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KVUE is keeping you updated with the latest coronavirus and COVID-19 news in the Austin area.
Scroll down for the top headlines and latest updates in KVUE's Jan. 21 live blog.
COVID-19 numbers:
- Texas: More than 1.8 million cases have been reported in the state, and more than 32,300 people in Texas have died, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
- Central Texas counties:
- Travis County: At least 63,751 cases have been reported and at least 623 people have died. At least 57,208 people have recovered from the virus.
- Hays County: At least 13,900 confirmed cases have been reported and at least 171 people have died. At least 11,065 people have recovered from the virus.
- Williamson County: At least 28,684 cases have been reported in the county and at least 280 people have died. At least 26,227 people have recovered from the virus.
For a look at COVID-19 data across all of the state's counties, click here.
GRAPHS: Coronavirus data Jan. 21
Updates:
6:05 p.m. – Travis County reported two more deaths from COVID-19 on Thursday along with 715 new confirmed cases, bringing the total to 63,751 cases and 623 deaths since the start of the pandemic. At least 57,208 people have recovered from the virus.
Travis County currently has 589 people hospitalized with COVID-19, with 167 in the ICU and 101 on ventilators.
4:55 p.m. – Hays County reported three more deaths from COVID-19 on Thursday, a Buda man in his 70s, a Kyle man in his 50s and a Kyle woman in her 90s. The health department also reported 218 new confirmed cases along with five new hospitalizations and eight new hospital discharges. There are 126 additional people considered recovered.
4:40 p.m. – On Tuesday, Bastrop County announced it hopes to vaccinate all residents against COVID-19 within 90 days, after being designated as a hub site for distribution.
Residents in Bastrop County and adjoining rural Texas counties may now pre-register for the vaccination at a site provided by Bastrop County Cares, County Judge Paul Pape’s office said. It is preferred you sign up online, but those without internet access can call 866-268-2289 and leave a message with a contact number.
The registration survey will ask some simple questions and contact information before placing you on a waitlist. Residents will be called to set up an appointment when vaccine arrives.
4:01 p.m. – Eanes ISD has administered approximately 200 of its 1,960 BinaxNOW Rapid Antigen tests to district staff, officials confirmed to KVUE. The district also said that in the next week or two, it would expand those tests to students. Eanes ISD said it is planning additional large-scale testing days on weekends during February and March after holding one at the beginning of January.
2 p.m. – Williamson County health officials announced that 2,530 people received their first COVID-19 vaccine doses on Wednesday at their two vaccination sites.
The county received 6,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine from the Texas Department of State Health Services on Wednesday morning. The two vaccine sites are the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex and the Sun City Texas ballroom. Both are open to all Texans in the Phase 1B group who have pre-registered through Family Hospital Systems.
“We are very grateful to the governor and the state’s trust in Williamson County in providing the vaccines, but the truth is we are ready to administer more,” said Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell. “We are grateful for what we received, but the doses that we received we believe will be out within the next two days.”
To sign up for the waitlist, click here.
10:48 p.m. – Community members, organizations and elected officials are joining numerous local organizations in a non-partisan commitment to call 100,000 seniors, age 65+ with accurate information about COVID-19 vaccine distribution. The Travis County Democratic Party (TCDP) said that over the next few weeks, the participants planned to host four to five phone banks to reach over approximately 100,000 seniors.
10:43 a.m. – The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) was awarded a federal grant of $227,056,156 to help bolster immunization and vaccination among children, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn announced. The funding comes through the Department of Health and Human Services as part of the round two supplemental funding via the CARES Act.
“As the novel coronavirus still rages across Texas, it’s critical that we make sure our children continue to receive life-saving vaccinations for preventable diseases,” said Cornyn. “I was proud to support the funding for this important grant and will continue to do everything I can to ensure Texans have what they need to weather this horrible pandemic.”
9:00 a.m. – Cedar Ridge High School will be closing its campus and transitioning to 100% virtual learning for the next week due to COVID-19. According to the Round Rock ISD COVID-19 dashboard, the school has nine confirmed cases.
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