AUSTIN, Texas — Austin and Travis County have not reached herd immunity, but the area is making progress in getting vaccinated, especially among the older population. Health leaders are stressing that the younger age groups need to get the COVID-19 vaccine too.
Dr. Mark Escott, Austin's top doctor, said at a meeting with county and city leaders that the hospitalization rate in older age groups is decreasing, and he said that is due to the vaccination rate in older people.
He said that 8.1% of hospitalizations last week were for individuals 19 years old and younger, and 26.5% of hospitalizations last week were for individuals younger than 40. He said it's important to note that as we see the older age groups get vaccinated, we are going to see relative increases in the percentage of hospitalizations in younger age groups.
He's focused on the 20-29 age group.
"We have seen week over week significant hospitalizations in that age group," Escott said. "We also know those age groups are less excited about getting vaccinated because they perceive the decreased risk of hospitalization and death. However, it is essential that our young people – our college students, our young members of our workforce – it's essential they get vaccinated because we will see an increase in hospitalizations and it is possible to see deaths in that age group."
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He also noted that the younger age groups are more likely to spread the virus to other members of the community.
Forty-three percent of the overall population in Austin and Travis County is currently either partially or fully vaccinated. In Travis County, a little over 36% of the population 16 years and older are fully vaccinated, while nearly 53% of that population has at least one vaccine dose.
Calculating those who were diagnosed with COVID-19, that leaves at least 38% of the Austin-Travis County population vulnerable, Escott said, assuming there is zero overlap between those who have had the virus and those who have been vaccinated.
"We still have a ways to go but we are certainly making progress," he said.
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