The city of Austin, Texas, has activated its emergency alert system in response to the COVID outbreak.

 

As regional hospitalizations continue to rise, Austin, Texas, activated its emergency warning system to warn the public of a "severely escalating COVID-19 scenario." "The Covid-19 situation in Austin is dire. Healthcare facilities are open but resources are limited due to a surge in cases," city authorities wrote in a text message. Austin-Travis County Health Authority Dr. Desmar Walkes said in a press release on Saturday that the situation in the Texas capital is "critical." Walkes said hospital bed availability and critical care are "extremely limited."  

"Our hospitals are extremely overburdened, and there is little we can do to relieve their strain," Walkes added. "The public must act now and help, or we will face a calamity in our community that could have been avoided," says the Texas Department of Health. In Travis County, where Austin is located, there are over 3,400 active cases of COVID-19. Last Thursday, the county reinstated Stage 5 COVID-19 restrictions, requiring fully vaccinated individuals to wear masks and those at high risk due to underlying conditions to avoid big gatherings where masks are not necessary.  

According to CBS Austin station KEYE, Travis County had a seven-day moving average of 78 new hospital admissions, and Trauma Service Area O, which encompasses Travis and several other counties, has only six ICU beds. According to KEYE, local emergency department personnel is working on requesting financial aid from the state to help alleviate the severe staffing deficit.

Doctors told KEYE that the health-care system is overburdened, and that a staffing shortfall puts everyone in need of medical attention at danger.  

"We're seeing twice and triple our regular volumes on a daily basis," said VIK Complete Care's medical director, Dr. Daniel Roe.

Another element contributing to the situation, according to Roe, is the exodus of health-care employees. "During the COVID problem last year, there was a lot of burnout, and a lot of nurses left the profession, and as a result, we're in a true crisis," Roe stated.

Governor Greg Abbott has fought statewide safety measures, and on Thursday, he revealed an agenda for the special legislative session that ensures students may return to school without being forced to wear masks or receive vaccinations. 

Texas is "facing a fresh wave," according to the state health agency, which tweeted last week. 

SOURCE: CBSNEWS