City of Austin
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASERelease Date:
Austin Public Health staff have since dedicated 412,470 hours to COVID-19 response
Austin, Texas – Today, Feb. 5, marks one year since the Austin Public Health (APH) Department Operations Center was activated to monitor travelers returning from abroad for a mysterious respiratory illness, now known as COVID-19. One year later, APH staff is not only monitoring COVID-19 in our community, but has also undertaken robust case investigation, testing, vaccination, and social services operations.
Department Operations Center in February 2020. Note: Masks were not yet recommended/mandated. |
On Feb. 5, 2020, Austin-Travis County was still more than a month away from reporting the first local case of COVID-19. Today, there have been 71,164 cases and 680 deaths from COVID-19, and it is more important than ever that everyone follows public health prevention measures by wearing a mask, washing your hands, watching your distance, and staying home if you are sick.
“Our staff has been incredible in responding to COVID-19 over the past year and our work is not done,” said APH Director Stephanie Hayden-Howard. “While vaccine has started flowing into the community, we cannot let up our guard just yet. We see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we need to get out of the surge we continue to face.”
The past year has been challenging, to say the least, for everyone in Austin and Travis County. Below you can find numbers that demonstrate APH’s commitment to the COVID-19 response:
- 412,470 APH staff hours spent on COVID-19
- 39,650 people vaccinated by APH
- 153,571 tests administered by APH
- 422 written warnings issued to restaurants/bars by APH Environmental Health Officers
- 240 child care providers given health and safety supplies
- 45 press conferences and media availabilities held
- 1,038,302 emails sent through community distribution lists
- 1,910 translated documents and graphics
B-roll from throughout the COVID-19 response can be found here and may be used by the media with attribution to Austin Public Health.
For more COVID-19 information and updates, visit www.AustinTexas.gov/COVID19.