Never miss a story
Sign up for our free daily morning email...
...and afternoon text update
×
austonia newsletter
Get connected with our daily update
Most viewed
Austin may receive fall weather in the form of not just one but two cold fronts in the coming days.
According to the National Weather Service, Friday will bring a mild cool front lasting into Saturday night. Sunday will then bring above average temperatures followed by a lasting cold front on Monday.
We'll see one more day of hot and humid weather, and then a Friday cold front brings cooler weather that lasts into… https://t.co/QCFRjm1yb7— NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWS Austin/San Antonio)1603363628.0
The cold front is likely to bring damp and rainy weather along with it. According to The Weather Channel, temperatures will crash down on Tuesday with a high of 58 degrees and a low of 50 degrees. However, showers are likely to last through Wednesday.
Odds are tilted toward below normal temperatures next week across South-Central Texas. It's important to note that… https://t.co/U62wpuwbuZ— NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWS Austin/San Antonio)1603307904.0
After Wednesday, temperatures should return to a range of 70-degree weather. Though these temperatures follow the current forecast, it is still possible to change depending on whether the front stalls in the north or moves through.
From Your Site Articles
- Hurricane Laura may bring little rain to Austin, while Austin sends ... ›
- Heat wave shows up in Austin this weekend—and stays - austonia ›
- Blistering weather ahead: Austin temps could reach 107 every day ... ›
- Second cold front expected to hit Austin tonight - austonia ›
- Second cold front expected to hit Austin tonight - austonia ›
- Cold week ahead for Austin residents on Dec. 14, 2020 - austonia ›
- Fir Department receives hundreds of reports of broken pipes - austonia ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Popular
(Mwyzykowski0821/Wikimedia)
Citing a 77% decline in new COVID cases nationally since early January, Dr. Martin Makary, a surgical oncologist and professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health, expects COVID-19 "will be mostly gone by April, allowing Americans to resume normal life."
<p>Makary wrote about this forecast in <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/well-have-herd-immunity-by-april-11613669731" target="_blank">a recent opinion column</a> for the Wall Street Journal, setting off a range of reactions. </p><p>This trend is mirrored in Austin, where the daily number of new confirmed COVID cases fell nearly 60% between Jan. 17 and Feb. 12. (More recent data is not yet available due to case reporting delays caused by the winter storms last week.) </p><p>"From a scientific standpoint, there must be some reason for it," Makary told Austonia. "And it cannot be explained by vaccination rates or a sudden change in behavior."</p><p>Instead, he argues that natural immunity from prior infection—especially among asymptomatic patients—is more common than previously thought, in part because "antibody studies almost certainly underestimate natural immunity." He cites <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41577-020-00436-4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a recent Nature article</a> by researchers at Sweden's Karolinska Institute, who found that T-cell immunity can be present even when antibodies are not detectable.</p><div class="rm-embed embed-media"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Seroprevalence studies estimating community immunity rates have relied on antibody testing. But this Nature article & studies from Karolinska Inst. describe why T-cell immunity can be present even when Antibodies are not present (<a href="https://t.co/URuVZPkJLz">https://t.co/URuVZPkJLz</a>).<a href="https://t.co/JvHgft6DP2">https://t.co/JvHgft6DP2</a><br/>— Marty Makary M.D., M.P.H. (@MartyMakary) <a href="https://twitter.com/MartyMakary/status/1363599192673968136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div><p>"Not all models have to be grim and bad news," he said. "And while it appears that we're on a good path, we cannot let up our guard until we're in a safer place."<br/></p><p>Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner or the Food and Drug Administration, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/22/dr-scott-gottlieb-herd-immunity-by-april-estimate-too-aggressive.html" target="_blank">told CNBC on Monday</a> that he agrees with Makary's sentiment even though he thinks the path forward will not be linear, with a likely increase in cases next fall and winter. "I think things will be normal in the spring and the summer of this year," he said. </p><p>But not everyone agrees with this timeline. </p><p><strong>Local feedback</strong> </p><p>Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, a Texas epidemiologist who writes the blog Your Local Epidemiologist, responded to Makary's column, raising questions about the statistics he cited, his assumptions around natural immunity and the role of behavioral changes. "Herd immunity in 6 weeks sounds really nice, but it's important to keep realistic expectations," she wrote in <a href="https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/unfortunately-we-will-not-reach-herd" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a post published Monday</a>. "I am doubtful this will happen."</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-height="1234" data-rm-shortcode-id="3958bb54cd5068490397c8be998a1af5" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY4OTU4NC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNjMwOTEwMn0.VnjI2PxU3pWcCriWIz0L0WyaDGm5YF4idwChQjHhN9Y/img.png?width=980" data-width="1470" id="1e897" type="lazy-image"/>
<small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Jetelina responded to individual claims made in Makary's column.</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Your Local Epidemiologist) </small></p><p><a href="https://austonia.com/Coronavirus/covid-immunity" target="_blank">Herd immunity</a> is achieved when a majority of a population is immune to a disease, either because they've been vaccianted against it or have recovered from it themselves. </p><p>Jetelina also disputed Makary's claim that many medical experts "are afraid to talk about herd immunity" because <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02948-4" target="_blank">some politicians</a> suggested the U.S. let the pandemic run its course as a way to achieve it. "Epidemiologists aren't afraid to talk about herd immunity," Jetelina wrote in response. "This is, quite frankly, our job."<br/></p><p>Ultimately, Jetelina argues that there is not yet enough evidence to support Makary's claims about natural immunity, about which there remains many questions, including how it might be impacted by new variants, the threshold needed for community protection and how long it lasts after infection.</p><p>Austin Public Health said experts are still working to arrive at answers to these questions in a statement shared with Austonia. The department also pointed out that herd immunity from natural infections was never achieved for diseases such as smallpox, polio and measles, which were only eradicated through widespread vaccination efforts. </p><p>"(R)eaching herd immunity by April through vaccination efforts is very optimistic and likely not the case for our community with current state allocations," according to the statement. "While we diligently work to vaccinate everyone over the coming weeks and months, it continues to remain incredibly important to keep wearing your mask, watching your distance and washing your hands."</p><p><strong>Planning ahead</strong> </p><p>Makary, who said he frequents Austin, believes that natural immunity combined with rising vaccination rates could augur a return to normal as soon as late April or May. "Herd immunity is not binary," he said. "It's already kicking in."</p><p>Not talking about its impact is irresponsible, in Makary's view, although he understands that people may be skeptical. "It's been a very morbid season," he said. "It's hard, quite frankly, to trust projections. But at this point the trends are promising, and it's good for us to start planning accordingly. Also, I think it's important for people to have hope." </p><p>Makary argues that the U.S. pandemic strategy has been, so far, reactionary. By anticipating a plateau this spring and summer, local, state and federal governments can begin planning for a return to pre-pandemic activity. </p><p>This is not to say that another surge is not possible, especially considering the emergence of new, more contagious variants. "We need to be prepared to flip the switch on in the fall and go back to masking and maybe even distancing," he said.</p><p>But for now Markary thinks a dose of optimism is just what the doctor ordered: "By pointing out the light at the end of the tunnel, it's my hope that people will continue to be compliant with all the public health mitigation for a little bit longer until we get to that point."</p>
From Your Site Articles
- Vaccine week 11: 31,250 doses headed to Austin, delayed ... ›
- Austin vaccine recipients feel relief, guilt amid slow rollout - austonia ›
- Everything we know about Austin's COVID vaccine rollout - austonia ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Keep Reading
Show less
Late (Tuesday) the City of Austin's outside attorney filed a response to the plaintiffs' (called relators in legal terms) request for a writ of mandamus to force the City Council to amend ballot language for Proposition B.
Proposition B will be on the May 1 ballot as a result of Save Austin Now's petition drive. If voter approved, the resulting ordinance would ban: camping in a public areas, soliciting in designated areas and sitting or lying down on public sidewalks.
Read the full story at The Austin Bulldog.
(Wally Gobetz)
The city has reopened the Barton Springs Pool after shutting it down during the winter storm.
Austinites can shake off their winter boots and take a dip at two reopened city pools, the city of Austin announced.
<p>The Barton Springs Pool and Deep Eddy pool were shut down due to the winter storm, but both reopened as of today.</p><p>Barton Springs Pool went back into business Thursday morning and will have the following schedule through Sunday:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>5 a.m.-8 a.m. <em>Swim at Your Own Risk</em></li><li><em></em>8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. <em>Guarded Swim</em></li><li><em></em>6-10 p.m. <em>Swim at Your Own Risk</em></li></ul><p>After Sunday, the pool will go under regularly scheduled maintenance and close from Monday, March 1 to Friday, March 12. Reopening updates will be given on the pool's website.</p><p>Deep Eddy Pool will open for lap swim Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and resume regular operations except for on Friday, Feb. 27, Tuesday, March 2 and Tuesday, March 9, when it will be closed. The pool will have expanded hours as Barton Springs goes under maintenance.</p><p>Both pools will have free admission until further notice.</p><p>The city has not reopened Big Stacy, Bartholomew and Springwood pools due to structural and plumbing damage caused by the winter storm.</p>
From Your Site Articles
- Austin's Barton Springs, Deep Eddy pools reopen after COVID ... ›
- Barton Springs, Deep Eddy pools open this week - austonia ›
- Austin's Barton Springs, Deep Eddy pools reopen after COVID ... ›
- Austin closes pools, park facilities amid COVID-19 surge - austonia ›
Related Articles Around the Web
Keep Reading
Show less
