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'Party Island' on Lady Bird Lake, seen from above on Aug.8. (Jordan Vonderhaar)
Kayaks, tubes and paddle boards jammed side by side have appeared on Lady Bird Lake throughout the summer, despite local orders prohibiting gatherings and advising social distancing. The crowd of mostly young people at a shallow sandbar where Barton Creek flows into the lake has come to be known by locals as "Party Island."
The draw to Lady Bird Lake's 82-degree waters is understandable. Austin temperatures have soared to 100 degrees or higher for 24 days this month alone, according to AccuWeather, with no break in the forecast.
Mayor Steve Adler's July 14 order to "stay home, mask and otherwise be safe" remains in force, as does a 1964 city ordinance that bans swimming in Lady Bird Lake. Yet the partying continues into this weekend.
Friends and strangers congregate in Lady Bird Lake in what is now being called "Party Island" on Aug 8. (Jordan Vonderhaar)
"Party Island" on Lady Bird Lake, seen from above. (Jordan Vonderhaar)
(Jordan Vonderhaar)
People beat the heat by paddle boarding and kayaking in the waters of Lady Bird Lake. (Jordan Vonderhaar)
(Jordan Vonderhaar)
A crowd gathers Aug. 21 in the lake, despite prohibitions on gatherings of more than 10 people and local ordinances banning swimming in the lake. (Jordan Vonderhaar)
(Jordan Vonderhaar)
A woman paddle boards on Lady Bird Lake in downtown Austin. (Jordan Vonderhaar)
(Jordan Vonderhaar)
People jump from the Barton Creek pedestrian bridge. (Jordan Vonderhaar)
(Jordan Vonderhaar)
Paddle boarders and kayakers enter the lake waters at the Austin High Boat launch. (Jordan Vonderhaar)
(Jordan Vonderhaar)
Paddlers make their way around Lady Bird Lake. (Jordan Vonderhaar)
(Jordan Vonderhaar)
A man and his dog give a young woman a ride from the Austin High Boat launch out to Party Island on Lady Bird Lake. (Jordan Vonderhaar)
(Jordan Vonderhaar)
Various paddlers enter the water at Lou Neff Point—the closest point to the newly formed "Party Island"—on Lady Bird Lake. (Jordan Vonderhaar)
(Fox Sports)
Urban Meyer's wife, Shelley, recently visited Austin to assess the real estate situation, Austonia has learned. Does that mean it's time for coaching legend Urban to ride into Austin and take the reins from his former assistant coach Tom Herman?
<p data-children-count="0">After a second consecutive season of missing the Big 12 Championship, Texas fans have been clamoring for the job of fourth year Head Coach Herman. Everything is bigger in Texas, including expectations.<br/></p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="fd7f7d0865f745c50927edb138e4fc0b" id="22a21"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1332422996305252354"><div style="margin:1em 0">Tom Herman
We want you out right now.
I have plenty of boxes to help you pack.
Signed,
All Longhorn fans… https://t.co/49XqRT22Th</div> — Trent Giesen (@Trent Giesen)<a href="https://twitter.com/trentgiesen/statuses/1332422996305252354">1606509372.0</a></blockquote></div><p data-children-count="0"><strong>Meyer in, Herman out</strong></p><p data-children-count="0">Herman joined the Longhorns in 2016 after taking the Houston Cougars to two bowl games, including winning the Peach Bowl in 2015. Texas fans loved Herman's pedagogy.<br/></p><p data-children-count="0">A former assistant to Meyer, Longhorn fans thought they finally found a coach that could pick up where former head coach Mack Brown left off. Herman had success calling plays for Ohio State and Houston, so the Texas fan base was expecting an offense that would keep them in the national conversion. </p><p data-children-count="0">What fans did not expect was only one 10 win season four years in. </p><p data-children-count="0">Meyer on the other hand is known for winning, and winning quickly. After winning two National Championships in five years at Florida with Heisman-winning quarterback Tim Tebow—a player Sam Ehlinger has been compared to—Urban jumped ship to coach at Ohio State.</p><p data-children-count="0">While there, Meyer added another championship to his collection in 2014. He never won fewer than 10 games in a season with the Buckeyes, including a 4-2 Bowl Game record. This is the success that many fans expected from Herman's time at Texas.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" data-children-count="1">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="afc69f8dfca1c3b40ee5b38bc133123e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="0d0cd" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg0ODAwOC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMjM0ODA5N30.LkON7vBvRNmVi2Pz4HGSfUAmclBiaskORCP5EXmkt6Y/img.jpg?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Fox Sports)</small></p><p data-children-count="0">There are some contributing factors to Herman's failure. Head Coach Lincoln Riley's rise at Oklahoma has put a boot on the necks of the rest of the conference with Oklahoma winning the conference every year since Riley has taken over. Herman is 1-4 against Oklahoma in his time at Texas.<br/></p><p data-children-count="0">For comparison, Meyer at Ohio State had a perfect record against rival Michigan, 7-0.</p><p data-children-count="0">It also didn't help that Herman had to rely so heavily on quarterback Sam Ehlinger due to injuries to other key players during his time at the helm.<br/></p><p data-children-count="0">Meyer had to deal with a similar problem when multiple starters went down and Ohio State had to play three different starting quarterbacks. The difference is that Ohio State won a National Championship that season.</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="057d9e628f01ab7821f8da37227f4504" id="731a4"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1332430650201214976"><div style="margin:1em 0">Herman is not a bad coach. He’s middle tier at this point. This is gonna be a very unpopular take after that, but i… https://t.co/IgnfoETT2g</div> — Will Baizer (@Will Baizer)<a href="https://twitter.com/WillBaizer/statuses/1332430650201214976">1606511197.0</a></blockquote></div><p data-children-count="0">Then there was the Zack Smith controversy that ultimately <a href="https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-football/news/zach-smith-urban-meyer-timeline-domestic-violence-allegations-ohio-state-florida-courtney-smith-ex-wife/qdgwf1d3j9n41skbguxgqsql0" target="_blank">cost Meyer his job at Ohio State</a> and <a href="https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/Ohio-State-Texas-Longhorns-football-Zach-Smith-Tom-Herman-coach-Twitter-rant-124607704/" target="_blank">added confusion for Texas</a> fans trying to figure out if and when Herman knew anything about the alleged abuse.<br/></p><p data-children-count="0">Herman's loss Friday adds to his track record of disappointing UT fans.</p><p data-children-count="0"><strong>The likelihood of the replacement</strong> </p><p data-children-count="0">Texas has a big choice ahead of them. Herman signed a two year extension after the Longhorns won 10 games and the Sugar Bowl over Georgia in 2018. The program would be stuck with a $15 million dollar bill as part of the buyout if they fired Herman after this season. While one of the richest public universities in the country could afford it, any time a program is signing a check that big it's through clenched teeth. But that might be what's necessary. </p><p data-children-count="0">Programs like University of Southern California and Michigan, both with deep pockets of their own, are going to be hunting for a new head coach soon after both of their last hires have turned out to be duds. If Texas wants to win the race, they can't lag behind other competing schools.</p><p data-children-count="0">Add into the equation that Meyer has been known to suffer from health conditions that have prevented him from finishing his contracts at his two previous coaching stops. At Florida, Meyer cited that he wanted to "spend more time with his family" after suffering from chest and heart issues, only a year after taking his "dream job" at Ohio State. </p><p data-children-count="0">Meyer retired again from Ohio State in 2018 after <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/urban-meyer-retiring-ohio-state-2018-12#:~:text=Meyer%20has%20also%20dealt%20with,the%20Maryland%20game%20this%20season." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">being diagnosed with a non-life threatening cyst located on the membrane of his brain. </a> It should be noted however, that at both coaching stops Meyer left the program dealing with some pretty large issues. At Florida, it was allegations of drug use among players and at Ohio State it was the allegations of domestic violence and assault among players and coaches alike. </p><p data-children-count="0">This month, talk of bringing Meyer to UT's family grew, especially on social media. UT fans want Meyer over any other potential name.</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="68699f4371bc77f6b72461c4b14ce6ec" id="32977"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1333126873707057153"><div style="margin:1em 0">FIRE HERMAN
HIRE URBAN</div> — Mike 🤘 (@Mike 🤘)<a href="https://twitter.com/MBHORNSFAN/statuses/1333126873707057153">1606677189.0</a></blockquote></div><p data-children-count="0">UT can't make the same mistake they made in 2013 when the program moved off of Brown. The program at the time was looking for direction and tried to reel in the biggest fish in the pond: Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban.</p><p data-children-count="0"><a href="https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/college/big-12/university-of-texas/article232463862.html" target="_blank">While Saban was rumored to be looking for houses in the Austin area</a> last year, he ultimately decided to take the raise from Alabama and won two more championships. Instead, Texas hired Head Coach Charlie Strong from Louisville which turned out to be one of the worst hires the program made with Strong finishing his time at Texas with a 16-21 record.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image" data-children-count="1">
<img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e88e5172842dc9883132b775e431ac36" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="d05de" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg0Nzk5Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMzc2NzE0Nn0.zhnHu1D339sBI-FpZs4qDYE28yRAB6cIZiCPQKeKbp0/img.jpg?width=980"/>
<small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">(Fox Sports)</small></p><p data-children-count="0">The thing most Longhorns fans are missing, however, is would Meyer want to leave his current job at Fox Sports where he has gained attention as being one of the best in studio analysts? Would Meyer want to recruit a state that already has political lines drawn? Where high school coaches direct their players to and away from certain schools and where other coaches like Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M, Dabo Swinney at Clemson and Nick Saban already have connections?</p><p data-children-count="0">The problems at Texas won't go away with a snap of the fingers. If the Longhorns want to make a change, it's going to have to be decisive and fans are going to have to give the new coach something they didn't give the old one. Patience. </p>
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(Joe Jungmann/CC)
CompTIA's annual Tech Town Index is out and the results do not disappoint. For the second year in a row, Austin was named the top tech town in the U.S.
<p>The report is based on tech-sector job posting data over the last year in 20 metropolitan areas with populations over 250,000, then ranked based on cost of living, number of postings for open IT positions and projected job growth over the next year, as well as the next five years. </p><p>Texas is giving the rest of the U.S. a run for its money, claiming the top two spots: Austin at number one followed by Dallas in number two.</p><p>On top of Austin's stellar leap into becoming a tech leader, the city also ranked number one for one-year and five-year percent job growth.</p><p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0IIesG8HpKOs2wsZlbFV80-csrsTgIRaO5u-4GWglhaDoXuqrilEQicRR_jIRQs4PR34sjx95B1w6DFjQC2RWBDUAP3qd3IDzpAMi6B6Cef5Ldh56rHGVUZk491scIXN6r5Z_0QX"/></p><p>What moved Austin to the top?</p><p>A stellar past few years.</p><p>Austin is quickly becoming a preferable alternative to the Bay Area and New York City due to a culture that allows businesses of all sizes to grow.</p><p>According to the Austin Chamber of Commerce, 58 tech companies relocated to Austin in 2019, which created almost 5,000 jobs, a step up from the 46 companies that moved to the city in 2018.</p><p>Now, the Austin-Round Rock area is home to around 5,500 startups and tech companies that raised $1.84 billion in venture funding in 2019, giving it the nickname from outsiders, "Little Silicon" and "Silicon Hills." Big companies like Google, Facebook, Apple and Atlassian have offices in Austin.</p><p>Even though Austin was named <a href="https://austonia.com/austin-least-affortable" target="_self">one of the most expensive cities</a> in terms of real estate, the city is still 4% below average cost of living when compared to the rest of the U.S. Only Columbus, Ohio; Atlanta, Georgia and Huntsville, Alabama ranked above Austin in the same category.</p><p><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Y51O8aTF39frCuAPyRry08lC9uN86Y-WnkWQOz-hS5Ebu7MDf1nYU8hDVSPgUeJQY3zcI2jAL5itkbLCy-pchCRGy949Y050I2EgdNQJ9y5uer9C2KbbFfD_el5L7uSUBxkHPERm"/></p><p>Austin is growing at lightspeed and according to CompTIA, "it's no surprise that the city has been named the fastest-growing major metro area in the U.S.—and is the reigning No. 1 Tech Town."</p>
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(Daniel Paquet/CC)
With the announcement of Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines nearing the home stretch of approval in the U.S., a new danger has poised itself: scam treatments and fraudulent vaccines.
<p>As the states are gearing up for <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biggest-vaccination-effort-us-history-2d46fd529b2ff5313201e8065b81c0d7" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the biggest vaccine distribution effort</a> in U.S. history, the Department of Homeland Security is working with the two companies to prepare for and prevent scams, false treatments and unapproved medical equipment from surfacing.</p><p>Texas is slated to receive the Pfizer vaccine <a href="https://austonia.com/pfizer-vaccines-coming-to-texas" target="_self">as early as mid-December</a> as part of an early trial program.</p><p>As of Monday, no vaccine has been approved for COVID-19 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration yet, and only one drug, remdesivir, has been approved for virus treatment. The FDA is now warning against unapproved or even fraudulent treatments being sold to consumers under false pretenses.</p><p>"The FDA is particularly concerned that these deceptive and misleading products might cause Americans to delay or stop appropriate medical treatment, leading to serious and life-threatening harm," the FDA recently said in a statement.</p><p>On CBS' "60 Minutes," General Gus Perna, who manages the government's efforts to distribute the vaccine, said the U.S. government is prepared to begin distributing the vaccine within 24 hours of approval.</p><p>Legitimate vaccines have brand protections in place. However, those protections may not be available until the second generation of the vaccine, as everything is currently operating under emergency protocol, Karen Gardner, chief marketing officer at SIPCA North America, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/beware-covid-19-vaccine-scams-841054fe05d4816ff3e0b36e70f2a73a" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">told the Associated Press</a>.</p><p>COVID-19 has been rife with scams; when the virus began to grow in the U.S., shortages of masks, gloves, protective gear, toilet paper and more items popped up, providing the perfect opportunity for criminals to perform a quick cash grab and leave people waiting for items they would never receive.</p><p>Already, the Department of Homeland Security has flagged 70,900 websites for involvement in some type of COVID-19-related fraud, leading to 185 arrests and 1,600 seizures of $27 million worth of antiviral pharmaceuticals or unapproved equipment. Department investigators have been working with border, FDA and FBI officials.</p><p>Currently, investigators are working on creating a database of information from more than 200 companies and educating agents on how the vaccine will be packaged to combat fraud.</p><p>To avoid falling victim to a scam, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/archive-coronavirus-pandemic-b0972d845266a848cb58ba9d4e86fdb7" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AP recommends</a> only getting a vaccine that is administered by a medical professional, not buying any COVID-19 treatments or "cures" over the internet, not answering any calls or messages about COVID-19 treatments and reporting any suspicious activity to covid19investigations@dhs.gov.</p>
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(GoFundMe)
After a fatal accident on Nov. 24, locals mourn the death of Austin couple Jose and Sara Miñán.
<p>Jose and Sara died after a collision with a pickup truck. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the driver, Michael Bowman, failed to yield the right of way when making a turn and crashed into the couple's car. Both Jose and Sara were pronounced dead on the scene after the car caught fire. It is believed that Bowman took his life after the crash.<br/></p><p>One of the couple's children, Eli, was in the car when the collision happened. He was airlifted to a hospital in Abilene with minimal injuries and has since reunited with friends and family of the Miñáns.</p><p><span></span>Sara was a teacher at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/redeemerschoolaustin/" target="_blank">Redeemer School</a>, a private school in Austin, and Jose owned <a href="http://www.greatworkspainting.com/" target="_blank">Great Works Painting</a> in Austin. </p><p>In a recent post by the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/redeemerschoolaustin/posts/10159368804318352" target="_blank">Redeemer School</a>, Sara Miñán is remembered as a faithful and loving teacher, who was adored by many.</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e02c5806734e57d85729d64bb08bfa2c"><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/redeemerschoolaustin/posts/10159368804318352"></div></div><p>The tragic accident has brought community members together to honor the couple's legacy in Austin and help support their two boys, Eli and Ander. The boys, ages 9 and 8, have been staying with family friends of the Miñán's in Austin since the accident, according to <a href="https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin-community-vows-to-support-two-boys-who-lost-parents-in-tragic-car-crash/" target="_blank">KXAN</a>.</p><p>Hope Chapel, the Miñán's home church, also shared a post in remembrance of the couple.</p>
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="258382b2fcd26b637b52b6059d94c947"><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/HopeChapelAustin/photos/a.460783860621897/3754621351238115/?type=3"></div></div>
<p>A GoFundMe page has been set up to help support the boys immediate and long-term needs, with all the money going directly to Sara's mother, Rosie McElroy.<br/></p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ac34d9a22a5f748bedb863f31f9b8625"><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/redeemerschoolaustin/posts/10159372560813352"></div></div><p>Comments on the GoFundMe page illustrate the over pouring support and love many had toward the couple.<br/></p>
<p><br/></p><p>As of Monday, over $35,000 has been donated to the fund, which has a goal of $50,000.<br/></p>
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDg0NzgxOC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0OTI0Mzc5OH0.b-XUUVe2PANKZMn9-Ndpm0uWAap3XAo8AS5R4oE1Sxk/img.png?width=980" id="a860d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="fed6f527d8f17d953951532476353a9a" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
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(Vic Hinterlang/Shutterstock)
Protesters blocked I-35 in weeks of summer protests.
A majority of the charges related to the Black Lives Matter protests over the summer will be dropped.
<p>County Attorney David Escamilla, set to retire at the end of this year, told the <a href="https://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2020-11-27/county-drops-most-charges-against-protesters/?utm_source=DAILY+NEWS&utm_campaign=4b0a25d0e7-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_11_30_06_29&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ae90959245-4b0a25d0e7-61378296&mc_cid=4b0a25d0e7&mc_eid=d6e66324f2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Austin Chronicle</a> that none of the dropped cases were violent.</p><p>"Unless there's any aggravating factors, we just reject, and so that's what we've done," he said. </p><p>The decision affects 104 protestors out of the 178 arrested during the demonstrations this summer, most of who were arrested for low-level offenses like obstructing a highway, Escamilla said. That charge is normally a class B misdemeanor punishable by six months in jail and a $2,000 fine.</p><p>Escamilla does not have authority over all arrests. Some 51 protestors arrested over the summer were charged with both felony and misdemeanor offenses, putting them in the hands of District Attorney-elect Jose Garza, who will decide what happens to them when he takes office in January.</p><p>Four protestors charged with misdemeanors had already pleaded guilty and took time served to get out of jail. </p><p>Escamilla is still deciding on 19 cases, the Chronicle reported, some of which involve property damage. "Anything could happen with those," he said. "They're just more complicated."</p><p>Charges will also be dropped in arrests stemming from the International Working Women's Day protest on March 8, as well as the May Day March on May 1. <br/></p><p>Escamilla has held the office of county attorney for the past 17 years. He will be succeeded by former council member Delia Garza. <br/></p>
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(Dion Hinchcliffe/Flickr)
Sunday was the busiest day Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has seen since the pandemic began in March, with 12,127 outbound passengers.
<p>The passengers this year still represent a drop in air traffic, however. Last year, the airport had 29,697 outbound passengers the Sunday after Thanksgiving, an airport spokeswoman told Austonia.</p><p>But even as a second COVID surge is expected to take flight, ticket sales shot up dramatically. The whole Thanksgiving week brought almost 63,000 total travelers through the airport.</p><p>The previous record for the Austin-Bergstrom's busiest day under the pandemic was set earlier in November, when 11,006 people traveled through the airport on Nov. 8. And on Nov. 25, 10,843 people traveled.</p><p>Earlier this month, Austin <a href="https://austonia.com/austin-covid-stage-4-thanksgiving" target="_self">returned to Stage 4 of COVID</a> precautions. </p><p><a href="http://www.austintexas.gov/department/health" target="_blank">Austin Public Health</a> is urging anyone who flew to get tested for COVID-19 following travel. Even those who test negative should stay home for a week. Those who don't get tested at all should isolate themselves for two weeks. Sign up for free testing <a href="http://www.austintexas.gov/COVID19" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p>The department issued <a href="https://austonia.com/austin-thanksgiving-covid" target="_self">post-Thanksgiving guidelines</a> late last week.</p><p><span></span>The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention says COVID symptoms can start as early as two days after exposure, or as long as two weeks. </p>
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COVID-19 dashboard
After weeks of warnings, advisories and even an emergency text alert from local health officials, Austin's COVID-19 caseload appears to be on a post-Thanksgiving decline.
<p>However, as was the case with past holidays, it will likely take two weeks before the full impact of Thanksgiving gatherings is revealed in local data.</p><p>The average number of new confirmed cases reported each day in Travis County is 230, down from 300 a week ago, according to Austin Public Health data. The average number of new COVID-related hospital admissions reported each day in the Austin metro is also falling; it is now 32, down from 38 a week ago.</p><p>The COVID-19 Modeling Consortium at the University of Texas at Austin projects a declining number of hospital admissions, on average, in the coming weeks and reports a 4% decline in the number of cases reported in the metro over the last two weeks. The consortium's model uses hospitalization data as well as anonymized cell phone mobility data to make its projections. </p><p>Although not the same data source used by the consortium, Google publishes regular COVID-19 community mobility reports. The latest one for Travis County, <a href="https://www.gstatic.com/covid19/mobility/2020-11-24_US_Texas_Mobility_Report_en.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">published on Nov. 24</a>, shows a mixed bag when it comes to residents' behavior in the lead-up to the Thanksgiving holiday. Trips to retail and recreation locations, parks, transit stations and workplaces were all down compared to the baseline. But trips to the grocery store, pharmacy and residences were up. </p><p>As with past holidays, such as Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, it's still too early to tell whether Thanksgiving gatherings will contribute to a spike in cases—or mark a turning point in Austin's current surge. Experts <a href="https://austonia.com/Coronavirus/austin-texas-coronavirus" target="_blank">have said</a> it typically takes two weeks between transmission and the time that cases are confirmed by test results. </p><p>Local health officials issued repeated warnings ahead of Thanksgiving, warning Austinites of the growing surge of new COVID cases and pointing to other jurisdictions, where hospital capacity has already been overwhelmed.</p><p>"We are not immune from a tragedy like El Paso's," Austin-Travis County Interim Health Authority Dr. Mark Escott said in a statement earlier this month. "And like El Paso, we could be facing a rapidly growing surge between Thanksgiving and Christmas <a href="https://austonia.com/austin-covid-stage-4-thanksgiving" target="_blank">with Stage 5 a few weeks away</a>."</p><p>After a months-long hiatus, Austin's three hospital systems—Ascension Seton, Baylor Scott & White Health and St. David's HealthCare—recently began offering hospital capacity updates on a regular basis. As of the last update, which was provided on Wednesday, the metro's overall hospital occupancy rate is 74% and its ICUs are 82% occupied.</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="fcb82b5c2399ee2e2a5f3ab5942f7fc6" id="a8377"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-partner="rebelmouse" data-twitter-tweet-id="1333243278167257090"><div style="margin:1em 0">Just dropped my wife Clarissa off at the airport, on her way to El Paso, where they desperately need help from hosp… https://t.co/Kpkt2QIuKf</div> — Clay Johnston (@Clay Johnston)<a href="https://twitter.com/ClayDellMed/statuses/1333243278167257090">1606704942.0</a></blockquote></div><p>APH issued <a href="https://austonia.com/austin-thanksgiving-covid" target="_self">post-Thanksgiving guidelines</a> on Friday, recommending that residents continue to avoid higher-risk activities, such as indoor gatherings with people outside of their households and travel.<br/></p><p>For those who did gather over Thanksgiving, APH recommends getting tested on Monday or Tuesday and staying home for at least a week as a precaution, even if the test results are negative.</p><p>The department also recommended that area school districts temporarily return to remote learning for the week following Thanksgiving. Austin ISD heeded the advice; some campuses in the Del Valle, Manor and Round Rock school districts temporarily closed <a href="https://www.statesman.com/news/20201125/austin-schools-to-go-100-virtual-for-week-after-thanksgiving-break" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">in recent weeks</a> due to outbreaks. UT Austin students will not return to campus until the spring semester. </p><p>The COVID-19 Modeling Consortium estimated last week, in its latest update, that there was <a href="https://covid-19.tacc.utexas.edu/dashboards/school-risk/" target="_blank">a 54% chance</a> that at least one person would arrive with a COVID infection for a school or pod of 100 people in Travis County. The larger the school or pod size, the greater the chance of spread.<br/></p>
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