MEDIA COVERED THIS DECISION FOR THIS YOUNG RESTAURANT AND THE PEOPLE JUST KEEP COMING AND SHOWING THEIR PROOF OF VACCINATIONS.
[1. Update on Covid-19 related matters.]
LIVE NOW.THIS IS TRAVIS COUNTY, JUDGE ANDY BROWN CALLING TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT.
TODAY IS, UH, AUGUST 3RD, 2021.
AND I'M MEETING HERE AT 700 800 LAVACA.
WE'VE GOT COMMISSIONER GOMEZ AND, UH, COMMISSIONER HOWARD JOINING US REMOTELY AND, UH, COMMISSIONER TREVELYAN HERE AT 700 LAVACA AS WELL.
AND I WILL CALL THE TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT AND THE JOINT SESSION TO ORDER.
AND I'LL HAND IT OFF TO AUSTIN MAYOR STEVE ADLER, JUDGE.
WE'LL CONVENE OUR PORTION OF THE JOINT MEETING WITH TRAVIS COUNTY.
THIS MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 3RD, 2021.
WE HAVE A FORUM PRESENT AND WE'RE A MEETING VIRTUALLY AND READY TO PROCEED.
UH, LARRY, DO WE HAVE ANY COLORS FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION? THE TRAVIS COUNTY SIDE AT THIS TIME, AND THIS IS ADAM JUDGE AND WE HAVE NOBODY ON THE LINES.
SO TODAY WE'RE GOING TO BE BRIEFED ON COVID-19 RELATED MATTERS AS THE COURT HAS A FULL AGENDA TODAY.
AGAIN, ASKING THAT WE LIMIT OURSELVES TO ONE QUESTION IN THE ORDER BELOW THAT WE HAVE GONE IN THE PAST.
SO FIRST WE'D GO THROUGH COMMISSIONER COURT MEMBERS WITH QUESTIONS THEN, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR, AND THEN, UH, THEN WE'D CLOSE THE MEETING.
AND SO I WILL, UM, TURN IT OVER TO, UH, DR.
WACHS OR APH FOR Y'ALL'S PRESENTATION.
AND SO THE COUNCIL CAN BE READY.
WE'RE GOING TO START DISTRICT 10 AND WORK OUR WAY TOWARD ONE.
IF SOMEONE'S TALKING YOU'RE ON MUTE, BUT MAYBE NOBODY IS TALKING DR.
I WAS, I WAS TALKING, OH, THERE YOU GO.
COULD I HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE? UM, WE'RE HERE TO GIVE EVERYONE AN UPDATE ON THE IMPACT OF THE DELTA VARIANT ON OUR COMMUNITY.
THE SCIENCE HAS CHANGED THIS NEW VARIANT HAS CHALLENGED OUR SYSTEM OR OUR HEALTH SYSTEM.
OUR SEVEN DAY MOVING AVERAGE HAS SURPASSED THE THRESHOLD FOR STAGE FIVE, UM, AT 61 YESTERDAY, UM, WE ARE CONSIDERING, UM, A NEW GUIDANCE THAT WILL BE RELEASED IN THE COMING DAYS TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS REGARDING THE DELTA VARIANT.
UM, THIS GUIDANCE WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE FACT THAT OUR CURRENT SITUATION REGARDING THIS, UM, KATE, THE CASES IS IMPACTED BY THE FACT THAT THIS VIRAL, THE VIRAL LOAD THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE, UM, UNVACCINATED PEOPLE WHO HAVE, UH, COVID-19 FROM THIS, THIS PARTICULAR VARIANT AND PEOPLE WHO ARE VACCINATED.
WACHS, UM, I, I AM ADMITTEDLY, I'M HARD OF HEARING.
[00:05:02]
YEAH.IF YOU COULD SPEAK UP, PLEASE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, YES.
MY MICROPHONE WASN'T PLUGGED IN.
WE COULD HEAR YOU, BUT NOW I CAN'T.
WE COULD HEAR YOU SAY OKAY BACK.
CAN EVERYBODY HEAR GOOD TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES? I'LL START AGAIN.
UM, WE HAVE AN NEW VARIANT, THE DELTA VARIANT, AND IT'S IMPACTED OUR HOSPITAL SYSTEMS AND MEDICAL SYSTEMS BECAUSE IT SPREADS MUCH MORE RAPIDLY.
IT'S A HUNDRED TIMES THE VIRAL LOAD THAT WE'RE SEEING IN PATIENTS THAT HAVE THIS.
WE'RE SEEING IT BOTH UNVACCINATED AND VACCINATED PEOPLE AT THIS LEVEL, THOSE WHO ARE VACCINATED HAVE MILD DISEASE OR SUMMARIZED SYMPTOMATIC.
BUT FOR THIS REASON, WE ARE ASKING EVERYONE TO WEAR A MASK, UM, TO HELP TO STOP THE SPREAD OF THIS.
IF WE LOOK AT OUR NUMBERS, UM, THAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW, UM, IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR ON THE FIFTH OR THEREABOUTS, WHEN WE HAD A LULL.
AND THEN IF YOU LOOK UP THROUGH THE, TO THE DECEMBER TIMEFRAME, WHEN OUR NUMBERS MATCHED, WHERE WE WERE YESTERDAY AND THE 400 RANGE, UM, THE LEVEL OF HOSPITALIZATION, THE RATE OF HOSPITALIZATIONS WAS HALF WHAT IT IS RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO THIS VARIANT AS HAS BEEN REPORTED IN NUMEROUS PUBLICATIONS, MAKES IT MORE LIKELY THAT FOR UNVACCINATED PEOPLE TO BE ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL, AND THIS IS WHAT IS DRIVING THIS CURVE TO GO UP IN AN ALMOST VERTICAL DIRECTION RIGHT NOW.
SO WE'VE BEEN DOING SEQUENCING AND I WANT TO STOP HERE AND JUST EXPLAIN THAT SEQUENCING IS DONE AND IS, IS APPROVED BY, UH, THE CDC FOR THE PURPOSES OF PUBLIC HEALTH SURVEILLANCE AND RESEARCH.
IT'S NOT USED FOR DIAGNOSIS AND DECIDING TO TREAT INDIVIDUALS FOR COVID-19.
UM, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED IN OUR COMMUNITY 29, UM, CONFIRMED CASES OF THE DELTA VARIANT.
I THINK YOU NEED TO GO BACK ONE SLIDE, SORRY, ADRIAN.
UM, AND THIS HAS, UH, BEEN FOUND IN HOSPICE
SO WE SENT THEIR INFORMATION, THEIR TEST OFF TO THE STATE LAB TO CONFIRM WHAT TYPE OF VARIANT THEY HAD.
WE WERE ALSO DOING THIS IN SPECIALIZED CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE CLUSTERS ARE, ARE OCCURRING.
AND WE'VE SEEN THIS, UM, VARIANT ALSO PICKED UP IN, UH, SITUATIONS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN VACCINATED AND LIVE IN FAMILY GROUPS.
UM, IN THE LITERATURE, WE SEE THAT THE VARIANT ITSELF IS HIGHLY TRANSMISSIBLE AND, AND IN LINEAR IN GROUP SITUATIONS WHERE A SOCIAL DISTANCING IS NOT POSSIBLE AND YOU'RE WEARING MASK AND EDWARDS, NOT USING THE MITIGATION STRATEGIES THAT WE'VE BEEN USING ALL ALONG TO HELP PREVENT SPREAD THIS VARIANT CAN MOVE AND ATTACK AND CAUSE ILLNESS AND PEOPLE MUCH QUICKER.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UH, YEAH, I THINK YOU'VE HEARD ON THE NEWS THAT THE DELTA VARIANTS HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE AS INFECTIOUS AS THE CHICKEN POX.
AND I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT IN THAT SENSE, WE TALK ABOUT THEY ARE NOT VALUE, WHICH IS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT SOMEONE THAT'S INFECTED CAN INFECT IF THEY'RE AROUND SOMEONE WHO'S VULNERABLE OR IN OTHER WORDS, SOMEONE THAT'S UN-VACCINATED.
UM, AND THIS IS SHOWING US THAT THE DELTA VARIANTS ARE NOT VALUE IS HIGHER THAN THE ALPHA VARIANT.
AND IT'S ABOUT THE SAME AS CHICKEN POX.
[00:10:01]
AND YOU'LL ALSO SEE THAT THE MODE OF TRANSMISSION FOR THE DELTA VARIANT IS, UM, AEROSOL AND AEROSOLIZED DROPLETS.AND AS IS WITH THE COVID-19, WHY AM I BRINGING THIS UP? UM, BECAUSE I WANT TO TALK ABOUT VACCINATIONS.
UM, WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT HERD IMMUNITY.
WE WERE HOPING THAT WE COULD GET TO 70 AND THINGS WOULD BE GREAT, BUT THE SCIENCE HAS CHANGED AND THE SCIENCE HAS CHANGED BECAUSE THIS VIRUS, UH, JUST LIKE ALL LIVING CREATURES IS FOUND A WAY TO SURVIVE BY MUTATING ITSELF.
SO IT'S SPREADING A LOT EASIER IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE THAT WE HAVE HIGHER, UM, HERD IMMUNITY, THRESHOLDS.
AND SO WE'RE HERE TO, FOR, WE WERE HOPING THAT WE COULD ACHIEVE HERD IMMUNITY IN SOMEWHERE IN THE 70, 75% RANGE OF HERD IMMUNITY WITH THE STELE TO VARIANT, BECAUSE IT CAN SPREAD A LOT QUICKER THAN, AND A LOT EASIER THAN THE PREVIOUS VARIANTS THAT WE'VE DEALT WITH IN PREVIOUS SEARCHES, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO HAVE MORE PEOPLE BECOME IMMUNE BY BEING VACCINATED.
WHEN WE LOOK AT AND THINK ABOUT MASKING WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE, UH, I LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.
WHEN I GOT MY SHOT, I WAS EXCITED.
WE HAD A VACCINE THAT GAVE US 95% COVERAGE AND YOU WHO LET'S THROW AWAY THE MASK.
AND THEN WE WERE TOLD WE COULD, WELL, UM, WE, SCIENCE CHANGED.
WE HAVE A DELTA VARIANT NOW, AND THIS VARIANT IS EFFECTIVELY, UM, PROTECTING US, BUT NOT TO THE LEVEL OF 95%.
UM, AND THAT'S EVEN A LITTLE BIT LOWER WITH SOME OF THE, UH, THE ONE-SHOT J AND J.
SO, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE EXTENT OF COVERAGE, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE RISK OF BECOMING SICK FROM THE DELTA VARIANT.
AND THE QUESTION WAS ASKED WELL, IS THAT ALSO, UM, IS THAT RISK ALSO IMPACTED BY COMORBIDITIES? AND THIS IS A SLIDE THAT'S LOOKING AT LIMITED DATA THAT WE'VE COLLECTED HERE AT APH.
SO IT'S ANECDOTAL AND NOT, AND NOT PEER REVIEWED, BUT, BUT I DO WANT YOU TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT OUR EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THIS IS SHOWING THAT THE BREAKTHROUGH CASES THAT WE'RE SEEING, UM, ARE 50% OF THE TIME AND PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE ANY COMORBIDITIES.
SO WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT IF YOU DO CONTRACT, UH COVID-19 AND YOU HAVE CO-MORBIDITIES, UM, YOU MAY HAVE A MORE SERIOUS ILLNESS.
UM, THE BREAKTHROUGH CASES CAN HAPPEN TO YOU, EVEN IF YOU'RE SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE CO-MORBIDITIES.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO WEAR A MASK AND PROTECT OURSELVES AND TO GET BACK SEDATED.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NUMBERS OF BREAKTHROUGH CASES THAT WE'VE HAD OF THE OVER 800,000 DOSES OF VACCINATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN, WE'VE HAD 1496 CASES REPORTED TO US.
NOW THAT IS PROBABLY UNDER REPORTED BECAUSE WE DO NOT KNOW EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY THAT'S HAD, COVID NOT EVERYBODY IS TESTED, BUT IF YOU, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE NUMBER 1496 AS COMPARED TO 800,000, UM, DOSES GIVEN, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE BREAKTHROUGH NUMBERS ARE NOT AS HIGH AND, AND THEREFORE ALSO SUPPORT THE FACT THAT VACCINATIONS ARE HELPING TO PROTECT THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR POPULATION FROM DEVELOPING SEVERE DISEASE, ICU, ADMISSIONS, AND DEATH FROM COVID-19.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, AT THE OUTSET, WE WERE SAYING A LOT OF OUR SENIORS, UM, WHO WERE BECOMING ILL AND DEVELOPING SEVERI DISEASE AND ALSO DYING FROM COVID-19 AND AN EXCEPTIONAL EFFORT WAS TAKEN BY,
[00:15:02]
UM, ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, UM, POLITICAL LEADERS AND PUBLIC HEALTH LEADERS AND MEDICAL LEADERS TO, UM, PROTECT THIS GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS.UM, THROUGH THE LAST 19 MONTHS OF THIS, WE, UM, TOOK CARE OF OUR SENIORS AND THEY WERE SOME OF THE FIRST TO RECEIVE VACCINATIONS.
UM, AS A RESULT OF THAT IN MANY MONTHS, IT'S BEEN THAT THEY HAVE HAD LESS DISEASE IMPACT IN THAT COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, AGAIN, THE SCIENCE HAS CHANGED AND THE DELTA VARIANT HAS STARTED TO, UM, CAUSE SOME BREAKTHROUGH CASES IN THAT LARGELY WELL, UM, VACCINATED GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS IN OUR SOCIETY.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT IT HAS PROTECTED, UH, MOST OF THEM FROM SEVERE DISEASE.
WE'VE HAD VERY FEW HOSPITALIZATIONS AND, UM, ONE DEATH THAT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH, UM, UH, AN INDIVIDUAL WHO ACTUALLY WAS IN HOSPICE IN THE LAST 14 DAYS, WE'VE HAD 72 NEW CASES.
UM, SO AGAIN, THAT'S JUST SHOWING THE SPREAD AND THE EASE OF SPREAD OF THIS PARTICULAR AREA.
THE CONFIRMED, UM, CASES OF REINFECTION, WHICH IS DEFINED AS SOMEONE WHO'S RECOVERED 90 DAYS AGO.
AND IT'S PAST THAT 90 DAY POINT, UM, AND HAS NOW BECOME REINFECTED.
THE, THE REINFECTION PROTECTION RATE FROM COVID-19 HAS ALSO BEEN, UM, UH, LOOKED AT BY OUR EPIDEMIOLOGY TEAM IS DOING DISEASE SURVEILLANCE.
AND TODAY WE'VE HAD REPORTS OF 443 CASES.
UM, IN PREVIOUS WEEKS I'VE DESCRIBED AND SHOWN YOU THIS GRAPH AND SHOWN THAT THERE'S BEEN A SLOW DECLINE OVER TIME.
THAT WAS THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN, UM, POSSIBLY BECAUSE THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE, UM, RECEIVING, UH, VACCINATIONS AT THAT, THAT SIDE.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT, UM, TO CONFIRM.
HOWEVER, IN THIS PAST MONTH WE'VE HAD A SURGE OF SORTS IN CASES IN WOMEN.
UM, AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS UNCLEAR AND WILL NEED TO BE FURTHER EXAMINED AS WE GO FORWARD IN THIS AND GATHER MORE DATA.
WHEN WE LOOK AT ANOTHER GROUP, UH, IN OUR POPULATION, THAT'S PRECIOUS TO US, ALL OUR CHILDREN.
UM, WE SEE THAT THE POSITIVITY RATES HAVE INCREASED.
AND, UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NUMBERS OF PEDIATRIC HOSPITALIZATIONS AND OUR, UM, CHILDREN, UM, THERE'VE BEEN OVER TIME, 647 CASES REPORTED IN CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF ONE, UM, WITH 27 HOSPITALIZATIONS AND NO DEATHS REPORTED.
UM, THE AGE GROUP OF ONE TO NINE, WE'VE HAD FOUR HUNDRED FORTY FIVE HUNDRED AND NINETY TWO CASES REPORTED WITH 32 HOSPITALIZATIONS.
UM, THE 10 TO 19 YEAR OLD AGE GROUP, 11,573 CASES WITH SEVEN HOSPITALIZED AND NO DOUBTS.
UM, THIS INCREASE IN PERCENT POSITIVITY HAS BEEN, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH ACTIVITIES, EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS STRENGTH, TRAINING CAMPS, UM, VOLLEYBALL CAMPS, AND, UM, SOME EXTENDED DAYCARE SITUATIONS WHERE, UH, A GROUP OF CHILDREN ARE TOGETHER AND, UM, HAVE DEVELOPED THIS.
THE INCREASES THAT WE'RE SEEING IN HOSPITALIZATIONS REPORTED, UM, BY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALSO BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE SPREAD OF OTHER RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES LIKE RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS.
AND THESE, THESE INCREASES WE'RE SAYING AFTER, UM, THE MASK MANDATE WAS LIFTED AND WE SAW IN OUR COMMUNITY,
[00:20:01]
UH, UH, UH, RELAXATION IN THE USE OF MASKING.THE NEXT SEVERAL SLIDES ARE GONNA GO, I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH QUICKLY.
UM, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE TRENDS IN, UM, THE AGE GROUPS, UH, UH, IN THIS ONE, IT'S THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN FROM THE AGES OF SIX TO 11.
AND WE SEE THAT THERE'S A DISPROPORTIONATE, UM, REPRESENTATION OR INCREASE IN THE, UM, PRESENT POSITIVITY AND ARE BLACK AND LATINO POPULATIONS.
UM, THERE ARE SOME OUTLIERS REPRESENTED HERE WHERE YOU SEE A VERY LOW, UM, TEST GROUP NUMBER, WHICH MEANS THAT THOSE THE 16.7% AND THE 10% SHOWN, UH, FOR THE, UM, UH, AMERICAN INDIANA, ALASKA NATIVE AND NATIVE HAWAIIAN, AND OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDER GROUPS, RESPECTIVELY, UM, OUR, OUR SAMPLE SIZE IS TOO LOW FOR US TO MAKE ANY REAL CONCLUSIONS OF THOSE.
HOWEVER, THE OTHERS THAT ARE REPRESENTED ON THIS SLIDE HAVE HIGHER, UM, SAMPLE SIZES AND SHOW US THAT THIS REPRESENTATION OF HIGHER, UM, POSITIVITY RATES, UH, IN OUR LATIN NAX AND BLACK COMMUNITIES IS, IS ONGOING.
AND IF YOU GO TO SUBSEQUENT SLIDES REPRESENT NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN, 12 TO 14, YOU'LL SEE THE SAME AS TRUE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE RE SCHOOL, SAME AS TRUE.
AND HIGH SCHOOL, I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO THIS NEXT SLIDE THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US.
UM, AND IT'S A PRELIMINARY LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF THE DELTA VARIANT.
WE SAW A VERSION OF THIS YESTERDAY IN A PRESENTATION BY DR.
LAUREN MEYERS AND HER GROUP, UM, WHO DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB OF HELPING GUIDE US WITH MODELING THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC.
AND THE SLIDE WE SAW YESTERDAY SHOWED THE IMPACT ON SCHOOL REOPENING WITH, AND WITHOUT MASK, UH, AS IT RELATES TO ICU CAPACITY.
AND IT WAS JUST, UM, LOOKING AT WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR PREVIOUS, UM, SCENARIOS WHERE WE WERE DEALING WITH A DIFFERENT, UM, VARIANT IN PREVIOUS SEARCHES.
I I'M SHOWING YOU THIS SLIDE THAT LOOKS SPECIFICALLY AT THE DELTA VARIANT, UM, BECAUSE THE IMPACT IS HIGHER.
UM, AND AS I'VE SPENT SO MUCH TIME TALKING ABOUT IN PREVIOUS SLIDES, THIS DELTA VARIANT IS HAVING A MUCH GREATER IMPACT ON OUR, ON OUR COMMUNITY.
SO OUR CURRENT, UM, WORKING NUMBER FOR THE NUMBER OF ICU BEDS THAT WE HAVE IS 200 AND THAT'S BASED ON HAVING, UM, STAFFING.
AND, UM, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I'LL SPEAK ON LATER, BUT THIS IS THAT, THAT IS WHAT OUR WORKING NUMBER IS FOR OUR ICU BED CAPACITY.
SO IF YOU LOOK THE FIRST, UM, GRAPH ON THE FAR LEFT THAT LINE, UM, WHICH ICU CAPACITY HAS WRITTEN, UM, D D IT'S THE 200 BED LEVEL, WHICH IS WHAT OUR CAPACITY IS.
AND YOU'LL SEE WITH, UM, THAT OUR CURRENT STATUS QUO, UM, WITH THE TRAJECTORY OF THAT CURVE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, UM, THE GREEN LINE SHOWS, UM, WHAT THE IMPACT ON HAAS, UH, HOSPITALIZED ICU BED CAPACITY WILL BE SHOULD SCHOOL RESUME WITHOUT MASKING.
AND THE RED LINE SHOWS THE IMPACT THAT MASKING WILL HAVE.
UM, UH, IF WE CONTINUE WITH STATUS QUO AND THE PURPLE LINE SHOWS WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WITH SCHOOL CLOSURE, ALL THREE OF THOSE SCENARIOS, UM, ARE ALARMING.
[00:25:01]
GO TO THE MIDDLE GRAPH OR MIDDLE PORTION OF THIS GRAPH, AND WE LOOK AT THE PROJECTIONS FROM THE UT MODELING GROUP, WE SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WITH MODERATE COMPLIANCE, UM, USE OF MASKS, SOCIAL DISTANCING, AVOIDING LARGE CROWDS, UM, AND GETTING VACCINATED.AND WE SEE THAT THAT CURVE DRAMATICALLY FLATTENS.
AND IF YOU RECALL LAST WEEK, I SHOWED YOU, UH, SOME CURVES, SOME GRAPHS FROM THE, UH, SCIENTIFIC, UM, PAPER THAT WAS PRODUCED IN GERMANY THAT SHOWED THAT WITH 90% COMPLIANCE WITH MASKING, THAT WE WOULD HAVE A 45 TO 50% REDUCTION, UM, OR, OR DECREASE IN OUR CURVE.
YOU SEE HERE WITH SCHOOL REOPENING, UM, AND NO MASKING THAT WE WILL EXCEED CAPACITY FOR ICU'S SOMEWHERE IN OCTOBER OR EARLY, LATE SEPTEMBER, EARLY OCTOBER.
AND IF WE GO BACK WITH MASKING, WE WILL BE SLIGHTLY OVER OUR LIMIT, BUT WE COULD HOLD OUR OWN.
AND IF SCHOOL WERE CLOSED, UM, WE WOULD BE WELL WITHIN OUR CAPACITY LIMITS.
NOBODY'S SUGGESTING THAT WE CLOSE SCHOOL.
NOBODY'S SUGGESTING THAT WE CLOSED SCHOOL.
UM, OUR CHILDREN HAVE, UM, SUFFERED LEARNING LOSS.
UM, THEY NEED TO GET BACK FOR SOCIALIZATION.
UM, WE NEED THEM TO GO BACK SO WE DON'T HAVE TO TEACH AND WORK AT THE SAME TIME.
WE, WE, WE NEED CHILDREN TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL, UM, THAT THIS SCENARIO WAS GIVEN TO US SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME, UM, INTELLECTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE IMPACT COULD BE FROM A MODELING PERSPECTIVE.
THE LAST PART OF THIS GRAPH WITH HIGH COMPLIANCE, UM, SOME MORE LIKE THE 90%, UM, SCENARIO SHOWS THAT OUR ICU CAPACITY IS FINE.
UM, THERE'S VERY LITTLE, UM, PRESENT CHANGE BETWEEN THE SCHOOL WITH MASKING AND THE NO SCHOOL LINE, UM, AND WITHOUT MASKING.
UM, THE NUMBER IS BELOW THE CURVE AS WELL, WHICH IS AN INTERESTING PHENOMENON, UM, THAT IS TAKING INTO ACCOUNT NOT ONLY, UM, MASKING BECAUSE THIS DOESN'T JUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT MASKING, BUT VACCINATIONS, UM, WHETHER OR NOT WE REALLY ARE APPLYING WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING, UM, DOING SOME OF THE OTHER MEASURES THAT WE KNOW IF WE LAYER ON TO MASKING, UM, WILL HELP IMPROVE AND FLATTEN THIS.
AND AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD AND, AND EVALUATING WHAT THE NEW STAGE FIVE GUIDANCE IS GOING TO BE, WE ARE, WE ARE ASSESSING THE SCHOOL AND THE IMPACT OF SCHOOLS ON OUR, UM, CASE NUMBERS.
AND WE'RE ALSO, UM, ASSESSING THE IMPACT ON OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITIES.
UM, OUR OTHER BUSINESS COMMUNITIES THAT ARE PROVIDING SERVICE, UH, SERVICE INDUSTRIES, AS WELL AS THE HOSPITAL.
SO, BECAUSE AS I'VE SAID SO MANY TIMES THE SCIENCE HAS CHANGED AND BECAUSE WE'RE AT A DIFFERENT POINT IN TIME, UM, THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE CHANGE ARE GOING TO CHANGE TO SOME EXTENT WITH REGARDS TO SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE DO FROM DAY TO DAY.
BUT THE BASIC MESSAGE ABOUT MASKING IS THE SAME.
WE HAVE TO WEAR MASKS, EVERYONE.
IF YOU LOOK AT HOSPITALIZATION ADMISSIONS BY AGE GROUP, UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE A LARGER NUMBER OF PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 50, WHO ARE BEING ADMITTED.
[00:30:02]
NEXT SLIDE.AND THE S THIS IS ANOTHER SLIDE TO JUST SHOW THE BREAKDOWN OF BY AGE, UM, OF THE ADMISSIONS THAT WE'RE SEEING, UM, SEEING A DISPROPORTIONATE REPRESENTATION IN OUR BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES, FOLKS WHO ARE GETTING, UM, WHO ARE BEING BEDDED TO HOSPITAL.
NEXT SLIDE, I SEE ADMISSIONS, UM, ARE STARTLING.
UM, AND THAT WE HAVE A LOT MORE PEOPLE NOW WHO ARE ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL WHO ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 50 AND UNLIKE OTHER, UM, SURGES.
UM, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE WITHOUT ANY CHRONIC ILLNESS COMORBIDITIES WHO WERE COMING IN SEVERELY ILL, REQUIRING ICU CARE, REQUIRING VENTILATORS, AND EVEN REQUIRING EXTRA CORPOREAL MEMBRANE, OXYGENATION, OR ECMO, WHICH IS A PROCEDURE IN WHICH THE BLOOD IS REMOVED FROM THE BODY.
IT'S, UH, CIRCULATED THROUGH A MACHINE THAT GIVES THE BLOOD OXYGEN AND REMOVES CARBON DIOXIDE.
IT IS A PROCESS BY WHICH, UM, THE BODY'S ABLE TO REST THE LUNGS AND THE HEART SO THAT, UM, HOPEFULLY OVER TIME A PERSON CAN, CAN, UM, STAY ALIVE.
AND WE'RE SEEING PEOPLE THAT ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 40 AND AS YOUNG AS 19 ON THIS TYPE OF DEVICE DUE TO THIS COVID-19 SURGE THAT WE'RE HAVING FROM THE DELTA VARIANT.
SO, UM, THE CHOICE NOW BECOMES THE VACCINATION OR VENTILATOR FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN STUBBORN ABOUT GOING TO GET THAT VACCINE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T LIKE SHOTS, OR THEY HEARD THIS OR THAT OR THE OTHER, BUT WE NEED TO NOW SPEND TIME TALKING ONE-ON-ONE AND EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT VACCINE SAFETY.
AND YESTERDAY, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THAT WE HAD A PANEL OF OBSTETRICIANS AND GYNECOLOGISTS WHO ARE MATERNAL FETAL SPECIALISTS TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON OUR PREGNANT WOMEN.
UM, THIS AGAIN IS SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES US TO BE THOUGHTFUL AND, AND, AND PARTICIPATE WHEN WE CAN AND SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT VACCINE SAFETY.
THE, UM, HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS BY ETHNICITY, AGAIN, LARGER REPRESENTATION BY OUR BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES, UM, WHO ARE BEING IMPACTED BECAUSE OF PREVIOUS, UM, DIFFICULTIES IN RECEIVING AND ACCESSING HEALTHCARE.
AND ON TOP OF THAT, UM, HAVING SOME LEVEL OF, UH, NOT TRUSTING THAT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF THEY GET VACCINATED, BUT WE NEED TO DISPEL THAT NOW WE NEED TO GET PEOPLE VACCINATED.
I WAS ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT, UM, CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, ABOUT WHERE PEOPLE WERE COMING FROM AS FAR AS ADMISSIONS GO.
AND, UM, YOU'LL SEE HERE THAT THERE ARE SOME ZIP CODES THAT ARE, UM, HAVING HIGHER REPRESENTATION, OVERLAPS A LOT WITH, UH, SOCIAL, UH, VULNERABILITY INDEXES IN THESE ZIP CODES, UM, WHICH I PREVIOUSLY ALLUDED TO MY NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND, UM, THE QUESTION CAME WELL, WHAT'S THE IMPACT OF THIS, UH, SURGE, UH, WITH REGARDS TO OUR COUNTIES AND THE EM, AND THEN SAY CONTRIBUTING MORE THAN TRAVIS COUNTY RESIDENTS TO THIS, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE REACHED THAT 70% MARK, AND WE DID THAT.
SO WE HAVE TO GET EVERYBODY THAT SECOND DOSE.
UM, BUT THIS IS SHOWING THAT WE WE'VE GOT THE LION'S SHARE OF FOLKS THAT ARE BEING ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL.
AND YOU SEE THE OTHER COUNTIES HERE REPRESENTED WHAT THIS ALSO SAYS IS
[00:35:01]
THAT EVERYONE EVERYWHERE HAS TO WEAR A MASK AND GET VACCINATED BECAUSE WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.AND IF WE DON'T DO THIS, THEN WE'RE GONNA ALL BE LOOKING AT OVERWHELMING OUR HOSPITAL SYSTEMS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
IF WE LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF, UM, OR THE NUMBERS OF, UM, PEOPLE IN OUR RESTAURANT AND FOOD ESTABLISHMENT, WHO'VE BEEN CONTRACTING COVID-19, WE ACTUALLY ARE DOING QUITE WELL THERE.
AND THAT'S INTERESTING, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY HAVE, UH, BEEN WORKING FORWARD FACING TO THE PUBLIC PROVIDING SERVICE COME, WHAT MAY, SINCE THE BEGINNING.
AND THIS IS INTERESTING TO ME BECAUSE I, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ANYBODY ELSE, BUT WHEN I GO TO A RESTAURANT THEY'RE WEARING MASKS.
AND SO I'M HOPING THAT ANYBODY THAT'S LOOKING AT THIS THAT HAS ANY, UM, QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER MASKING WORKS, WE'LL LOOK AT THIS AND SEE THAT, UM, IT APPEARS AS THOUGH IT DOES REAL TIME BECAUSE THAT THIS IS AN INDUSTRY THAT, UM, IS WORKING DAY AND NIGHT TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR NUMBERS HAVE REMAINED LOW.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR PROGRESS TO HERD IMMUNITY, I'M VERY EXCITED TO SAY THAT WE FINALLY GOTTEN AWAY FROM THE 20% VULNERABLE AND WE'RE DOWN TO 16, AND THIS SEEMS TO COINCIDE WITH WHAT WE'RE SEEING.
UM, AND WE'LL, WE'LL BE HEARING ABOUT FROM, UM, DIRECTOR STIRRUP.
THERE HAS BEEN A SLIGHT INCREASE, UM, AND IT SEEMS TO BE GOING UP AS WE SPEAK IN PEOPLE PRESENTING TO BE VACCINATED.
AND THAT'S AMAZING HOW WELL YEAH, CAUSE WE NEED THEM TO GET VACCINATED.
UM, SO WE'RE NOW REPORTING 16% VULNERABLE AND 54% OF OUR POPULATION.
AND THAT'S THE TOTAL POPULATION, NOT JUST THE ELIGIBLE THAT IS, UM, VACCINATED RIGHT NOW.
OUR CHALLENGE IS GOING TO BE PROTECTING THOSE WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE.
OUR CHALLENGE IS GOING TO BE, UM, WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO STAND AS A COMMUNITY AND EVERYBODY BACK, EVERYBODY GETS WHO CAN GET VACCINATED, GETS VACCINATED, AND EVERYBODY WEARS A MASK.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE UNTIL WE CAN VACCINATE OUR CHILDREN THAT ARE YOUNGER THAN 12.
THE, OUR HOSPITALS SYSTEMS AND A TASK FORCE THAT WAS CONVENED.
I FORGOT THIS SLIDE WAS THERE.
UM, WE'VE, I'VE BEEN ASKED MANY, MANY, MANY TIMES ABOUT WHO'S VACCINATED IN THE HOSPITAL WHEN THEY'RE ADMITTED, AND THIS IS DATA THAT WE'VE COLLECTED AND IT SHOWS THAT 81 OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO TO HOSPITAL ARE NOT VACCINATED AND 16.6% ARE FULLY VACCINATED.
UM, SO THIS REALLY IS ABOUT NOT BEING VACCINATED.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET VACCINATED.
I JUMPED OUT OF MYSELF, UM, OUR HOSPITAL SYSTEMS, UM, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF DR.
SCOTT CONVENED, A MEDICAL CRITICAL GUIDELINES, TRIAGE.
I S A HOSPITAL ICU TRIAGE COMMITTEE TASK FORCE TO LOOK AT GUIDANCE ON, UM, HOW WE PROCEED.
SHOULD WE, UM, GET INTO A SITUATION WHERE THE SURGE OVERWHELMS OUR CAPACITY IN THE HOSPITAL IN PARTICULAR IN ICU.
UM, AND WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN, UM, A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS WITHIN THE LAST WEEK EVEN, OR CERTAIN, UM, HOSPITALS HAVE HAD TO GO ON WHAT WE CALL DIVERSION, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE BACKED UP IN THE ER AND THEY ARE WAITING TO FORGET TO GET PEOPLE IN BEDS.
[00:40:01]
A DIFFERENT LOCATION UNTIL THAT CAN BE RESOLVED AND THINGS THE BOTTLENECK CLEARED.UM, SO THESE ARE GUIDELINES THAT WERE ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED IN NORTH TEXAS, AND THEY'RE BASED ON INPUT FROM VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY.
THEY'VE BEEN DIVORCED BY THE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND WA AND THIS IS A QUOTE FROM OUR HOSP, FROM THE TASK FORCE WHILE IT IS NOT OUR HOPE THAT THE GUIDELINES EVER NEED TO BE IMPLEMENTED.
WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS BEST SERVED BY HAVING GUIDELINES IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY RECEIVE ETHICALLY SOUND CLINICALLY OBJECTIVE, PRACTICAL NON-DISCRIMINATORY AND TRANSPARENT TRIAGE SHOULD A MASS CRITICAL CARE SITUATION, PLACE DEMANDS ON THE HOSPITAL SYSTEMS THAT EXCEED OUR CAPACITY.
AND SO, UM, THIS IS BEING, UM, ADOPTED TO ALLOW FOR US TO DO JUST THAT BECAUSE A, SHOULD IT OCCUR, COULD HAPPEN AT ANY MOMENT.
UM, WE HAVE MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY CASES OF COVID-19 RIGHT NOW IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE, WE HAVE TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO STOP THE SPREAD.
SO OUR STAGE FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL INCLUDE, UM, WEAR A MASK IF YOU'RE HIGH RISK WITH UNDERLYING CONDITIONS AND VACCINATED, UM, AVOID LARGE GATHERINGS WHERE MASKS ARE NOT REQUIRED, UM, HELP US TO GET THE REST OF THE POPULATION VACCINATED BY TALKING WITH YOUR LOVED ONES, COLLEAGUES, NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS, UM, AND THOSE ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR VACCINATED OR UNVACCINATED.
WE WOULD WANT PEOPLE TO STAY HOME WHEN POSSIBLE AND AVOID GATHERINGS AND TRAVEL SHE'S CURBSIDE AND DELIVERY OPTIONS.
AND IF YOU MUST GO OUT, WEAR A MASK WHILE CONDUCTING ESSENTIAL ACTIVITIES SO THAT YOU CAN, UM, NOT GET SICK AND PLEASE GET VACCINATED.
I LIKE TO SAY THAT WE'RE IN THIS TO WIN IT.
UM, SO I'D LIKE US TO GO INTO STAGE FIVE WITH THAT MENTALITY THAT WE CAN DO THIS.
WE HAVE TO COURSE CORRECT TO THAT AND DECIDE HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS SUCCESSFULLY.
NOW, GIVEN THE CURRENT LANDSCAPE, UM, I LIVE BY THE MANTRA THAT IF IT'S LEGAL, THAT'S ETHICAL, THAT MAKES GOOD MEDICAL SOUND JUDGMENT.
AND IF IT'S GOOD, COMMON SENSE, THEN IT'S WORTH DOING.
AND I BELIEVE THAT EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM WOULD AGREE WITH THOSE PRINCIPLES.
UM, WE HAVE A DIFFERENT THING ON OUR PLATE RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S GOING TO START VERY SOON AND WE HAVE CHILDREN WHO ARE UNPROTECTED BY VACCINE.
SO WE'RE ALL GOING TO HAVE TO DECIDE, UM, HOW WE'RE GOING TO APPROACH THIS NEW SITUATION WITH THE DELTA VARIANT PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY, BUT MOST OF ALL, PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE COURT AND COUNSELS PATIENTS.
THAT WAS A LOT OF IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT SHE JUST SHARED ABOUT THE DATA.
AND I WILL DO MY BEST TO, UM, GO QUICKLY.
I DO WANT TO REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT THESE SLIDES WILL BE AVAILABLE IN A PDF VERSION ON THE APH WEBSITE FOR YOU TO DOWNLOAD AND READ AT YOUR LEISURE.
WACHS POINTED OUT, UM, THE COMMUNITY IS CONTINUING TO SEARCH HERE AT APH.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO EXPAND OUR OPERATIONS IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE, UM, AT FOREFRONT IS OUR
[00:45:01]
MESSAGING AND COMMUNICATIONS, MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY GETS THE MOST UP-TO-DATE AND CURRENT INFORMATION YESTERDAY, WE HELD A MEDICAL PANEL PRESS CONFERENCE THAT FOCUSED ON POPULATION RISKS WITH SPECIAL ADVICE FOR PREGNANT WOMEN.IN VACCINE, WE CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR EPI RESPONSE STAFFING TO SUPPORT CASE INVESTIGATION AND DATA ENTRY.
WE'RE INCREASING OUR CALL CENTER CAPACITY TO HELP PROVIDE SUPPORT TO SCHOOLS, MAKE SURE FOLKS KNOW ABOUT TESTING OPTIONS, ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT VACCINES.
UM, WE'RE WORKING ON STANDING UP OUR, OUR ISOLATION FACILITY PREPARING FOR THE ADVENT OF BOOSTERS WE'RE SHIFTING, UM, FROM VACCINE TO ADDING, UH, BACK OUR FREE TESTING OPTIONS, BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN AN UPTICK IN THE NUMBER OF TESTS THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS WANTING.
AND WE HAVE THE MOBILE TESTING OPTION.
YOU CAN CALL 3, 1, 1, AND ARRANGE FOR, UM, A TEST WE'RE STATIONED IN THE DOVE SPRINGS RECREATION CENTER.
AND WE ALSO AT THE ST JOHN'S, UM, OLD HOME DEPOT OFFERING DRIVE-THROUGH OPTIONS.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE AN ISOLATION FACILITY LIGHT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE ROOMS AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC THAT, UM, NEEDS TO ISOLATE AND CAN'T DO SO SAFELY IN THEIR OWN HOME.
AND WE'RE ALSO REESTABLISHING OUR LONG CARE, OUR, EXCUSE ME, OUR LONGTERM CARE RESPONSE TEAM.
WHAT WE WANT THE PUBLIC TO DO IS TO GET VACCINATED.
AND, YOU KNOW, ACCORDING TO THE CDC, KYLA GUIDANCE WEAR A MASK, MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCE, DISTANCE, WASH YOUR HANDS, GET TESTED IF YOU DON'T FEEL WELL, IF YOU THINK IT'S ALLERGIES AND YOU'RE NOT SURE, COME SEE US FOR A FREE TEST.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, PLEASE STAY HOME WHEN YOU ARE SICK.
LAST WEEK, WE HAD OVER 1700 TESTS PERFORMED AT OUR SITES, AND THIS SLIDE JUST SHOWS OUR OPTIONS.
AGAIN, GEORGE MIRALIS DOVE SPRINGS, REC ST.
JOHN'S IN-HOME TESTING AVAILABLE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, AND WE'RE CONTINUED TO OFFER A FACILITY TESTING AT SENIOR LIVING CENTERS, HOMELESS SHELTERS, AND OTHER FACILITIES THAT HAVE IDENTIFIED AT LEAST ONE POSITIVE COVID-19 CASE.
HERE'S OUR DASHBOARD THAT SHOWS THE COMBINED TOTAL OF VACCINES DISTRIBUTED BY COMMUNITY CARE AND APH.
WHAT I LIKE IS THE WEEKLY DOSE NUMBER ON THAT IS UP ON ALMOST A HUNDRED PERCENT FROM THE LAST TIME WE REPORTED, I THINK LAST WEEK, WE'RE AT 600 AND SOME ODD SHOTS.
AND THEN THIS PAST OPERATIONAL PERIOD, WE DELIVERED 1700, THE MAJORITY OF THOSE BEING FIRST DOSE.
SO THE MESSAGE IS BEING HEARD, AND I CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY TO SEEK OUT OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME VACCINATED.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DSHS DATA FOR TRAVIS COUNTY, BY RACE AND ETHNICITY, WE'RE STILL SEEING GAPS IN OUR AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND HISPANIC COMMUNITY WITH RESPECT TO, UM, THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE FULLY VACCINATED.
WE WANT ALL OF THOSE NUMBERS TO GET UP, UM, TO THE 70% OR BETTER MARK, OH, HEAD OF MYSELF, ONE GOOD BIT OF NEWS.
UM, WEEKS AGO THERE WAS A LOT OF RED AND THAT INDICATED COMMUNITIES THAT WERE LESS THAN 50%.
UM, UM, SO THERE'S, THERE'S MORE GREEN, BUT WE ARE STILL SEEING THOSE POCKETS WHERE WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO HAVE, UM, MORE FOCUSED EFFORT.
UH, THE YELLOW INDICATES COMMUNITIES OR ZIP CODES THAT ARE AT 50% OR MORE.
AND SO, UM, 6 1 7 CONTINUES TO BE AN AREA OF FOCUS AS WAS 4 1 4 2 2 1 5 3.
AND I BELIEVE THAT'S FIVE, FIVE OR FIVE EIGHT, EXCUSE ME.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DISTRIBUTION, UH, BY DEMOGRAPHIC DATA, THIS AGAIN, KIND OF POINTS OUT WHAT THE, UH, DSHS DATA POINTED OUT THAT WE ARE SEEING, UM, GAPS IN OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
THE ORANGE REPRESENTS THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY, WHERE WE SEE 4% OF THAT POPULATION HAS RECEIVED ONE DOSE AND THE GRAY REPRESENTS OUR HISPANIC OR LATINO COMMUNITY.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE DO BELIEVE THERE IS, UM, UM, UNDER COUNTING, UM, REFERENCED BY THE OTHER AND UNKNOWN CATEGORIES.
AND THOSE ARE THE BLUE AND GREEN AREAS.
[00:50:01]
AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE WAY THAT THE, THE DIFFERENCES AND THE WASTE AGENCIES REPORT BIRACIAL, UM, SELECTIONS OR SOMEONE CHOOSES OTHER BECAUSE THEY'RE OF MIXED RACE.AND THIS NEXT SLIDE HERE SHOWS THE DISTRIBUTION DEMOGRAPHICS FOR THE FULLY VACCINATED POPULATION.
AND AGAIN, SEEING THOSE GAPS IN OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, BUT ALSO WANTING TO POINT OUT THAT OUR ASIAN, UM, VACCINATION RATES, IT CONTINUES TO BE OVERREPRESENTED, OVERREPRESENTED, AND I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE, UH, HEALTH EQUITY TASK FORCE AS PART OF THE, UM, EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER.
THEY HAD A, AN API TASK FORCE THAT REALLY FOCUSED ON, UM, USING FACEBOOK, SOCIAL MEDIA, GUIDING OUR TRANSLATIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD FOCUSED ENGAGEMENT IN THOSE COMMUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT LANGUAGE WOULD NOT BE A BARRIER, UM, TO VACCINATION.
AND SO AS A TEAM, UM, WORKING WITH, UH, THE COUNTY COLLABORATIVE, WE ARE CONTINUE TO CONTINUING TO LOOK AT ZIP CODE DATA TO DRIVE OUR EFFORTS.
THESE ARE OUR TOP EIGHT ZIP CODES.
UM, WE WANT TO PRESENT THIS CHART TO SHOW PROGRESS OVER TIME.
UM, AGAIN, THE CHANGES CONTINUE TO BE INCREMENTAL, UM, BUT WE ARE CONTINUING TO HOPE THAT WITH OUR INCENTIVES, EXCUSE ME, BY OUR CONTINUED FOCUS, THAT WE WILL HELP OUR COMMUNITIES REACH THE MARK.
UM, HERE ARE VACCINE VACCINE OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK.
WE'RE AT SOUTHEAST LIBRARY, A LITTLE WALNUT CREEK AND ANNA CENTER.
THOSE ARE OUR STATIC LOCATIONS.
WE'LL BE IN MAYNOR IN COLONY PARK, UM, AT A CHURCH ON CAMERON ROAD.
I WON'T DO IT A DISSERVICE BY TRYING TO PRONOUNCE THE NAME IGLESIA RECONCILIATION, UM, AT THE SOUTH AUSTIN COMMUNITY CHURCH AT AND AT TURNER ROBERTS.
AND OF COURSE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY WILL, WE WILL BE AT THE DEL VALLEY OPPORTUNITY CENTER.
IN ADDITION TO THESE POP-UP EVENTS AND STATIC LOCATIONS, OUR MOBILE TEAMS ARE SCHEDULED TO BE AT 24 ADDITIONAL SITES THIS WEEK.
SO WE ARE CONTINUING TO PUSH VACCINE, UM, TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I ALWAYS LIKE TO ADD SOME PICTURES IN HERE IS JUST SOME IMAGES OF A DRIVE-THROUGH EVENT THAT WE HAD LAST WEEK.
UM, REALLY, UM, AM HAPPY TO WORK WITH MY PARTNERS, UM, IN THE COUNTY AND THE CONSTABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HAVING A COMMUNITY BASED APPROACH.
UM, ACCORDING TO DSHS RIGHT NOW, 73% OF OUR POPULATION 12 AND OVER IS VACCINATED WITH AT LEAST ONE DOSE AND 63% OF OUR POPULATION IS FULLY VACCINATED.
AND SO THESE EFFORTS WILL CONTINUE TO BE IMPORTANT AS WE REACH OUR COMMUNITY GOALS OF 70% FULLY VACCINATED.
WE DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH A DSHS OVER THE LAST WEEK WHERE THEY IDENTIFIED ADDITIONAL ZIP CODES, UM, THAT SHOULD BE AREAS OF FOCUS.
AND, AND THESE WERE ZIP CODES LIKE PFLUGERVILLE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL DATA, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE DOING WELL, BUT THEY DO HAVE HIGH PERCENTAGE OR NUMBERS OF THE POPULATION THAT AREN'T VACCINATED.
AND SO THAT JUST SHOWS THE BREADTH AND DEPTH OF OUR PARTNERSHIP TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE BEST AND MOST ACCURATE DATA.
AND USING THAT TO INFORM ALL OF OUR STRATEGIES, WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR OUTREACH AND MESSAGING, UM, AGAIN, I MENTIONED THAT WE HAD THE JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE EARLIER THIS WEEK.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO PUT OUT DAILY UPDATES ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGES TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE INFORMATION ABOUT RISK-BASED GUIDANCE.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO PROMOTING OUR REASON TO VAX CAMPAIGN, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE KNOW THE ONLY TOOL THAT WE HAVE IN OUR TOOLKIT IS PROMOTING AND ENCOURAGING BEHAVIOR CHANGE, AS WELL AS THE, UM, BENEFIT OF COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY.
I WAS TAKING MY SON TO A CROSS COUNTRY PRACTICES MORNING, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT SOME END OF THE SUMMER PLANS THAT WE HAD.
HE'S EXCITED TO BE DOWN WITH THE FULLY VACCINATED FOLKS.
AND I SAID TO HIM, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO GO BECAUSE THE RATES ARE GETTING HIGHER AND HE'S LIKE, MOM, BUT I'M FULLY VACCINATED.
AND I SAID, I KNOW SOME, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERYONE IS VACCINATED SO THAT WE ALL STAY
[00:55:01]
SAFE.AND HE LOOKED AT ME AND HE SAID, WELL, WHAT CAN WE DO? MY SON IS 14.
AND I WAS STRUCK BY THE FACT THAT HE KNEW IT WAS GOING TO TAKE COLLECTIVE RESPONSE TO FIGHT THIS VIRUS.
AND BEFORE I COULD ANSWER, HE SAID, EVERYONE SHOULD WEAR THEIR MASK.
AND HE SAID, AND EVERYONE'S TO GET A VACCINE.
HE SAID, NEEDLES ARE SCARY, BUT MAYBE I CAN TELL MY FRIENDS THAT IT'S SAFE JOB WELL DONE.
AND WE SAY THAT TEENS ARE NOT FULLY DEVELOPED, COGNITIVELY CAN GET THE CONCEPT OF BEING SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE.
I THINK WE CAN DO THIS ON A PLANE.
THE FIRST THING THEY SAY TO YOU, IF THE CABIN PRESSURE DROPS AND THOSE MASKS COME OUT, YOU PUT YOUR MASK ON FIRST AND THEN YOU HELP THE NEXT PERSON.
SO TO EVERYONE ELSE WHO DID THE RIGHT THING EARLY, WE THANK YOU.
BUT NOW WE NEED YOU TO ENCOURAGE THOSE AROUND YOU TO GET VACCINATED, AND WE NEED YOU TO WEAR YOUR MASK.
AND I THINK, UH, CHUCK, ARE WE GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO, UH, CONSTABLE MIRALIS AND CHIEF CAN BAILEY AT THIS POINT, JUDGE? YES.
UH, CHIEF BAILEY WITH ESD 11 AND CONSTABLE GEORGE MORALES WITH PRECINCT FOUR ARE STANDING BY GOOD MORNING.
UH, KEN BAILEY WITH TRAVIS COUNTY FIRE RESCUE AND THE TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, COLLABORATIVE.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST POINT OUT THAT THE COLLABORATION IS AS A JOINT EFFORT, UH, INCLUDING APH SEATON, ACC, UH, SEVERAL OF THE CONSTABLES AND ESTS, UH, AND WE WERE RECENTLY JOINED BY DR.
WHO'S HELPING US REACH THEM VULNERABLE, UH, POPULATIONS WITHIN, UH, DIFFERENT POCKETS OF THE CITY.
UH, THE COUNTY COLLABORATIVE HAS DONE TO DATE 23,000, ALMOST 24,000 VACCINATIONS.
AND, UH, WE'VE HAD 191 UNIQUE STRIKE TEAM EVENTS OVER THE LAST 86 DAYS.
UH, WELL, THAT'S OVER AN 86 DAY PERIOD.
UH, AND W WHAT IS PROBABLY MOST NOTABLE IS THAT WE'VE HAD AN INCREASE OF APPROXIMATELY 65% IN THE NUMBER OF FIRST DOSES THAT WE DELIVERED FROM JU IN JULY VERSUS JUNE.
UH, AND, AND YOU MAY RECALL THAT WE HAD SUGGESTED THAT WE WERE DOING LESS AND LESS, UH, FIRST NOTICES, UH, INDICATED, UH, BY THIS SLIDE, THIS, UH, UH, THIS, UH, BACK IN JUNE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A DECREASE IN THAT, AND WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE.
WE, WE ASSUME THAT THAT IS, UH, BASED ON THE OUTREACH.
AND THEN, UH, OBVIOUSLY THE CONCERNS OF THE LOCAL POPULATION TO GET VACCINATED, UH, CONSTABLE MORALES.
WE'LL GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF SOME OF OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS.
GOOD MORNING, JUDGE COMMISSIONERS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND MAYOR MAYOR PRO TEM.
UM, CONSTABLE GEORGE MARTIN WAS JUST A LITTLE UPDATE ON WHAT OUR MOBILE TRAVIS, UH, MOBILE VACCINE COLLABORATIVE HAS BEEN DOING.
WE FOCUS ON NINE DIFFERENT TYPES OF EVENTS THAT WE GO OUT THERE.
UM, WE HAVE SPECIAL EVENTS LIKE CONCERTS IN THE PARK.
UH, OBVIOUSLY SCHOOLS, RECREATION CENTERS, UH, PUBLIC HOUSING, MOBILE HOME PARKS, UH, MED CLINICS, AND, UH, APARTMENTS, CHURCHES, AND GROCERY STORES.
UH, THE BIG GROCERY STORE CHAIN FOR US IS J D SUPERMARKETS AND SMALLER GROCERY MUTUAL GUNS.
AND, AND I THINK US, UH, LOCATED AROUND AUSTIN, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY AS WELL.
UM, OUR JULY TOTALS FOR OUTREACH WE'RE OVER 9,579 PEOPLE WERE CONTACTED, UM, FOR, UM, THAT WOULD BE PHONE CALLS, FLYERS, UM, UM, TEXT MESSAGING AND EMAILS.
UM, ALONG WITH THAT, WITH, WITH THAT, WE SAW ABOUT 4,500 SHOTS GO OUT IN THE MONTH OF JULY WITH, UM, ABOUT 1200 OF THOSE BEING THIS LAST WEEK.
UM, THE UPCOMING EVENTS THAT WE HAVE, AND WE'RE ENCOURAGING, AND, AND YOU HEARD APH EARLIER.
AND, AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS IS WHEN WE HAVE THESE, WE'RE FOCUSING ON OUR VACCINE CLINICS, ALONG WITH HELPING OUR COMMUNITY, THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE VULNERABLE.
AND THOSE THAT ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE, A LOT OF THEM IN EASTERN CRESCENTS, UM, COUNTRY OR MOBILE HOME PARK, DOVE SPRINGS, A RECREATION CENTER FOR OUR BACK TO SCHOOL BASH.
THESE ARE AUGUST EVENTS THIS WEEK, UM, LBJ HIGH SCHOOL, HOUSTON TILLOTSON, SAN JOSE CATHOLIC CHURCH, SAN JUAN DIEGO, UM, CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, WE HAVE TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, LENDER, AND JAY HOUSTON.
UM, A LOT OF THESE THEY'RE, THESE, THESE LOCATIONS ARE LOCATED IN OUR HIGH AREAS, UM, THAT ARE BEING AFFECTED RIGHT NOW.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE TO PUSH OUR EFFORT AND, AND TELL EVERYONE
[01:00:01]
IF YOU'RE NOT VACCINATED, YOU KNOW, IT HELPS US ALONG THE WAY, AND IT SAVES LIVES FOLKS.UM, YOU KNOW, THE MASKING W YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE BITS THAT WE HAVE, WE ALWAYS TAKE PLENTY OF MASKS AND FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING, AND WE'RE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING AS WE CAN, UH, TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE.
UM, ANOTHER EFFORT THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT LAST WEEK WAS, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PEOPLE.
OUR IDEA IS TO GO INTO THESE POCKETS THAT ARE, THAT CAN NOT BE REACHED, AND WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB WITH ALL OUR PARTNERS, BUT I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT AS I DO EVERY WEEK TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, OUR MOBILE VACCINE TEAM CITY, BOSTON, TRAVIS COUNTY, BECAUSE EVERY STEP WE TAKE AS ANOTHER PERSON GETTING VACCINATED.
IF I COULD VERY QUICKLY MAKE ONE ADDITIONAL COMMENT, SOMETHING THAT MAYBE YOU ALL CAN HELP US WITH.
I KNOW THIS LAST WEEKEND WE HAD THE FC GAME AND, UH, I KNOW THAT THE JUDGE HAD MADE SOME CONTACT WITH, UH, THE FC PEOPLE, AND THEY WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE AND WITHIN A 12 HOUR PERIOD WOULD PUT A TEAM AT THE FC GAME.
UH, WE DIDN'T DO AS MANY, UH, VACCINES AS WE MIGHT HAVE LIKED, BUT, UH, THEY SEEM TO BE COMMITTED IN THAT THOSE RELATIONSHIPS THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE WITH THE ALL IN THESE MASKS OF EVENTS, IF Y'ALL CAN, IF YOU'RE AWARE OF THOSE, OR YOU CAN ENTICE PEOPLE, UH, WE STAND READY TO TRY AND HELP IT WITH THOSE EVENTS AND GET MORE VACCINES OUT.
AND JUDGE AND MAYOR, IF I COULD JUST ADD ONE MORE THING, YOU'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE VARIOUS, UH, POPUPS, UH, STRIKE TEAM LOCATIONS THAT APH AND THE COUNTY COLLABORATIVE CONTINUE DOING.
UH, JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT WITH THE HELP OF OUR, UH, PUBLIC INFORMATION FOLKS ARE JOINED INFORMATION SYSTEMS THAT IS BOTH CITY AND COUNTY, AS WELL AS APH PUBLIC INFORMATION FOLKS AND OUR WEB TEAM.
UH, WE NOW HAVE A PUBLIC FACING SCHEDULE, AND I'M JUST GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN IF YOU'LL BEAR WITH ME.
UM, A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY VACCINATIONS WILL VERY QUICKLY GET ANYONE TO THE PAGE, UH, ON TRAVIS COUNTY, TX.GOV.
THAT INCLUDES A COMPREHENSIVE CALENDAR THAT SHOWS DATES FOR BOTH AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH COUNTY COLLABORATIVE POP-UPS.
IF YOU'LL LOOK IN, YOU CAN SEE THIS IS A TUESDAY, AUGUST 3RD.
YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS WHERE OUR TEAMS WILL BE, UH, TODAY AND SIMPLY CLICKING ON ANY OF THESE ROSEWOODS THERE, IT GOES TO VACCINE CLINIC.
WE'LL GIVE YOU ALL OF THE DETAILS ABOUT THE, THE ADDRESS, THE TYPE OF VACCINE, UH, THE OPERATIONAL HOURS AND SO FORTH.
SO AGAIN, UH, THANKS TO OUR WEB TEAM AND OUR JOINT INFORMATION SYSTEMS FOR CONTINUING TO WORK, TO IMPROVE, UH, OUR PUBLIC'S ACCESS TO VACCINE INFORMATION.
UH, I SEE THIS AS A, AS A REALLY BIG WIN.
WILKES AND CHECK, AND, UH, CHIEF BAILEY AND CONSTABLE MORALES.
SO WE'LL START THE QUESTION PORTION NOW, AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO COMMISSIONER MARGARET GOMEZ FIRST.
UH, WELL, THIS IS REALLY, UH, UH, PRETTY CLEAR TO ME THAT, THAT THE MESSAGE NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO BE, UH, AS WE STARTED, I JUST, AS WE STARTED, UH, STILL WEAR THEIR MASKS, THE CITY CITY REGULATIONS.
AND, UM, AND NOW I THINK JUST THE, THE FACT THAT, UM, UH, THAT WE'RE GOING TO PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE WITH THE, UH, UH, CONSTABLE AND, UH, AND THE ASD, I THINK IS JUST, UM, PROBABLY THE BEST WAY TO REACH THOSE HARD TO REACH PEOPLE.
UM, I THINK THEY GO TO SOME OF THE, THE, UM, EVENTS THAT ARE HELD AROUND TOWN, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY STEP UP TO SAY, I WANT THE VACCINE.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THE, THE TEAM THAT IS GOING DOOR TO DOOR IS SO IMPORTANT.
UH, AT LEAST THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF TIME THERE TO, TO, UH, TO TALK A LITTLE BIT TO THEM, UH, TO TELL THEM WHY THE VACCINE IS IMPORTANT AND, AND WEARING THE MASK.
UH, SO, UM, BUT YEAH, IT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT OF COMMON SENSE, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO PUSH THAT COMMON SENSE A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO, TO GET THE VACCINE AND THE, AND THE MASK.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE, WHAT OTHER KIND OF MESSAGE WE COULD SEND OR SHOW, UH, THAT WOULD, UM, UH, PUSH PEOPLE THAT, THAT BIT FURTHER TO GO AHEAD AND GET THE VACCINE.
SO, I MEAN, I THINK WE JUST NEED TO KEEP THINKING ABOUT THIS AND
[01:05:01]
SEE WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO, UH, TO GET, GET MORE PEOPLE VACCINATED.BUT, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE DOING A LOT OF REALLY, REALLY GOOD WORK.
SO, UM, I THINK, UH, I THINK, UH, YOUR SON IS CORRECT MR. UP, UH, IT'S UP TO ALL OF US TO DO THIS, UH, AND, AND, UH, EACH, EACH DAY WE JUST CAN'T GIVE IT A REST.
SO, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE, WHAT THE ANSWER IS.
WELL, UM, I W I WANTED TO SPEND MOST OF MY TIME, UH, BANKING, UH, THE PEOPLE ON THE LEADERS IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THE LEADERS ON THIS CALL, BECAUSE, UH, THERE'S NOT BEEN A BIT OF INFORMATION.
THERE HAS NOT BEEN A, A CHALLENGE THAT THIS TEAM HAS NOT BEEN WILLING TO CONFRONT.
UH, WHEN WE ASKED FOR INFORMATION BY ZIP CODE, THEY BRING US INFORMATION BY ZIP CODE.
UH, WHEN WE ASK FOR INFORMATION ABOUT ETHNIC COMMUNITIES, UH, THEY, THEY BRING US THAT INFORMATION WHEN WE ASK THEM TO, UH, PUT THE INFORMATION TOGETHER ON WHERE EVERYBODY CAN GO TO GET ACCESS, TO TESTING AND SHOTS, UH, THEY BRING THAT INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY.
AND, UH, AND I WANTED TO SAY, THANK YOU PUBLICLY TO THEM, UH, FOR DOING SO.
AND, AND FOR THE POLICY LEADERS FOR ASKING FOR AND DEMANDING THAT WE PUSH AS HARD AS WE CAN.
I THINK THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO DO SO.
AND JUST TO PICK UP ON SOMETHING THAT, THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER GOMEZ SAID, UH, MY GRANDFATHER USED TO TELL ME THAT THAT COMMON SENSE ISN'T ALWAYS COMMON.
UH, SO WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN, UH, TO GET INFORMATION OUT AND TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE, UH, TOMORROW IS GOING TO BE MY 31ST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.
SO I WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK MY WIFE FOR BEING PATIENT KIND AND LONG SUFFERING.
UH, BUT, UH, TOMORROW MORNING, UH, BECAUSE OF AISD, UH, THE, UH, THE AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND DR.
WACHS IS GOING TO BE THERE, UM, BECAUSE OF THE TRAVIS COUNTY, UM, MOBILE VACCINE COLLABORATION BECAUSE OF PRECINCTS BLIND AND FOR OUR CONSTABLES AND OUR COMMISSIONERS OFFICES, BECAUSE OF THE RISING STARS ORGANIZATION AND SPURS SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT, UH, WE WILL BE HAVING AT LBJ HIGH SCHOOL FROM NINE O'CLOCK TO NOON, VACCINES, PHYSICALS, AND BACKPACKS.
I JUST THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US, UH, TO GO ON TO AREAS THAT WE ARE PERSONALLY FAMILIAR WITH, WHETHER IT IS THE HIGH SCHOOL WE GREW UP AT THE COLLEGE, WE GRADUATED FROM THE CHURCH THAT WE GO TO THE, THE CLUBS AND GROUPS THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, WE PARTICIPATE WITH.
UH, IT IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO SET THE EXAMPLE.
I AM, I AM NOT TELLING FOLKS IN A WAY THAT I'M TRYING TO CONVINCE THEM OF ONE THING OR ANOTHER.
I'M ASKING THEM TO DO ONE, WHEREVER YOU GO, PLEASE ACT AS IF SOMEONE THAT YOU LOVE YOUR GRANDMOTHER, YOUR GRANDFATHER, YOUR MOM, OR YOUR DAD ARE THERE AND ACT ACCORDING.
UH, IF, IF YOU, IF YOU ARE GOING SOMEWHERE AND SOMEONE ELSE IS GOING TO BE THERE, TREAT THEM LIKE FAMILY, PROTECT YOURSELF AND PROTECT THEM.
UH, NOWHERE VACCINES ARE BEING GIVEN IN YOUR AREA, KNOW HOW TO GET THE PPE THAT'S NECESSARY, BUT WHEN WE START TREATING EACH OTHER, LIKE WE TREAT LOVED ONES IN OUR OWN FAMILY.
MAYBE WE'LL RESPOND BETTER, UH, TO, UH, TAKING VACCINES AND PARTICIPATING IN THE PROCESS TO HELP PEOPLE.
SO I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE US ALL TO GO TO THE PLACES WHERE WE HAVE INFLUENCE AND TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS JUST TO TREAT EACH OTHER, LIKE YOU TREAT YOUR MOST LOVED FAMILY MEN.
WALKER ABOUT YOU MENTIONED CLUSTERS, AND I'M WONDERING IF WE ARE SEEING MANY CLUSTERS OR ANY TRENDS TO THOSE THAT COULD GUIDE US IN, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET MORE VACCINE OR PPE OR ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, THE PLACES WHERE WE'RE HISTORICALLY SEEING THOSE ARE IN CONGREGATE SETTINGS.
SO IN, UM, SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES, NURSING HOMES, ASSISTED LIVINGS CENTERS, UM, AND THEN DURING THE SUMMER IN CAMPS, UM, VOLLEYBALL CAMPS, UH, STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CAMPS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
[01:10:01]
YOU'RE WELCOME.UM, AND THE LAST THING ON THE, IT LOOKS LIKE PEOPLE ARE ALREADY PICKING UP, YOU KNOW, ABOUT STAGE FIVE, JUST FROM THE NEWS REPORTS, UM, ON THE GUIDANCE THAT WE'RE GOING TO GIVE TO THE EXTENT THAT'S GOING TO BE PUBLISHED.
IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE ON THE, ON THE BOTTOM HALF OF, FOR THE UNVACCINATED, WE WOULD WANT TO INCLUDE A BULLET ABOUT GETTING THE VACCINE, YOU KNOW, AND I'M, I'M NOT, I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON THAT, BUT IT JUST SEEMS OBVIOUS TO ME, LIKE, WE'D WANT TO BE TELLING THEM, GET VACCINATED.
WE CAN ADD THAT TO THE GRAPHIC.
UM, AND THE LAST THING IS, ARE WE DOING SHOTS AGAIN AT THE SOCCER GAME TOMORROW? I HOPE WE ARE.
WILKES JUST WANTED TO UNDERSCORE, OBVIOUSLY SCHOOL'S COMING UP, UH, HAS STARTED FOR SOME PEOPLE ALREADY, UH, PUBLIC SCHOOLS LIKE AISD AND OTHERS, UH, STARTING VERY SOON.
YOU MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NUMBERS OF KIDS THAT WE HAD SEEN, I GUESS, UP TO THIS DATE IN THE HOSPITAL AND IN AN ICU, IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THOSE NUMBERS HAVE INCREASED A LITTLE BIT MORE RECENTLY AND WITH THE DELTA STRAIN HAVE INCREASED A LITTLE BIT.
COULD YOU TALK ABOUT JUST HOW THIS PRESENTS A NEW THREAT REALLY TO OUR KIDS? CAN YOU JUST UNDERSCORE THAT FOR ME? SURE.
UM, WE'VE ALL HEARD THAT CHILDREN FOR THE MOST PART TEND TO HAVE A MILDER ILLNESS.
UM, BUT WE'RE NOW SEEING MORE CHILDREN THAT ARE, UH, REQUIRING HOSPITALIZATION AND THAT, UM, IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, UM, AND WORLDWIDE, BUT REALLY THE IMPACT OF THIS DISEASE ON PEOPLE AFTER THE FACT AFTER RECOVERY IS WHAT IS GOING TO BE, UM, MOST CONCERNING YESTERDAY ON THE PANEL.
WE, UM, TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT, UM, THERE ARE MORE PRETERM EARLY DELIVERIES OF BABIES AND MOTHERS THAT HAVE COVID 19.
UM, THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH STILLBIRTHS, UM, THAT THERE MAY BE SOME COGNITIVE ISSUES THAT RESULT FROM, UM, CHILDREN AT, IN THE PERINATAL PHASE.
UM, WE'VE HAD SOME REPORTS OF CHILDREN DEVELOPING DIABETES AFTER THEY'VE HAD COVID-19.
UM, I'VE SEEN PATIENTS WHO ARE ADULTS WHO COMPLAIN OF, UM, MEMORY LOSS, FATIGUE, ACHING, JOINT PAIN, UM, SEVERE SHORTNESS OF BREATH.
UM, AND THOSE THINGS COULD AFFECT OUR CHILDREN AS WELL.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, A CHILD DEVELOPING DIABETES IS A SERIOUS THING.
UH, SO THE LONG-TERM QUALITY AND THE LONGTERM IMPACT ON OUR SOCIETY HAVE YET TO BE DETERMINED.
AND SO WE SHOULDN'T BE CAVALIER JUST BECAUSE THEY GET MILD DISEASE.
WE SHOULD STILL PROTECT THEM FROM GETTING COVID-19.
SO, YEAH, JUST TO UNDERSCORE THAT A LITTLE BIT.
SO STATE LEADERSHIP IS BASICALLY TELLING US THAT WE ARE GOING TO SEND ALL OF OUR KIDS TO SCHOOLS VERY SOON, OR WE HAVE ALREADY TWO INDOOR ENVIRONMENTS, WHICH THE CDC AND EVERY DOCTOR SCIENTIST I'VE TALKED TO IS LIKE, IS THE MOST TRANSMISSIBLE WORST PLACE FOR, ESPECIALLY THE DELTA VARIANT, BUT FOR ALL COVID, UM, WE'RE SENDING KIDS UNDER 12 WHO DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET VACCINATED.
AND THE STATE LEADERSHIP IS TELLING THE ISD IS THAT THEY CANNOT REQUIRE MASKS IN THIS SITUATION.
THE ONE THING THAT A KID UNDER 12 COULD DO TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THE DELTA VARIANT AND COVID THE STATE IS SAYING THAT SCHOOLS REQUIRE THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? DR.
AND, UM, WE HAD A RELEASE FROM THE TEXAS MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE, UM, TEXAS PEDIATRICS ASSOCIATION.
UM, AND THEY STRONGLY CAME OUT IN SUPPORT OF THE CDC RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE AMERICAN AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MASK WEARING FOR CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS.
BOTH MAYOR, I WILL PASS IT OVER TO YOU, JUDGE.
UM, I'LL HOLD MY COMMENTS TO THE END.
WE'LL START WITH, UH, DISTRICT 10 WORK OUR WAY TO DISTRICT LEARN
[01:15:01]
COUNCIL MEMBER ALDER, GOOD MORNING, AND WANT TO JOIN OUR COLLEAGUES AND, UM, THANKING ALL OF THE FOLKS WHO ARE ON THE FRONT LINE WITH APH AND ALL OF OUR STAFF AND THE NURSES AND DOCTORS, ET CETERA, AND ALL THE FOLKS WHO ARE OUT THERE, UM, DELIVERING THE VACCINES AND DOING THE TASKS.UM, I WANT TO ADD MY VOICE ALSO TO JUDGE BROWN AND IN UNDERSCORING, THE ABSURDITY OF NOT ALLOWING OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO REQUIRE MASKS.
UM, IT IS THE ONE PROTECTION THAT WE CAN TAKE THAT WE KNOW WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
UM, AND I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE THE CITY AND COUNTY, UM, TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO, TO MOVE THAT CHOICE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, TO THE EXTENT WE CAN.
UM, RELATEDLY, I WANTED TO ASK OUR STAFF IF THEY COULD SPEAK TO HOW WE ARE COLLABORATING WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE, UM, THIS TIME TO DO THE BEST THAT THEY CAN TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS SAFE AND MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES.
UM, AS DR WALKS THAT OUR CHILDREN NEED TO BE IN SCHOOL FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO CREATE CONDITIONS THAT ARE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.
UM, BUT I KNOW THAT I HAD REQUESTS FROM TRUSTEES TO HAVE ADDITIONAL, UM, SUPPORT, UM, AND I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE DOING AND WHAT WE ARE PLANNING AS OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS NAVIGATE THIS REALLY, UM, TRICKY SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS MADE MORE COMPLICATED.
WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH THE SUPERINTENDENTS OF THE ISD WEEKLY, UM, TO DISCUSS, UM, GUIDANCES REGARDING HOW TO MITIGATE THE SPREAD IN SCHOOLS.
UM, WE'VE, UH, MET, WE MET YESTERDAY AND TALKED ABOUT, UM, HOW THEY WOULD FOR THE MOST PART ALL BUT TWO OF THE ISD HAS AGREED TO, UM, CONTINUE TO GIVE US THE INFORMATION ABOUT, UM, CASES THAT ARE IDENTIFIED, UM, IN THEIR, UM, ISD SO THAT WE CAN SUBMIT, UM, ORDERS, UM, TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE A COMMUNICABLE DISEASE, UM, AND, UH, AND ADVISE THEM THAT THEY NEED TO SELF ISOLATE, UM, UH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NORMS OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND MITIGATION OF SPREAD OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASE.
UM, THERE ARE ISD THAT ARE, UM, CONSIDERING, UM, USING LARGE SUMS OF MONEY TO OFFER VIRTUAL LEARNING.
UM, SO, AND, AND WE'RE ALSO ADVISING THEM THAT IF A CHILD COMES TO SCHOOL WITH A MASK THAT THEIR PARENT WANTS THEM TO WEAR, UM, THAT THEY, THEY ARE TO ENCOURAGE AND, AND, AND, AND ENSURE THAT THAT HAPPENS THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, UM, EXCEPT A DINING HALL AND THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT, UM, AND, AND SO WE'RE HAVING THOSE KINDS OF CONVERSATIONS, BUT FRANKLY, IT'S BEEN, UM, IT'S BEEN FRUSTRATING BECAUSE, UM, THEY SERVE IN LOCUS, PRENTICE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THERE, OR THE PARENT DURING THE DAY, THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF OUR KIDS AND THEY'RE FRUSTRATED THAT THEY CAN'T DO THEIR BEST TO DO THAT.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO GIVE THEM AS MUCH ADVICE AND GUIDANCE AS WE CAN TO HELP THEM OPEN AND HAVE A SAFE AND HEALTHY YEAR FOR THE STUDENTS THAT ARE RETURNING TO SCHOOL.
AND THEY NEED TO BE IN SCHOOL.
THEY NEED TO GET BACK TO IN PERSON LEARNING AND, AND, AND, AND SOCIALIZATION WITH FRIENDS.
SO I BELIEVE YOU, UM, THANK YOU.
I BELIEVE YOU HAD, UH, AT LEAST ONE CONVERSATION WHERE YOU MET WITH THE TRUSTEES, BUT, UM, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN OFFER THAT OPPORTUNITY TO THE TRUSTEES, WHETHER IT'S A PUBLIC MEETING OR, UM, OR, UH, A PRIVATE OPPORTUNITY TO BE, TO ASK QUESTIONS.
UM, I THINK THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE REGULAR OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS.
I KNOW THEY DO WATCH OUR BRIEFINGS, UM, TO THE EXTENT THAT THAT'S POSSIBLE, UM, AND WANTED, UM, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF WE COULD MAKE THAT AVAILABLE.
UM, AND THEN I, I MAY HAVE MISSED IT IN THE SLIDES, BUT DID WE SEE SORT OF HOW WE'RE DOING RELATIVE TO OTHER PARTS OF TEXAS IN TERMS OF HOSPITALIZATIONS AND CASES AND STUFF LIKE THAT? IS THAT, UM, OUR, OUR, UM, I S OUR PERCENT OF COVID PATIENTS, UM, AS FAR AS OUR REGION TSA REGION, OH, GOES, UM, WE HAVE, UH, 10.2, 7%, UM, HOSPITAL CAPACITY.
[01:20:01]
COVID 19 PATIENTS IN DALLAS, THE REGION EIGHT E THEY HAVE 0.91 HOUSTON ROOIJEN Q HAS 12.4, 2% SAN ANTONIO REGION P HAS 11.2, 2% AND EL PASO REGION.I HAS 3.3, 6%, THE ICU BED CAPACITY FOR, UM, AVAILABLE ICU BEDS CURRENTLY IN OUR REGION.
OH, IS 10, THE ICU BED CAPACITY, UM, FOR DALLAS, UM, IS 103.
AND THEY HAVE 8 MILLION PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE TO SERVE.
WE HAVE, UM, HOUSTON HAS 62 ICU BEDS LEFT, AND THEY ARE SERVING A POPULATION OF 6.7 MILLION PEOPLE.
UM, THEY'VE GOT 85 ICU BEDS AND THEY'RE SERVING A POPULATION OF 3 MILLION PEOPLE.
AND EL PASO HAS 23 ICU BEDS LEFT AND THEY SERVE A POPULATION OF 881,000.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER PROVO.
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ARE ON THE CALL FOR ALL YOUR, ALL YOUR WORK.
UM, I HAVE MULTIPLE QUESTIONS.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO ISOLATE IT TO JUST ONE AND THEN FOLLOW UP, BUT LET ME JUST WITH THE SITUATION BEING WHAT IT IS, WE MAY SOON HAVE TO FIND MORE TIME.
I'M AFRAID TO HAVE THESE BRIEFINGS SO THAT WE CAN REALLY MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING QUESTIONS ANSWERED OUR CONSTITUENTS.
UM, I WANT TO ASK, I GUESS FIRST ABOUT, UM, FIRST, JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INCLUDING THE INFORMATION TODAY, SUCH GREAT INFORMATION, INCLUDING INFORMATION ABOUT, UH, HOW MANY ARE VACCINATED WITHIN HOSPITALS.
I NOTICED THERE'S A LARGE NUMBER UNACCOUNTED FOR ON THAT PAGE.
THIS IS ON 20 PAGE 23, AND IT LOOKS AT THE ALMOST HALF OF THOSE NUMBERS.
UM, THERE'S NOT A VACCINATION STATUS REPORTED, AND I'M JUST TRYING TO VERIFY WHERE I'M READING THAT CORRECTLY.
AND WHILE WE'RE TO THAT SHEET, I JUST WANT TO, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION AND JUST TO REQUEST THAT AS, AS APH, IF YOU'RE NOT ALREADY DOING THIS AS A PH IS REPORTING OUT THAT DATA TO MEDIA ABOUT THE NUMBER IN HOSPITALS, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO ALWAYS ACCOMPANY THAT BY THE NUMBER OF VACCINATED SO THAT WE CAN REALLY IN ALL OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS EMPHASIZE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING VERY SICK ARE THOSE WHO DO NOT YET HAVE A BACK.
IS IT POSSIBLE, UM, ANSWER THAT QUESTION PLEASE.
ABOUT PAGE 23, I'M PULLING UP.
IT APPEARED TO BE FROM THAT PAGE THAT, THAT THEY DON'T HAVE EXPLANATION STATUS FOR ALL, ALL OF THE, IT LOOKS LIKE 30 IN THE HOSPITAL, BUT, AND IT LOOKS AS IF WE HAVE A VACCINATION STATUS FOR FEWER THAN 530.
IS THAT ACCURATE? IT LOOKS LIKE VACCINATION STATUS FOR JUST UNDER 300.
DO YOU KNOW HOW WE COULD, UH, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE GAP THERE IS, IS IT HOSPITALS NOT COLLECTING THAT INFORMATION? IS IT INDIVIDUALS NOT INDICATING WHAT'S? WHY ARE WE IN THIS VACCINATION? A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.
UM, THERE ARE, WHEN YOU'RE ADMITTING A PATIENT TO THE HOSPITAL AND THEY'RE SICK, THEY MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THOSE, THOSE DETAILS.
IF THEY'RE GO STRAIGHT INTO VACATION, YOU MAY NOT GET THAT INFORMATION.
UM, SOME PEOPLE DON'T KNOW SOME PEOPLE, UH, TH THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION ON EVERYBODY.
AND THEY'RE NOT CHECKING INDIVIDUALS IN ANY OF THE DATABASES THAT WOULD SHOW WHO HAS BEEN VACCINATED.
THEY DO, UM, GO TO AMTRAK AND THEY LOOK TO SEE IF THEIR INFORMATION'S IN AMTRAK.
BUT THERE, THERE ARE, UM, PLACES WHERE PEOPLE FOR PEOPLE'S VACCINATION STATUS ARE BEING REPORTED THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF AMTRAK OR NOT.
EVERYBODY'S NOT EVERYBODY'S VACCINATION STATUS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN AMTRAK EVERYBODY'S VACCINATION STATUS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE IN AMTRAK THAT
[01:25:01]
THERE ARE, AND THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES WITH THE DATA.THAT'S AN AMTRAK THERE, DUPLICATION SOMETIMES THERE'S DELAY IN ENTRY OF THE DATA, SO THAT THERE, THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS GET THE DATA THAT WE NEED.
UM, AND JUST, UH, A COUPLE OBSERVATIONS.
I'M NOTICING ONE OF THE AREAS IN DISTRICT NINE THAT IS UNDER MY DISTRICT, WHICH IS UNDER OUR HOPED FOR VACCINATION RATE IS 7, 8, 7, 9 5, WHICH IS PRIMARILY WEST CAMPUS.
UM, AND ALSO INCLUDES MY NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IT ALSO IS PRIMARILY WEST CAMPUS.
AND SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF, UM, WHETHER, SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF UT STUDENTS, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS ARE GETTING VACCINATED ELSEWHERE AND THE RESULTS AREN'T BEING REPORTED.
UM, BUT I WONDERED IF YOU ARE COORDINATING WITH YOUR T YES.
YOUNG REGULARLY, AND SHE HAS AN EXCELLENT PROGRAM.
UM, SHE'S BEEN DOING SURVEILLANCE PLANS TO CONTINUE TO DO SO.
UM, THERE ARE, UH, THEY HAVE A ROBUST, UM, PROB PROGRAM FOR VACCINATIONS, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO PUSH THAT OUT AS, UM, STUDENTS RETURNED TO SCHOOL.
UM, SO THEY'RE THERE, THEY HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE, UM, FOR THAT ENTIRE POPULATION.
WELL, THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR AGAIN, I GUESS I WOULD WONDER IF PERHAPS SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS ARE GETTING VACCINATED ELSEWHERE AND THE, AND THE INFORMATION IS NOT COMING, MAYBE NOT COMING INTO THE SYSTEM.
AND WE'RE NOT, UM, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO REQUIRE, UM, PEOPLE SHOW THAT THEY'RE VACCINATED, SO THAT HAS TO BE DONE ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS.
UM, AND THEN I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT, ABOUT VOLUNTARY BASIS FOR OUR SCHOOLS.
I THINK I APPRECIATE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES AT THE COMMISSIONERS, OR AS WELL AS, UM, AT COUNCIL WHO HAVE COMMENTED ON THIS ALREADY.
UM, SO, SO UNFORTUNATE, IT'S REALLY UNCONSCIONABLE THAT SCHOOLS DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO ENCOURAGE MASKING AS THE EVIDENCE SHOWS WOULD REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE NOTICED I'VE, I'M A PARENT OF TWO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS NOW WITHIN AISD.
UM, BOTH OF THEM DISSIPATING AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, AND I'VE NOTICED A REAL DIFFERENCE AND IN HALF, UM, AND HOW ENCOURAGED IT IS TO USE MASKS.
AND SO I REALLY JUST WANT TO CALL IT, YOU KNOW, MY, I HAVE, I HAVE A DAUGHTER PARTICIPATING IN ONE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY WHERE EVERYONE IS ASKED THE SCHOOL HAS THE ABILITY TO REQUIRE IT.
NOBODY IS REQUIRING IT, BUT THEY HAVE CREATED A CULTURE WHERE EVERYONE IS MASKING.
I HAVE ANOTHER DAUGHTER WHICH DISSIPATING IN A DIFFERENT ACTIVITY WITHIN AISD, WHERE SHE WAS ONE OF JUST A COUPLE OUT OF MORE THAN A HUNDRED, ALMOST 200 STUDENTS WHERE, UM, SHE WAS ONE OF THE VERY FEW WHO WAS MASKED.
SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO CALL IT AND ENCOURAGE, UH, THOSE OF US WHO ARE WORKING WITH STUDENT POPULATIONS AT EVERY LEVEL, UM, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT, SUPPORT, AND, UM, ENCOURAGE, OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN'T REQUIRE AT THE, AT THE MOMENT, BUT, YOU KNOW, PLEASING, I THINK ENCOURAGING, ENCOURAGING, UH, AND CREATING CO A CO MODELING AND CREATING AND SUPPORTING A CULTURE OF MASKING WOULD, WOULD REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE AS WELL.
AND, YOU KNOW, THANKS DIRECTOR STIRRUP TO, TO YOUR CHILD WHO IS, IS DOING HIS PART IN THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I, I, THIS IS REALLY A CALL OUT TO OUR STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, HELP, HELP CREATE THAT CULTURE OF MASKING.
THAT'LL HELP, HELP KEEP, UM, KEEP YOURSELF AND YOUR FRIENDS ON YOUR TEACHERS AND STAFF AT THOSE SCHOOLS HEALTHY.
UM, THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR WORK.
UM, AND ALSO REMEMBER ALICE, THANK YOU MAYOR.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THOSE QUESTIONS ABOUT SCHOOLS.
CAUSE I'VE BEEN GETTING SOME QUESTIONS AND COMMENTARY TOO ABOUT PARENTS' FEARS.
UM, IF THEY DON'T HAVE A REMOTE OPTION FOR THEIR KIDS OR CAN'T, CAN'T DO IT EVEN IF IT WOULD BE ALLOWED IN THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, I WANT TO SWITCH GEARS JUST A LITTLE BIT AND ASK ABOUT AN UPDATED TIMELINE FOR FOLKS THAT ARE FIVE TO 11, WHICH IS THE NEXT AGE GROUP I'M UNDERSTANDING WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO GET THE VACCINE.
AND ALSO IF ADULTS WHO ARE FULLY VACCINATED WOULD NEED A BOOSTER EITHER A YEAR FROM WHEN THEY GOT THE FIRST ONE OR SOONER THAN THAT, IS THERE ANY MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THOSE TWO DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS AND VACCINATION STATUSES THAT WE CAN KNOW MORE ABOUT TODAY? WE DON'T HAVE ANY UPDATES AS OF
[01:30:01]
YET ON EITHER OF THOSE TWO ISSUES, BUT EVERYBODY IS ANXIOUSLY AWAITING, PARTICULARLY THE, THE APPROVAL OF THE USE OF VACCINATE VACCINATIONS IN THE UNDER 12 POPULATION.AND IS THE UNDERSTANDING AT THIS POINT THAT IT WOULD BE, UM, THE SAME VACCINATIONS THAT HAVE JUST BEEN APPROVED FOR A YOUNGER AGE GROUP, OR WOULD IT BE A DIFFERENT FORMULA BASED ON AGE IT'S, IT'S LIKELY TO BE THE SAME THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
UM, UNLESS THERE'S A CHANGE BASED UPON THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW VARIANT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WELL, I WILL LOOK FORWARD TO MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT AS, AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE.
ALL OF MY APPRECIATION TO EVERYBODY FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
UM, I WAS AT A, UM, A PARK, A PLAYGROUND DEDICATION YESTERDAY, AND, UM, THERE WERE KIDDOS RUNNING AROUND AND, AND ENJOYING EVEN KIND OF IN THE SPRINKLING RAIN, UM, THE, THE NEW CIVIC ASSET THAT WE HAVE FOR EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY TO ENJOY.
AND IT WAS PRETTY CLEAR TO ME IN TALKING TO THE ADULTS WHO WERE ASSEMBLED THERE, ALL OF WHOM WERE MASKED UP AND STANDING SEPARATE FROM ONE ANOTHER, HOW THIS NEWEST, LATEST BURDEN, UM, IS PUSHING US BEYOND EXHAUSTION.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY TO THE LEADERSHIP AT THE STATE OF TEXAS, THAT I FIND IT IRRESPONSIBLE IN THE EXTREME, UH, THE UNWILLINGNESS TO RECOGNIZE THE CLEAR IMPERATIVES OF THIS PANDEMIC.
I WOULD ASK EVERYBODY TO ACCEPT YOUR CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY AND RECOGNIZE THE SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS, PARTICULARLY TO OUR CHILDREN AND TO THOSE WHO MAY BE MEDICALLY VULNERABLE TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPERATIVES AND ACT AS IF YOU WERE MANDATING TO YOURSELF THAT YOU WOULD GO AND GET A VACCINATION AND, AND MAKE A FULL CIRCLE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE DOING THAT FOR YOU TO LIMIT YOUR EXPOSURE.
AND THOSE OF US WHO HAVE SO DONE AND WHO ARE WEARING MASKS, AND EVEN HERE IN MY OFFICE, I HAVE THIS MASK ONE OF MANY LOOK AT IT AS AN IMPERATIVE THAT YOU REQUIRE YOURSELF TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
AND AGAIN, I LAY THAT ON THE STATE OF TEXAS LEADERSHIP AND THE LEADERSHIP IN SOME OTHER STATES IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
I FIND APPALLING FRANKLY, AND, UM, REALLY WE SHOULD SHOW THEM HOW, HOW BEST TO ACT AND BEHAVE RESPONSIBLY, CIVICALLY AND SOCIALLY.
UM, I ALSO REMEMBER KELLY, COULD YOU COME RIGHT BACK TO ME? I JUST, I'M ALMOST READY.
UM, I ECHO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID, UH, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, OUR CONCERNS AND OUR, JUST OUR PLEA TO EVERYONE TO, TO BE MAPPED, UM, AND TO GET VACCINATED, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS OR POINTS THAT, UH, IN POINTS THAT I'D LIKE TO ASK ABOUT.
UM, THE FIRST ONE WE HAD SOME DISCUSSION EARLIER ABOUT NURSING FACILITIES.
UM, AND SO MY QUESTION IS WHAT EXTENT, WHAT DO WE KNOW FROM A DATA PERSPECTIVE ABOUT THE DEGREE TO WHICH, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING IN FACILITIES ARE VACCINATING? DO WE, CAN WE SAY, AND DO WE KNOW THAT EVERYONE IS WORKING IN A NURSING FACILITY IS VACCINATED.
THAT'S ONE PART OF THE QUESTION.
ANOTHER PART OF THE QUESTION IS, ARE THOSE AREAS THAT WE NEED TO TARGET FOR MOBILE, UH, VACCINATION.
SO CAN YOU ANSWER THAT QUESTION FIRST? UM, NO, NOT ALL OF THE STAFF THAT WORK IN THE NURSING HOMES ARE VACCINATED, UM, AND AT VARIOUS, DEPENDING ON THE FACILITY, UM, AND YES, THAT WOULD BE A PLACE WHERE MOBILE UNITS COULD BE USED TO TARGET.
SO KEN IS THAT, UH, UM, PERHAPS I CAN WORK WITH MR AND
[01:35:01]
AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH OR WITH THE COUNTY.I WOULD THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE, IS THERE A BARRIER I'M NOT AWARE OF, UM, IS THAT, THAT WE CAN DO, UH, TO TARGET THOSE PLACES OR MOBILE VACCINE? UM, IT STILL, IT STILL REQUIRES THAT THE PERSONS THAT ARE UNVACCINATED, UM, WILL SAY YES TO BEING VACCINATED BECAUSE IT'S, UM, DONE ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS.
UH, SO YES, THAT'S, THAT'S A PLACE WHERE OUTREACH COULD OCCUR AND, AND WE CAN DEFINITELY SUPPORT, UM, THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE HAVE RE-ESTABLISHED THE LONG-TERM CARE TASK FORCE TO GET THAT INFORMATION AND TO BE ABLE TO SEND OUR MOBILE TEAMS OUT AS REQUESTED.
THEN JUST ONE QUICK RELATED AND THEN I'LL TURN TO SOMETHING, SOMETHING ELSE VERY QUICK.
UM, I KNOW THAT SOME HEALTHCARE FACILITIES HAVE TALKED ABOUT REQUIRING THEIR STAFF TO BE VACCINATED.
I KNOW WE CAN'T REQUIRE THAT AS A, AS A, AS A CITY OF PRIVATE ENTITIES, BUT DO YOU KNOW, OR ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY CONVERSATIONS AMONGST THE NURSING FACILITY ASSOCIATIONS OR ANY OF THE, PARTICULARLY THE LARGER NURSING HOMES ABOUT WHETHER THEY HAVE THERE ARE REQUESTING OR REQUIRING THEIR STAFF TO BE VACCINATED? I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY TALKS ABOUT THAT AS YET.
UM, BUT I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN, WHEN, AND IF I HEAR THAT, ALL RIGHT, I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW UP.
I WANT TO BE PROACTIVE ABOUT THAT AND FOLLOW IT UP.
THERE WAS A NATIONAL TASK FORCE SET UP LAST YEAR, UH, TO TALK ABOUT, UH, NURSING FACILITIES AND WHAT MIGHT BE, UM, ACTIONS THAT COULD BE TAKEN A NURSE NURSING FACILITIES.
WE ALSO, OF COURSE, DID, OR WORKING WITH DELL MEDICAL ON A NUMBER OF, UM, YOU KNOW, THINKING AROUND MEDICAL SCHOOL, UH, UM, NURSING FACILITIES.
AND AS, AS YOU WERE SAYING, THE SCIENCE HAS CHANGED.
SO IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT, UM, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARDS TO OUR NURSING FACILITIES, WE NEED TO AT LEAST HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE EXTENT TO WHICH, UH, WORKERS WHO ARE WORKING IN THESE PLACES, UM, CAN BE REQUIRED TO, TO HAVE THE VACCINATION.
MY SECOND ONE HAS TO DO WITH I'M SORRY.
DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? YES.
AND WE WILL GET THE DEF DEFINITIVE DATA THAT SOME PLACES ARE DOING VACS OR TEST.
AND SO IF YOU DON'T VOLUNTEER TO BE VACCINATED, YOU HAVE TO BE TESTED WEEKLY.
UM, WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR NURSING FACILITIES HERE IN AUSTIN WITH REGARD TO THAT.
SO THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I WANTED TO TURN TO YOU IS THINKING ABOUT PLACES THAT PEOPLE ARE, UM, ARE WORKING THAT WE MAY WANT TO BE REACHING.
UM, I AM HEARING THAT, UH, WORKERS IN LARGE WAREHOUSE FACILITIES FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, MAYBE, UH, LOCATIONS WHERE PEOPLE ARE NOT AS, UM, UH, AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THEY CAN GET A VACCINATION WITHOUT HAVING A COST, UH, TO THEM OR NOT WITHOUT HAVING INSURANCE, UM, AND ALSO WHERE THEY MAY NOT BE AS AWARE OF WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT STEPS THEY TAKE.
SO I'M WONDERING IF WE HAVE DONE ANY TARGETING OF, OF WAREHOUSE FACILITIES OR, UM, UH, PRIVATE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE LARGE NUMBERS OF BOOKS LIKE THAT, AND WE'RE DONE ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND IN OUR CITY TO, UM, TARGET PLACES LIKE THAT FOR, UM, FOR VACCINE CLINICS.
I CAN'T SAY SPECIFICALLY WHETHER, UM, WE'VE TARGETED WAREHOUSE WORKERS SPECIFICALLY, BUT I DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE, THE MOBILE TEAM HAS BEEN DOING KIND OF SOME SPOT ON IF THEY SEE A SITE OR DIFFERENT RESTAURANTS THAT THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE ON THE SPOT VACCINATIONS.
AND OUR COMMS TEAM IS WORKING WITH THE CHAMBER THIS WEEK TO, UM, MAP OUT A PLAN WITH DIFFERENT BUSINESSES ON WAYS THAT THEY CAN SUPPORT THEIR, THEIR STAFF AND GETTING VACCINATED, BUT I WILL CHECK INTO WAREHOUSE SPECIFIC.
AND I ASSUME THAT IF WE'RE AWARE OF PARTICULAR LOCATIONS, UH, THAT WE, THEY THINK, WE THINK THERE MAY BE A LARGE NUMBER OF WORKERS OR PERHAPS WORKERS WHO HAVEN'T HAD ACCESS OR ARE NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH WHAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT OPTIONS THEY HAVE THAT WE CAN SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
DOCTOR WALKS IN ALL OF AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH FOR RELAYING THE DATA COLLECTED AND PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUCH A COMPLEX SITUATION.
I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND THINK THE TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT FOR JOINING
[01:40:01]
THE COUNCIL DURING THIS MEETING AND BEING INVOLVED IN THE CONVERSATION, IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE HERE TODAY.I ALSO APPRECIATE THE COVID SITUATION REPORTS THAT ARE BEING SENT OUT TO ALL OF COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR BECAUSE THEY HELP PROVIDE A BIGGER OVERVIEW OF THE SITUATION AT HAND.
BEFORE I GO STRAIGHT INTO A QUESTION THAT I HAVE, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HOW HARD AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH HAS WORKED TO EXPAND TESTING SITES, PROVIDE ISOLATION SITES AND REESTABLISH LONG-TERM CARE RESPONSE TEAMS. I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO THAT WE MAY NEED TO HAVE LONGER BRIEFINGS AS THERE ARE MANY MORE QUESTIONS THAN WE OFTEN HAVE TIME FOR MY OFFICE HAD SUBMITTED A MULTITUDE OF QUESTIONS IN ADVANCE OF TODAY'S PRESENTATION.
AND MANY OF THOSE QUESTIONS HAVE NOT YET BEEN ANSWERED.
SO I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE QUESTIONS BEING ANSWERED.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT CONDITIONS WOULD WARRANT AN ACTIVATION OF OUR ALTERNATE CARE SITE AND THE STATUS OF ANY ISOLATION FACILITIES WE MAY HAVE AVAILABLE.
AN ALTERNATE CARE SITE WOULD BE ACTIVATED IN THE EVENT THAT OUR HOSPITALS ARE UNABLE TO, UM, HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS.
AND WE ARE UNABLE TO PLACE THEM IN SOME OF OUR, UM, INDEPENDENTLY OWNED BUSINESSES THAT ARE PROVIDING SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES IN OUR AREA.
UM, WE ARE IDENTIFYING AND CONTINUE TO, UM, IDENTIFY, UM, NURSING HOME, UM, COMPANIES THAT ARE WORKING WITH US TO PROVIDE SKILLED NURSING, UM, CAPABILITIES.
AND WE'RE UTILIZING THAT AVENUE IN LIEU OF OUR, UM, ACS OR ALTERNATE CARE FACILITY, UM, AT THIS POINT, SO THAT WE CAN, UM, REDIRECT ANY STAFFING THAT IS, UM, IDENTIFIED AT THIS POINT TO THE HOSPITAL SYSTEMS WHERE IT'S MORE CRUCIAL, IT'S CRUCIAL AND NEEDED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE ACUTE CARE THAT'S.
UM, FOR PATIENTS THAT ARE PRESENTING TO THE HOSPITAL WITH COVID-19 AT THIS POINT, AS FAR AS ISOLATION FACILITIES GO, WE HAVE, UM, AN ISOLATION FACILITY RIGHT NOW THAT HAS A LIMITED BED CAPACITY, UH, ROOM CAPACITY.
AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF FINALIZING, UM, OPENING A, A PRETTY, UH, PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED SPOT SITE THAT WAS FOR, UM, A PRO LODGE.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE USING THAT AS AN ISOLATION FACILITY, AND IT HAS CAPACITY FOR 50, UM, ROOMS. GREAT QUESTION.
AND THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ASKED LATE YESTERDAY, UM, THOSE ANSWERS WILL BECOMING, UM, I D I COULDN'T GET THAT FOR YOU, UM, AFTER HOURS LAST NIGHT.
I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE SUPER BUSY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER, I GUESS WE DIDN'T CANCEL EVERY KITCHEN.
AND OF COURSE I ECHO ALL OF THE COMMENTS MADE HERE ABOUT, UH, UH, THE ATTEMPTS THAT LIMITING OUR POWER TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY ARE, ARE AREN'T ACCEPTABLE, AND WE'LL KEEP WORKING EVERY WAY WE CAN TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE.
MY QUESTION IS, IS A FOLLOWUP TO MY QUESTION FROM LAST TIME, WHICH IS WHILE WE HAVE SEEN SOME UPTICK IN VACCINATIONS, IT'S STILL ARE TOO SLOW FOR US TO GET TO THE NUMBERS WE WANT TO GET TO, UH, QUICKLY.
AND SO DO WE FROM AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE OR THE COLLABORATIVES, OR BOTH, WHAT STRATEGIES ARE WE SEEING THAT, THAT ARE GETTING MORE PEOPLE TO GET THE SHOT? WHERE, WHERE ARE WE SEEING THE INCREASE? WHAT WOULD YOU ADVISE THE COUNCIL OR THE COMMISSIONERS TO DO TO HELP? UM, BECAUSE WE'D GONE, I THINK LAST TIME IT WAS LIKE A 0.8% INCREASE IN VACCINATIONS AND A WEEK.
I THINK NOW YOU MIGHT BE AT 1.1 OR 1.2, WHICH IS, WHICH IS BETTER A SIGNIFICANT JUMP OR PERCENTAGE WISE, BUT STILL NOT.
IT'S LIKE, WE OBVIOUSLY KNOW IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
SO WHAT IF YOU WERE TO, SINCE YOU HAVE US HERE NOW, WHAT COULD THE COUNCIL OR THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT DEDICATE MORE RESOURCES OR TIME TO THAT YOU SEE IS WORKING TO GET US MORE VACCINATIONS, LIKE ONE-ON-ONE, THAT WORKS.
AND, UM, YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE COMMUNITY WHO'S, WELL-RESPECTED AND TRUSTED, UM, IF YOU ARE INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE ONE-ON-ONE ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS AND JUST TELL THEM YOUR EXPERIENCE AND, AND, AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE ALL OF US KNOW
[01:45:01]
A LOT MORE ABOUT COVID THAN WE EVER WANTED TO.UM, BUT IF IT'S REALLY ABOUT TALKING ONE-ON-ONE, I, I, I CAN'T, I MEAN, WE'VE TRIED INCENTIVES AND ALL THE REST OF THAT, BUT WHAT REALLY WORKS IS MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE AND, AND JUST TALKING TO THEM AND SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW, UM, IT'S SAFE BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING IS PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND THEY'RE GETTING THE WRONG INFORMATION AND THEY TRUST YOU.
SO IF YOU TALK TO SOMEBODY AND SAY, I BELIEVE THIS IS SAFE, I BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO PROTECT OURSELVES.
I WANT TO, I WANT TO ADD TO THAT REALLY QUICKLY.
WACHS JUST SAID, UM, THE PRELIMINARY RESULTS FROM THE SENDERO SURVEY SHOW THAT WE'RE AT A POINT RIGHT NOW THAT, THAT IT'S NOT ABOUT ACCESS OR HESITANCY A PERSON'S DECISION NOT TO BE VACCINATED IS ROOTED IN THEIR BELIEFS, EITHER RELIGIOUS OR POLITICAL.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE TO COME TO THE REAL REALIZATION OF THE FACT THAT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT WE WILL NOT MOVE WITHOUT POLICY INITIATIVES, WHETHER THAT BE ON THE PART OF PRIVATE BUSINESSES, DECIDING THAT THEIR EMPLOYEES NEED TO BE VACCINATED.
AND THE, LIKE US, AS SOME OF THE HOSPITALS DID LIKE THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THOSE FOLKS.
I THINK IT'S MORE OF WHAT THE CONSTABLE AND THE COUNTY AND APH HAS BEEN DOING IN TERMS OF THAT BOOTS ON THE GROUND OUTREACH TO CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS TWO AND A COUPLE IT'S WHEN WE GET TO THIS POINT OF PREVENTION WHERE IT'S BEHAVIOR CHANGE, IT'S KIND OF, IT'S NOT ALL THAT, RIGHT? IT'S ALL THAT IT'S KIND OF LIKE WITH TOBACCO, YOU HAVE THE ADS, YOU JUST INUNDATE, INUNDATE PEOPLE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT WHY THEY SHOULD MAKE THIS GOOD CHOICE AND CONTINUE TO MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM TO DO SO.
AND SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, APA IS GOING TO TAKE ON TO SUPPORT THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND EFFORTS IS TO REALLY LOOK INTO A MORE INTENSIVE OF MARKETS MARKETING STRATEGY.
WACHS SUGGESTED THAT WE, AND I'M GOING TO MESS UP THE, THE PROFESSION, THE PROFESSION, BUT IT'S A NEURO SOMETHING, SOMETHING, PLEASE HELP ME.
WALKS THAT SPECIALIZES IN BEHAVIOR, A NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST, THANK YOU.
THAT SPECIALIZES IN BEHAVIOR CHANGE THEORY.
AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THEM COME IN AND WORK WITH A MARKETING CONSULTANT SYSTEM SUPPORT THE PI OH, TEAM, CITY AND COUNTY HAVE BEEN DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB, BUT THEY ARE FEW, FEW BUT MIGHTY, BUT TO BRING THEM SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT CAN ADD ON THOSE LAYERS OF MESSAGING AND COMMUNITY TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THAT CHANGE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND I SAW THE CONSTABLE TURN HIS CAMERA ON.
SO I'M SURE HE HAS SOMETHING TO ADD TO THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I GOT TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT LAST WEEK ABOUT THIS FOR, WITH MORE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, MORE ACCESS TO RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, UM, OUR COUNTY, OUR COMMISSIONERS, AND JUDGE HEARD OUR PART ABOUT IT.
NOW, THE CITY CAN HEAR OUR PART, ADDITIONAL FUNDING OUT THERE FOR MORE RESOURCES, UH, ADDITIONAL HELP WITH BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
UH, GREG, YOU'RE ASKING ALSO AS DID COMMISSIONER, UH, TRILLION DID LAST WEEK.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO? UM, YOU KNOW, WE CURRENTLY DO OUR OUTREACH WITH, UH, WITH A GROUP OF THREE PEOPLE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO HAVE NINE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND.
UM, AND, AND I KNOW THAT, UH, IF YOU JUST LIKE US, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE SPREAD THIN ACROSS THE CITY AND COUNTY.
UM, A LOT OF THINGS WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS, UH, SOME TRANSPORTATION, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE PIECING CARS TOGETHER, BUSES TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, UH, AN INVESTMENT LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, BUSES TO GO OUT TO SHOT LOCATIONS, UH, OUR POP-UP CLINICS, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS, UH, AND STRATEGIES THAT WE CAN WORK ON.
UM, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S, WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN, WHAT WE CAN NOW.
UM, LIKE I TOLD YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER CIVILIAN LAST WEEK, UM, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT INCHES.
WE GAVE ANOTHER YARD THIS WEEK, YOU KNOW? UM, BUT YOU, YOU, WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT WE'RE DOING IT WITH THE BARE MINIMUM OF WHAT WE GOT AND RESOURCES.
UM, AND IN ORDER FOR US TO EXCEL AT THE NEXT LEVEL, I'M SORRY, FOLKS, BUT WE HAVE TO INVEST IN EACH OTHER.
WE HAVE TO INVEST IN OUR PEOPLE.
WE HAVE TO INVEST IN OUR TEAMS NOW.
UM, I'M JUST A CONSTABLE IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
IT'S VERY HARD FOR ME TO DISCUSS BUDGETING AND WHAT RESOURCES ARE OUT THERE, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS, THE MORE YOU INVEST IN US, THE MORE WE INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITIES, THANKS TO EACH OF YOU.
AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S HONESTY WITH THAT.
AND I THINK CONSTABLE RALLIS, WE SHOULD HAVE THAT, THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS AND PEOPLE THAT CAN HAVE THOSE ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATIONS.
WALKS, I THINK IT, IT'S HELPFUL TO HEAR THAT THOSE ONE-ON-ONES ARE IMPORTANT.
[01:50:01]
EACH OF US HAS COUNCIL MEMBERS OR COMMISSIONERS CAN HAVE INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE, BUT WE PROBABLY ARE MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN WE SAY WHAT BASICALLY WHAT DIRECTOR OF STIRRUP, UH, SAID WITH, WITH HER SON, WHICH IS LET'S, UM, UH, DEPUTIZE, THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WE HAVE ACCESS TO, TO BE, TO DO THAT OUTREACH TODAY AND TOMORROW.CAUSE THEN YOU'RE CAN HAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CONVERSATIONS, RIGHT.
UH, AND THEN, UM, TORTURE STIR UP.
I THINK THE POLICY QUESTION IS OBVIOUSLY HANGS OVER ALL OF OUR HEADS ABOUT WHAT WE CAN LEGALLY GET DONE, UM, IN THE COURTS IN TEXAS.
UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I WANT TO MAKE IT REALLY CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, PRIVATE BUSINESSES CAN REQUIRE THIS AND SHOULD.
UM, AND, AND THE NATIONAL AFL CIO, WHICH REPRESENTS MILLIONS OF WORKERS ALSO SUPPORTS THIS.
THIS IS THAT THIS IS BOTH PRO BUSINESS FOR THE ECONOMY AND PRO WORKER, BECAUSE YOU WANT TO KNOW THAT THE PERSON YOU'RE WORKING NEXT TO IS ALSO VACCINATED.
UH, AND SO WE SHOULD CALL ON ALL BUSINESSES TO, TO REQUIRE THIS BECAUSE AS YOU SAID, WE CAN MAYBE GET TO MANY, MANY MORE PEOPLE THROUGH AS INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS, BUT WITH OTHER FOLKS, WE WILL NEED THAT POLICY INTERVENTION.
I ALSO, I THINK ALL THE, UH, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND ALL THEIR EMPLOYEES FOR THE WORK THEY'VE DONE, I JUST GOT BACK FROM OUR SISTER CITY AND, AND, UH, IN ON MEXICO, AND OVER THERE, YOU CAN'T GO ANYWHERE INTO ANY DEPARTMENT STORES, RESTAURANT, RETAIL, WITHOUT GETTING YOUR TEMPERATURE TAKEN.
AND I SHOUT US, MONETIZE IT ON YOUR HAND.
AND I DON'T HEAR ANYBODY COMPLAINING ABOUT ANYTHING OVER THERE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S TWO DIFFERENT CITIES, YOU KNOW, AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT IS IN SUPPORT OF THE CITIES AND GIVING THEM ALL THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO, TO, UH, GET PEOPLE VACCINATED.
YOU KNOW, THEIR PROBLEM IS THEY CAN'T GET ENOUGH VACCINES, BUT EVERYBODY WEARS A MASK THERE.
I MEAN, YOU CAN'T GO INTO ANY PLACE WITHOUT A MASK ON IT'S.
SO IT'S JUST SO SAD THAT HERE IN THIS STATE THAT WE HAVE WILL BE CHIPPED AND THEY HAVE MADE IT SO POLITICAL.
THERE ARE PEOPLE DYING OUT THERE BECAUSE OF THAT.
AND IT JUST BREAKS MY HEART JUST TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.
BUT THAT'S REALITY OF TWO DIFFERENT STATES AND HOW THEY APPROACH THEIR PEOPLE AND HOW THEY SUPPORT PEOPLE.
AND HERE IN, WE DO VOCABULARY SUPPORT.
BUT BESIDES THAT ALSO ADJOINS MIRALAX WAS MENTIONING, OR ONE OF EITHER CHIEF BAILEY ABOUT A CALENDAR.
THEY HAD SET UP ABOUT ALL THE VACCINATIONS THEY'RE GOING TO BE GIVEN IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE.
AND I WOULD LITERALLY LOVE TO HAVE THAT TOO, SO I CAN POST IT INTO MY CALENDAR SO I CAN GET THE INFORMATION OUT WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE.
IS THAT POSTED ANYWHERE? YES, SIR.
IT'S ON THE APH WEBSITE, BUT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET IT TOO.
CAUSE I JUST PASSED IT OUT AND GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO MY MIKE.
THAT'S OUR FLAT, THIS THANK YOU.
AND THAT CALENDAR IS REALLY GREAT.
I TOOK A LOOK AT IT AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALL OUTLINED WHICH TYPE OF VACCINE WILL BE AVAILABLE AT EACH SPECIFIC LOCATION.
I THINK THAT'S SUPER HELPFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE STARTED THIS YEAR, OUR FOCUS WAS ON VACCINE EQUITY, ENSURING THAT WE GET VACCINATIONS IN THE ARMS OF THOSE MOST VULNERABLE AND THOSE WHO ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY AT RISK FOR COVID.
AND NOW WE'VE SHIFTED OVER TO THIS STAGE.
THAT'S MORE FOCUSED ON VACCINE HESITANCY AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION OR I GUESS THE QUESTIONS I HAVE ARE REALLY, UM, CENTERED AROUND OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, UH, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR LATINO COMMUNITY, WE HAVE SEEN, AND I'VE HEARD FROM MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT MISTRUST, NOT ONLY IN OUR MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS, BUT ALSO IN OUR GOVERNMENT.
AND WE'VE SEEN IT WHEN IT CAME TO THE PPE DISTRIBUTION TO THE TESTING SITES, UH, ALLOCATION AND LOCATIONS, UM, AND EVEN WITH, UM, THE VACCINE DISTRIBUTION.
SO THERE IS STRIATION AND HOW WE GO ABOUT DOING VACCINES, UM, DISTRICT TO CURB TODAY'S PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE, UH, THE DOVE SPRINGS ZIP CODE BEFORE FOUR HAS THE HIGHEST COUNT OF HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS.
UM, DEL VALLEY 6 1 7 IS RANKED NUMBER FIVE FOR HOSPITAL COUNT ADMISSIONS.
AND SO KNOWING THAT WE REPRESENT, UM, COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT LEVEL OF HESITANCY, CAN YOU TALK US THROUGH,
[01:55:01]
WHAT ARE THE, WHAT IS THE ACTION PLAN TO ADDRESS VACCINE HESITANCY, PARTICULARLY IN THE LATINO COMMUNITY? I'LL START.AND, AND FIRST I WANT TO SAY THAT, UM, FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE, EQUITY IS AT THE CORE OF EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
WE CONTINUALLY USE DATA TO DRIVE ALL OF OUR DECISIONS.
THEN AS LONG AS WE SEE THOSE GAPS, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE EQUITY CONVERSATION.
IT'LL BE THE FOUNDATION OF ANY PLAN THAT WE PUT FORWARD.
AND SO THE YOU'RE RIGHT, AND, AND NOT ONLY I KNOW YOU'RE ASKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE LATINO COMMUNITY, BUT THOSE SAME HURDLES EXIST IN THE BLACK AND AFRICAN AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
SO WHAT DID WE DO? THAT'S WHERE WE, AS THE CONSTABLE SAID, WE INVEST IN COMMUNITY.
AND SO EARLY ON IN THE PANDEMIC RESPONSE, APA HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT BOOTS ON THE GROUND EFFORTS WITH A MINI GRANT PROGRAM, THROUGH ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WE'VE GOTTEN THROUGH THE CDC, WE ARE GOING TO, UM, LEVERAGE THOSE EXISTING INVESTMENTS AND INCREASE AND HAVE OTHER TRUSTED ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS.
WE ARE A PROUD DEPARTMENT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE BIG EGOS.
WE DON'T HAVE TO BE THE FACE OF THIS, THIS RESPONSE.
WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT GOING TO RESPOND TO US AND WE'RE WILLING TO PROVIDE WHETHER IT BE VACCINE, WHETHER IT BE DOLLARS, WHETHER IT BE DATA, TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE ARMED TO DO THE GOOD WORK AND TO HAVE THE EFFECT THAT WE KNOW THAT THEY CAN HAVE.
AND SO, UM, AS WE, UM, WHERE WE JUST SIGNED THE CONTRACTS THIS WEEK FOR THOSE DOLLARS, AND SO THOSE PLANS ARE DEVELOPING.
AND WHEN WE COME BACK NEXT WEEK, I HOPE TO HAVE A MORE DETAILED PLAN FOR YOU, BUT IT'LL BE A COMBINATION OF INCREASING OUR MOBILE CAPACITY TO BE IN PLACES AND SPACES WHERE WE'RE SEEING, UM, THAT WE NEED TO INCREASE VACCINE.
THERE'LL BE THE LAYER OF COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS WITH OUR TRUSTED ORGANIZATIONS IN COMMUNITY THAT HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO, TO BRING TO BEAR.
AND THEN THE OTHER PIECE WILL BE THE, THE MEDIA AND THE MARKETING STRATEGY.
AGAIN, AS I TALKED ABOUT THOSE LAYERS, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, ARE PROVIDING A KIND OF A COHESIVE RESPONSE AND PART OF THE HIRING FOR THE TEAM, UM, IS THOSE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.
AND WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE RECRUITING PEOPLE LIKE FUBU FOR US BY US.
PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE THE COMMUNITY THAT COME FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF THE COMMUNITY AND WILL BE ABLE TO GUIDE US ON THOSE NUANCES THAT WE SOMETIMES MISS AS A GOVERNMENT AGENCY THAT, UM, HINDER OUR COMMUNICATIONS.
AND SO THAT IS KIND OF A BROAD OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE WILL COME FROM.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU MENTIONED COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS.
I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT INVESTMENT THAT WE NEED TO MAKE, UH, FROM
UM, AND THAT IS ONE WAY WE CAN ADDRESS HESITANCIES BY HAVING SOMEONE THAT'S THERE THAT CAN SHARE THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE OF HOW THE VACCINATION WENT FOR, FOR THEM.
UM, AND, AND HOW THAT EXPERIENCE WAS.
UM, I DID WANT TO MENTION, UM, OKAY.
UM, THE SENDERO SURVEY THAT YOU MENTIONED, CAN WE GET A COPY OF THAT? I'D LOVE TO TAKE A LOOK OKAY.
AS, AS SOON AS THE RESULTS ARE FINALIZED, WE PLAN TO SHARE THAT WITH THIS GROUP, NOT ONLY IN THE PRESENTATION FORMAT, BUT THROUGH A MEMO WITH THE ACTUAL RESULTS, UH, MS. DR.
LIGHT OCCUR IS, IS FORMING THAT UP.
THE INITIAL RESULTS, THE END NUMBER WAS REALLY SMALL, AND SO HE WANTS TO GET SOME MORE RESPONSES BEFORE WE, UM, DRAW ANY CONCLUSIONS AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND AS PART OF THE ACTION PLAN THAT YOU ARE WORKING ON, I DO THINK WE NEED TO CONSIDER SCALING UP THE INCENTIVES PORTION.
I SAW THAT HARRIS COUNTY IS DOING A, A RAFFLE FOR SCHOLARSHIP TO HELP INCENTIVIZE, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR KIDS TO, TO GET VACCINATED.
AND THAT'S SUCH A, UM, UH, A CRITICAL AGE GROUP FOR US.
UM, AND ALSO LOOKING AT THE MARKETING STRATEGY, HAVING A ROBUST ENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGN, I WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE LATIN X PSA, I WAS THRILLED.
IT CAME OUT, BUT, YOU KNOW, I FELT LIKE IT CAME OUT THEN IN JULY, YOU KNOW, AND SO HERE WE ARE NEARLY EIGHT MONTHS, UM, INTO, UM, THE VACCINATION STRATEGY.
AND I HAVEN'T SEEN THE REASON TO VAX, UM, SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN, BUT I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER BRILLIANT STRATEGY AND ONE THAT IS DEFINITELY NEEDED.
AND I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT AMPLIFIED,
[02:00:01]
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN, I KNOW OUR COMMUNITY IS ASKING WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE.AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A ROBUST, UM, PLAN FOR WHAT THE EDUCATION, UM, MARKETING CAMPAIGN WOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS, UM, THIS IS FOR CONSTABLE AND WHAT I IS, UM, OR CHIEF BAILEY, YOU KNOW, SINCE YOU ALL HAD A SIGNIFICANT, UM, VACCINATION RESULTS FROM LAST WEEK, I THINK YOU MENTIONED 1200, UM, OF MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY GOT VACCINATED.
I WANTED TO GET A SENSE OF IT HAS THE NEWS ABOUT THE DELTA VARIANT.
HOW IS THAT AFFECTING, UM, TURNOUT FOR, FOR VACCINES? ARE YOU HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT BECAUSE, UH, BECAUSE OF SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS ABOUT THE D DELTA VARIANT, THAT'S WHAT TIPPED HIM OVER TO GET VACCINATED, ANY ANECDOTES THAT YOU CAN SHARE WITH US ABOUT, UM, THE DELTA VARIANT, UM, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.
THE, WHAT WE SEE IS A LOT OF KIDS GETTING READY TO START FOR SCHOOL AND, AND OUR LATINO COMMUNITIES.
AND, UH, AND THE COMMUNITIES IN EASTERN CRESCENT ARE TRYING TO TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTION.
I'M SURE THE DELTA VARIANT HAD A LOT OF INPUT ON THAT, OR, OR WHY WE SAW A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE.
UM, ONE THING I WILL SHARE IN THOSE AREAS OF SEVEN, UH, IN DEL VALLEY AND, AND 7, 8, 7, 4, 4, UH, SHE BAILEY MYSELF, WE HAVE A PHONE NUMBER AND I ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO CALL THIS NUMBER.
IT'S FIVE ONE, TWO EIGHT FIVE FOUR SHOT.
AND FOR SOME FAMILIES AGAIN, NUMBER 5, 1, 2 8, 5, 4 SHOT S H O T.
AND THOSE LESS THAN IN EMERGENCY SERVICES, SAM HENRY OCEAN, TOM, UM, YOU CAN CALL IT THAT NUMBER AND FOR FAMILIES THAT OR NERVOUS ABOUT, UH, GOING TO A CLINIC OR GETTING OUT OF THE HOUSE, THEY CAN CALL US AND WE'LL TAKE A SHOT TO THEM AT THEIR HOME.
AND, UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE THING I WANTED TO SHARE TO MAKE SURE WE WERE VERY CLEAR ON THAT.
THAT NUMBER IS 5 1, 2 8 5 4 SHOTS.
AND THOSE ARE THE DEL VALLEY N AND THE D THE 77 44 ZIP CODES AS WE START.
UM, WE'D LIKE TO DO ALL OF US THEN, BUT WE, WE STILL WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN WITH THE GUT.
AND THAT IS, THAT IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE REASONS I'M A COUNCIL MEMBER IS BECAUSE, UH, AGAIN, THERE'S A CONCERN FOR THE DELTA AND KIDS GOING BACK TO SCHOOL.
I'M GONNA PRETEND YOU'RE MUTED.
THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION, BUT I HAVEN'T HAD AN ALLERGY ISSUE IN WHICH CASE UP JUST FOR FREE.
UH, AFTER STIRRUP, IT, THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS, UH, THAT WE HEAR REPEATED ABOUT INCENTIVES.
AND I KNOW YOU'VE TAKEN A LOOK AT THAT ISSUE AND SEEING, UH, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT WORKS AND DOESN'T WORK, CAN YOU GIVE US A MEMO OR THAT ISSUE JUST TO LAY THAT OUT FOR PEOPLE SO THEY COULD SEE THAT AND, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS WHAT WE'VE SEEN, WHAT WE'VE DONE TO ADDRESS THE IDEAS LIKE FROM, UH, OUR COUNCILMAN, WHAT THIS ABOUT, UH, SCHOLARSHIP, UH, OPPORTUNITY.
BUT I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL ON THE ALTERNATE CARE FACILITY QUESTION THAT CAME UP, I THINK FROM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, KELLY KNOW THE BIG ISSUE IS, UH, IS THE NUMBER OF WORKERS SINCE STAFFING THAT WE HAVE.
AND IF WE WERE TO OPEN UP AN ALTERNATE CARE FACILITY, WE'D STAFF IT, EXCEPT THAT WE STILL HAVE PHYSICAL SPACE AT THE HOSPITAL.
SO IF WE EVER GOT ANY STAFF OR ALTERNATE CARE FACILITY, THE FIRST PLACE WE WOULD DEPLOY, THAT WOULD BE AT THE HOSPITALS, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S THE BEST PLACE FOR THEM TO, TO BE.
SO OUR LIMITATION IS NOT THE PHYSICAL SPACE RIGHT NOW, IT'S THE STAFFING ISSUE.
AND I POINT OUT THAT OUR HOSPITALS HAVE THE STAFF THEY NEED.
I DON'T WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE HORIZON IS, IS JUST REALLY TROUBLING.
UH, THE STATE HAS SUBMITTED WHAT ARE CALLED THE HOSPITALS HERE HAVE SUBMITTED WHAT ARE CALLED STAR REQUESTS TO THE STATE, ASKING FOR HELP WITH STAFFING BY THE STAFF, WITH THE STATE WAS ABLE TO HELP US, UH, PRETTY, UH, CONSIDERABLY, UH, ALL LAST YEAR.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE WERE ABLE TO DO WELL AS WE DID AS A COMMUNITY.
UH, BUT ALL OF THE STAR REQUESTS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED BY THE HOSPITALS THIS YEAR WERE, UH, ALTOGETHER DIVIDE.
LAST FRIDAY, THE STATE STARTED A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO HELP US WITH STAFFING.
UH, I APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE WHITE HOUSE TAKING A LOOK AT THIS.
WE HAD A CONFERENCE CALL OR INITIATED WITH
[02:05:01]
THE WHITE HOUSE ON SATURDAY.UH, AND THEY'RE TRYING TO LOOK AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO, TO BRING MORE DIRECTLY FOR US, BUT THEY ISSUE IS A STAFFING.
BUT ALTOGETHER THIS MOMENT IN TIME WITH THIS VIRUS, IT'S JUST INCREDIBLY, UH, CREDIBLY FRUSTRATING.
THE ENEMY USED TO BE THE VIRUS.
AND NOW OUR CHALLENGE IS INACTION OF THE STATUS QUO.
UH, THE ENEMY RIGHT NOW, UM, IN THE, IN OUR CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW, OUR CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW IS US.
UH, IT USED TO BE THAT WE WERE RELATIVELY HELPLESS AGAINST THE VIRUS AND THE THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO DO IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO, TO, TO DEAL WITH IT WHERE WE'RE HARD AT DIFFICULT, AT BAD CHOICES, UH, IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH IT, WE HAD TO SHUT DOWN PARTS OF THE ECONOMY, UH, TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH IT.
WE HAD TO KEEP OUR CHILDREN OUT OF SCHOOLS, UH, AND THOSE ARE HORRIFIC CHOICES, BUT NECESSARY WHEN, UH, WHEN THE VIRUS WAS OUR, WAS OUR HAD TO BE, UH, TODAY WE HAVE PROTECTIONS, WHATEVER, VERY DIFFERENT PLACE, UH, BETWEEN VACCINES AND ASKING.
WE HAVE THE TOOLS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, TO DEAL WITH THIS VIRUS HAD TO DEAL WITH IT IN A WAY THAT THAT DOES NO HARM TO OUR ECONOMY AND ENABLES ALL OF OUR CHILDREN TO BE IN SCHOOL, HAD TO BE SAFE, UH, IN, IN SCHOOL.
TOO MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE, ARE LOCKED RIGHT NOW INTO THE, THE STATUS QUO.
UM, AND I, I HEAR A, UH, DARK DISTURBING.
YOU SAY THAT AT THIS POINT, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LEFT ARE GOING TO BE DIFFICULT TO MOVE.
AND WE'RE SEEING THAT AT ALL, COUNTRIES SEEING THAT.
UH, AND I ALSO BELIEVE AS YOU MENTIONED THAT THE BEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO GET THAT WHAT'S NECESSARY TO CHANGE BEHAVIORS AT THIS POINT, GIVEN WHERE WE ARE, UH, WHAT ABOUT POLICY CHANGES? UH, AND I THINK WE HAVE TO ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE.
AND, AND IF YOU CAN TRY TO ENCOURAGE OUR STATE LEADERS TO THAT LOCAL COMMUNITIES ADOPT POLICY CHANGES, UH, THAT ACTUALLY HAVE BEHAVIOR CHANGES.
UH, YOU DID AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE, UH, IT'S NOT HAPPENING IN A VOLUNTARY WAY WITH THE RATE THAT IS NECESSARY FOR US.
REMEMBER, UH, COLLEAGUES THAT I ASKED YEAR, WE SAID, WE CAN'T LET ICU ADMISSIONS GO OVER 200.
AND WE SET A RISK CHART AND WORKED WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND DID POLICY CHANGES.
THEY CAME DOWN, BUT THEY NEVER WENT ABOVE 200, HOW WE WERE ABLE, WE GOT OUT, I THINK, WHAT 96.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE ICU ADMISSIONS DOWN.
WACHS JUST SHOWED US WITH THE STATUS QUO, HAD OUR ADMISSIONS IN THE HOSPITAL, MAINTAINING THE STATUS QUO, GOING WAKE UP TO LIKE 1800.
THAT'S THE POSITION THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.
UH, IF WE MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO SCENARIO, UM, DR.
LAWRENCE, WHAT HAPPENS IF I SEE YOU ADMISSIONS ACTUALLY GO UP TO THE 1800? WHAT HAPPENS THEN? WE'LL DEFINITELY BE LOOKING AT USING THE MASS, UM, CRITICAL TRIAGE GUIDANCE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
UM, AND WE WILL BE SCRAMBLING, UM, WILL BE THE PROBLEM RIGHT NOW IS THAT WE'RE NOT ALONE IN THIS AS I GAVE YOU THOSE NUMBERS FOR SAN ANTONIO AND DALLAS AND HOUSTON.
UM, THEY'RE ALSO HAVING THE SAME ISSUE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE AN ALTERNATE CARE FACILITY, UM, USE EVERY USE, FREESTANDING, ERS, UM, WHEREVER WE CAN FIND PLACES TO, UM, TREAT PATIENTS, BUT WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT.
IT WON'T BE EASY, BUT, UM, IT'S DEFINITELY NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE.
SO, AND AGAIN, WE'RE NOT THERE NOW, BUT HE CAN PREDICT FROM THE STATUS QUO, NOTHING CHANGES.
UH, WHAT IS THE MOST PROBABLE OUTCOME YOU SAID WE'D HAVE TO BE TAKING A LOOK AT THE BAT'S CRITICAL CARE GUIDELINES.
IS THAT THE KIND OF THE TRIAGE AES THAT THE HOSPITAL'S ASKED YOU TO CONSIDER ADOPTING? I GUESS THEY SEND YOU A LETTER ON FRIDAY ASKING YOU TO ADOPT THEM.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN BETTER WHAT THOSE ARE? WHAT ARE MASS CRITICAL CARE GUIDELINES? WE ASSESS THE PATIENT'S CONDITION AND USE, UM, CLINICAL
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GUIDANCE, UM, POINTS TO MAKE A DECISION ON, UM, WHETHER OUR SCIENTIFIC DATA SUPPORTS THE FACT THAT YOU SERVE A PARTICULAR MODALITIES IS GOING TO BE BENEFICIAL IN A GIVEN SITUATION FOR A PARTICULAR PATIENT.AND ALL OF THOSE, UM, DECISIONS ARE MADE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A TEAM OF DOCTORS, UM, UM, CLERGY, UM, SOCIAL WORKERS, UH, ETHICISTS, UM, AND THE DECISION IS BASED ON THE INPUT OF THE GROUP AND, UH, THE USE OF THE, UM, PARAMETERS THAT WE'RE USING TO MAKE THE DECISIONS.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE NOT THERE NOW, AND I WANT TO STRESS THAT, UH, BUT IF THE STATUS QUO MAINTAINS, WE COULD BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE'D HAVE TWO EMPLOYEES, BUT FOR LAYMAN'S TERMS, BUT THESE GUIDELINES ARE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
WACHS IS YOU HAVE A LIMITED ABOUT OF CARE YOU COULD PROVIDE, AND TOO MANY PEOPLE THAT NEED IT.
AND YOU'RE HAVING TO MAKE CHOICES AS TO WHO GETS IT.
YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE OF SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS THIS WEEK THAT I JUST REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE FOR PEOPLE THE PRESS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY.
I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY HELPFUL ABOUT PREGNANT WOMEN.
WE'RE SEEING A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF PREGNANT WOMEN AT OUR HOSPITALS.
UH, I HAVE THREE GIRLS, UH, THAT ARE ALL, UH, IN CHILDBEARING AGE, THEIR LATE TWENTIES, EARLY THIRTIES.
AND THEY'RE MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT TO GET VACCINATED OR NOT.
I KNOW, UH, AMONG THEIR FRIENDS AS TO WHAT TO DO.
UM, BUT WITH THOSE NUMBERS WE SEE IN THE HOSPITALS, UH, I THINK THAT ALL OF THE DOCTORS THAT WERE PRESENTING YESTERDAY TO THE PUBLIC WERE URGING WOMEN IN THAT AGE GROUP AND PREGNANT TO, TO GO AHEAD AND GET THE VACCINE AS, AS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE THE BEST PROTECTION THEY COULD GIVE THEMSELVES INTO, INTO THEIR BABIES.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND LAST THURSDAY, THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY, UM, RELEASED A STATEMENT STATING THAT THEY RECOMMENDED THAT ALL PREGNANT WOMEN AND THOSE THAT ARE BREASTFEEDING, UM, SHOULD BE VACCINATED.
VACCINES, HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO BE SAFE AND PROTECT AGAINST SEVERE DISEASE AND, UM, ICU ADMISSIONS AND DEATHS.
AND, AND WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE, UH, PREGNANT WOMEN BEING ADMITTED NOT TO DELIVER BABIES, BUT BECAUSE THEY'RE PREGNANT AND HAVE COVID-19.
SO WE WANTED TO GET THAT URGENT MESSAGE OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY SO THAT WE CAN PROTECT OUR PREGNANT WOMEN AND THE UNBORN CHILDREN.
I APPRECIATE YOU GETTING THAT MESSAGE OUT THAT WAY.
YOU ALSO TALKED ABOUT KIDS IN SCHOOLS.
I KNOW THE JUDGE WENT BACK INTO THAT AS WELL.
UH, AS THE OVERALL POSITIVITY RAID RISES IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENED, HAD MORE AND MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT VACCINATED OR AT RISK, JUST BECAUSE THEY LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, AND, AND THE POPULATION OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE UNDER 12, THEY CAN'T GET ACCELERATED THEIR BEST PROTECTION AT THIS POINT IS PULLING DOWN THAT POSITIVITY RATE BY GETTING MORE AND MORE PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY HAD MASKS.
THAT'S THE BEST WAY WE PROTECT OUR KIDS RIGHT NOW.
IS THAT RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND I KNOW THAT I JOINED THE COUNCIL RAPPORT WITH OTHERS INSIDE THAT DENYING OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT A BASKET POLICY AS RECOMMENDED BY THE CDC HAS RECOMMENDED BY, BY, BY VIRTUALLY EVERY NATIONAL MEDICAL ORGANIZATION THAT IS LOOKING AT THIS QUESTION TO DENY THEM THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW IS, IS, IS, IS HORRIBLE AT MY RIGHT.
UH, AND, AND I THINK THAT, OR BACK TO THE QUESTION ABOUT POLICY CHANGES, WE'VE, WE'VE GOT TO TAKE A LOOK AND SEE JUDGE BOTH THE CITY OF THE COUNCIL TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY BE DOING TO, TO, TO HELP PROTECT OUR CHILDREN, UM, UH, FROM THE CHOICES THAT, UH, OTHER PEOPLE ARE MAKING, UH, IN THIS COMMUNITY, UM, BY, BY, BY REQUIRING, UH, BASKET REQUIRING MASKING, UH, IN, IN, IN, IN SCHOOLS.
AND THEN, AND THEN WITH RESPECT TO THE REQUEST THAT YOU MADE, WHICH I PAID, UH, IS, IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN THE ENVIRONMENT WE'RE IN
[02:15:01]
RIGHT NOW, WE EACH GET TO MAKE AN INDIVIDUAL DECISION ABOUT OURSELVES.WE GET TO DECIDE IF WE'RE GOING TO BE PART OF A STATUS QUO THAT HAS ALL OF THE PROBABILITIES THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED AS EMPLOYERS.
WE ALSO GET TO MAKE DECISIONS, AND I REALLY WANT TO APPEAL TO THE EMPLOYERS THAT OUR CITY TO CONSIDER ADOPTING, TO GET YOUR BUSINESSES OF ASKING POLICY SO THAT YOU BEST PROTECT YOUR EMPLOYEES AND YOU BEST PROTECT YOUR CUSTOMERS SO THAT YOU HELP PARTICIPATE IN CREATING A CULTURE IN THE CITY WHERE WE CAN WEAR MASKS AND KEEP BUSINESSES OPEN TO KEEP THE CAR TO BE OPEN.
CAUSE BECAUSE WEARING A BASQUE, DOES IT MAKE IT ANY HARDER TO SHOP OR, OR TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACADEMY, BUT IT MAY WELL PRESERVE IT TO KEEP IT AND KEEP IT OPEN.
SO I, I LOCKED THE, THE, THE CHART THAT YOU PRESENTED, DR.
WALKS THAT SHOWED THAT RESTAURANTS THAT SEEM TO BE REALLY, REALLY GOOD ABOUT KEEPING THEIR EMPLOYEES FAST, ARE NOT SHOWING THE SAME UPTICK OF OUR, THEIR, THEIR EMPLOYEES, UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE VIRUS, UH, THAT, UH, THAT WE'RE SEEING GENERALLY AS A COMMUNITY THAT I APPRECIATE, UH, THAT, UH, THAT ACTIVITY OF THAT EFFORT AND WOULD URGE EMPLOYERS BECAUSE YOU GET TO MAKE THAT CHOICE TO MAKE THAT CHOICE.
AND, AND AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER TO GET JUDGED, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD BE LEADING BY EXAMPLE ON THAT BOTH THE CITY EMPLOYEES AND COUNTY EMPLOYEES, THAT WE SHOULD BE TAKING A LOOK AT EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN BE DOING TO SEND THE MESSAGE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO OUR EMPLOYEES, THAT WE CARE ABOUT THAT AND WHAT TO KEEP THEM SAFE, RIGHT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO.
UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, I BELIEVE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LEFT AT THIS POINT THAT ARE HOLDING ONTO THE STATUS QUO, UH, THAT ARE CREATING RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS A PANDEMIC ABOUT THE OD VACCINATED, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE HARD TO CHANGE.
AND I APPLAUD EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING TO TRY AND WORK ON THAT.
UH, BUT IT'S GOT TO TAKE POLICY CHANGES, I THINK IN ORDER TO REALLY BE ABLE TO, TO, TO GET THERE, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY PARTS OF THE WORLD THAT WOULD HAVE THE VACCINE RIGHT NOW, THOUGH, UH, THE VACCINE RIGHT THERE, AND WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF VACCINE.
WE HAVE ALL OF THE VACCINES THAT WE NEED.
WE HAVE ALL OF THE TOOLS IN ACTION AND STATUS QUO EVERY HOUR.
AND THAT'S WHY THIS IS SUCH AN INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING GRADE TIME JUDGE WITH THAT.
I TURNED THE DICE BACK TO YOU.
THANKS MAYOR, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, SO, AND JUST WANT TO SAY, THANKS AGAIN, DR.
WALKS AND APH AND CONSTABLE MORALES AND CHIEF BAILEY AND CHUCK AND EVERYBODY WHO'S, WHO'S WORKING TOGETHER.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE Y'ALL'S WILLINGNESS TO MEET TOGETHER AND WORK TO FIGHT COVID AS A TEAM.
UH, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE'RE GONNA GET THROUGH THIS.
UM, AND SO WITH THAT, WITH THAT, WE ARE GOING TO ADJOURN, UH, FOR ABOUT, I GUESS, UNTIL IT WILL COME BACK AT 1130 AND WE'LL CONTINUE WITH THE REGULAR COMMISSIONER'S COURT MEETING, UM, WITH THAT I'LL ADJOURN AND HAND IT OVER BACK TO YOU MERIT TO DO THE SAME.
UH, I THINK THAT, UH, AS A GROUP, I'M GOING TO END THIS SPEEDY, BUT LET'S GO, IT COULD BE THE NEXT MEETING AND DECIDE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO BY WAY OF SCHEDULING IN THE LEG.
I THINK WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE, THAT ARE PHYSICALLY, UH, MOVING.
UH, LET'S UH, GATHER TOGETHER.
SOME PEOPLE WILL BE, UH, HERE IN, UH, COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
SOME PEOPLE WILL BE, UH, DEALING REMOTELY.
WE CAN TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE DOING BUDGET.
WE CAN ALSO TALK ABOUT W WHEREVER, HOW WE BE DOING EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE WILL CONVENE, UH, THAT, THAT SPECIAL CALLED BUDGET, UH, BEATING.
NOW WE'LL DO THAT IN 10 MINUTES AT 25 TILL I'LL SEE YOU GUYS, THEN OUR MEETING NOW IS ADJOURN.