AUSTIN, Texas — Editor's note: This blog is no longer active. For the latest COVID-19 updates, click here.
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 March 30 live blog.
COVID-19 numbers:
- Texas: More than 2.3 million cases have been reported in the state, and more than 47,100 people in Texas have died, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
- Central Texas counties:
- Travis County: At least 79,085 cases have been reported and at least 816 people have died. At least 77,281 people have recovered from the virus.
- Hays County: At least 17,125 confirmed cases have been reported and at least 236 people have died. At least 16,521 people have recovered from the virus.
- Williamson County: At least 37,108 cases have been reported in the county and at least 449 people have died.
For a look at COVID-19 data across all of the state's counties, click here.
GRAPHS: Coronavirus data March 26
Updates:
4:45 p.m. – The Austin VA Outpatient Clinic at 7901 Metropolis Drive will host a vaccine clinic Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for both first and second doses (Moderna) for veterans of any age.
Veterans scheduled for their appointments between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. are asked to arrive through the main entrance and will be directed to vaccination stations.
In addition to pre-scheduled Veteran appointments, accommodations for walk-ins (Veterans of any age, enrolled in VA health care) will be accepted. Veterans will be vaccinated based upon vaccine availability.
Veterans must bring their VA ID to verify VA enrollment and schedule their second dose; administered approximately 28 days after the first.
3:30 p.m. – Travis County is looking for workers and volunteers to help with the county's vaccination efforts. Those looking to volunteer can sign up to work at a vaccine clinic at www.centraltxvaccs.org. There are also opportunities to get paid $20 an hour to assist 10 hours a day on the weekends. To apply, go here. Clinical experience is not required.
1:10 p.m. – Gov. Greg Abbott said there are 35 counties participating in the fifth week of the Save Our Seniors COVID-19 vaccine initiative. The program helps set up a central drive-thru vaccine clinic in each community or administer directly to homebound seniors.
Counties participating in the fifth round of the program are Bastrop, Brewster, Brown, Caldwell, Cameron, Cass, Cherokee, Cottle, Dallas, Gray, Hill, Hopkins, Hutchinson, Hudspeth, Irion, Lee, Liberty, Limestone, McCulloch, Morris, Orange, Panola, Rains, Reagan, Robertson, Rusk, San Jacinto, Shelby, Starr, Val Verde, Walker, Waller, Webb, Wichita and Willacy. Many of these counties are participating for a second time in order to administer second doses to eligible residents.
12:25 p.m. – Travis County Judge Andy Brown and Austin Mayor Steve Adler announced that the eviction moratorium in Austin-Travis County will again be extended, this time to May 1.
The moratorium on residential evictions was enacted as a result of COVID-19 and has been extended multiple times over the last several months as the pandemic continues. It has protected people who cannot pay rent and has allowed them to remain in their homes.
11:45 a.m. – On Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) announced the creation of the COVID-19 Rapid Testing Program for Texas Youth Summer Camps. The program is designed to help summer camps licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to conduct rapid tests for staff and campers during the summer months. The TDEM will provide summer camps that choose to participate with rapid antigen tests.
"As normalcy returns to Texas, we must remain vigilant against the spread of COVID-19 by identifying positive cases and mitigating any potential outbreaks throughout the state," said Gov. Abbott. "The COVID-19 Testing Program for Texas Youth Summer Camps will help camps safely operate throughout the summer by quickly identifying positive COVID-19 cases among campers and staff. I encourage qualifying summer camps to apply for this program so that we can continue to keep Texans safe from this virus."
Camps that are licensed by the DSHS and want to participate can apply here.
10:23 a.m. – Austin could soon enter Stage 2 territory of Austin Public Health's (APH) COVID-19 risk-based guidelines, which is a seven-day moving average of 10 hospital admissions per day, according to modeling from the University of Texas COVID-19 Modeling Consortium.
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