AUSTIN, Texas — Editor's note: This blog is no longer active.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 9 live blog.
COVID-19 numbers:
- Texas: More than 2.3 million cases have been reported in the state, and more than 44,600 people in Texas have died, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
- Central Texas counties:
- Travis County: At least 76,855 cases have been reported and at least 772 people have died. At least 74,823 people have recovered from the virus.
- Hays County: At least 16,592 confirmed cases have been reported and at least 229 people have died. At least 15,804 people have recovered from the virus.
- Williamson County: At least 36,039 cases have been reported in the county and at least 415 people have died.
For a look at COVID-19 data across all of the state's counties, click here.
GRAPHS: Coronavirus data March 8
Updates:
7:40 p.m. – Another mass vaccination clinic will be held at the Circuit of the Americas this weekend. Travis County Judge Andy Brown said after vaccinating 10,000 people last weekend, the goal is to get 14,000 doses administered between Friday and Sunday.
The appointment will be by appointment only for people who live in Travis, Hays, Bastrop and Caldwell counties. CommUnityCare has been reaching out to patients to schedule appointments.
6:25 p.m. – Travis County reported six more COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday along with 113 new confirmed cases, bringing the total to 76,855 cases and 772 deaths since the start of the pandemic. At least 74,823 people have recovered from the virus.
Travis County currently has 220 people hospitalized with COVID-19, with 72 in the ICU and 43 on ventilators. There are 26 people being treated at the alternative care site at the Austin Convention Center.
5:10 p.m. – ABC Kite Fest will return March 27-28 as a "city-wide celebration of the city's many parks and green spaces" in partnership with the Austin Parks Foundation. This year's event encourages participants to fly a kite at their local park or green space.
5 p.m. – As of March 9, 20% of Texas' population over the age of 16 has received at least one dose of vaccine and the state is closing in on 2.5 million residents fully vaccinated.
New COVID-19 cases in Texas are down to an average of 3,259 per day over the past week, down 29% from a week ago and 72% from a month ago. Hospitalizations ticked up a bit to 4,702 but are still down 17% from a week ago and 51% from a month ago.
Locally, cases in the Austin metro area dipped down to 212 per day over the past week, the fewest – aside from during the winter storms – since Nov. 9.
3:20 p.m. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture will extend its waiver allowing schools to continue to serve no-cost meals to low-income students during school closures this summer.
The waiver negates the National School Lunch Act requirement that schools serve foods in a group setting, which will help curb the spread of coronavirus through social distancing and ensure students continue to receive much-needed meals, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said on Tuesday.
“The pandemic has infiltrated so many aspects of our lives, including Texans’ basic needs like the ability to put food on the table,” said Cornyn. “I’m grateful to the Biden administration for extending this waiver so Texas children won’t have to go hungry this summer when the school year ends.”
1:40 p.m. – U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett announces that more than $500 million in COVID-19 relief funding should be headed to Central Texas once the American Rescue Plan package is signed.
- Austin is expected to receive $195.8 million
- San Marcos is expected to receive $18.02 million
- Travis County is expected to receive $247.08 million
- Hays County is expected to receive $44.64 million
- Caldwell County is expected to receive $8.47 million
- Kyle is expected to receive $10.55 million
- Buda is expected to receive $3.69 million
- Lockhart is expected to receive $3.08 million
12:34 p.m. – Austin will stay in Stage 4 of the risk-based guidelines due to an increase in hospitalizations the past 3 days, the top doctor said Tuesday.
Health leaders also announced that the alternate care site at the Austin Convention Center is expected to finish treating patients by March 20.
12:10 p.m. – The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and the Texas Military Department (TMD) have announced 34 counties participating in the second week of the Save Our Seniors COVID-19 vaccine initiative. During the first week of the initiative, 26 counties participated. The program aims to provide vaccines to seniors throughout the state.
Gov. Greg Abbot said the State has allocated more than 10,000 vaccine doses for the second week of the program, which will go to Texans who are 75 years and older or homebound. TDEM and TMD will work alongside local jurisdictions to set up a central drive-thru vaccine clinic in the community or administer directly to homebound seniors.
Counties participating in the second round of the program are Aransas, Bandera, Bowie, Brooks, Caldwell, Callahan, Coke, Coleman, Dallas, Duval, Henderson, Hockley, Lampasas, Leon, Liberty, Mason, Mitchell, Presidio, Rusk, Sabine, San Patricio, Stephens, Sutton, Titus, Trinity, Val Verde, Van Zandt, Walker, Waller, Webb, Wharton, Willacy, Wilson and Wood.
11:50 a.m. – The City of Austin will require wearing masks in the community, according to City leaders.
The statewide mask mandate will lift on Wednesday, March 10, according to Gov. Greg Abbott's order from last week. Gov. Abbott announced on March 2 that he is opening Texas "100%" in addition to lifting the mask mandate in Texas.
“In Austin, we’re committed to saving lives. Period. If state officials don’t want to do their jobs protecting people from the virus, then we will,” said Austin City Council Member Greg Casar on Tuesday. “This action is both legal and the right thing to do. If state officials choose to sue, they’ll be going out of their way to harm the health of Texans. We've had too many family members, too many friends, too many constituents die for us to stop listening to science. Local leaders will continue doing everything in our power to take care of Texans.”
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: