Covid update

Austin-Travis County moves to Stage 3 of COVID-19 guidelines as cases increase

The upgraded guidelines were brought on by an uptick in local COVID-19 cases, including four cases of the delta variant.

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KVUE — As COVID-19 cases in Austin and Travis County rise, leaders have updated the area’s risk-based guidelines.

Leaders announced Austin and Travis County are returning to Stage 3 of the guidelines due to the four confirmed cases of the delta variant and a “dramatic increase in COVID cases we’ve seen in the past few days.”

According to Dr. Desmar Walkes, the Austin-Travis County Health Authority, the seven-day average for new cases has tripled from 30 to almost 90. The seven-day moving average for hospital admissions went from seven to 20-21.

“This has to stop,” Walkes said.

According to Austin and Travis County’s COVID-19 dashboard, the area’s seven-day moving average of new cases is 81 as of July 14. ICU capacity in the Austin area is also strained, leaders said.

Under Stage 3, those who are high risk should avoid being indoors in poorly ventilated areas and avoid travel and crowds. If they have to be in these situations, they should wear a mask.

About 30 percent of eligible people in Austin-Travis County have not gotten the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

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Continue reading this story on KVUE.com.

health

Drop the Debt

UT announces free tuition for families with income under $100,000

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Beginning next fall, some students accepted into schools within the University of Texas system will receive free tuition and have all fees waived, the board of regents announced on Wednesday.

In order to qualify, families of undergraduates must make less than $100,000 a year.

The board gave preliminary approval to the plan on Wednesday. After the full board’s consideration and vote on Thursday, the plan will include a new, immediate infusion of $35 million directly to campuses to offer the financial aid benefit. The plan also directs additional investment in endowments supporting financial aid to ensure a commitment for tuition relief.

In 2019, the regents established a $167 million endowment at UT Austin to completely cover tuition and mandatory fees for in-state undergraduate students from families with an income of up to $65,000. In 2022, the regents approved a second endowment of almost $300 million called “Promise Plus” to extend the program to all UT academic institutions.

“To be in a position to make sure our students can attend a UT institution without accruing more debt is very important to all of us [...]” Kevin P. Eltife, chairman of the board of regents, said.

Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com.

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