Austin, TX
Is COVID still around in Central Texas? Austin area seeing spike in cases this summer.
New COVID-19 variants, nicknamed FLiRT, found in wastewater, says CDC
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning the public of a new set of COVID-19 variants, nicknamed FLiRT, that were recently found in wastewater.
COVID-19 never left. And like in every summer since 2020, Central Texas is seeing a spike in cases.
We know this anecdotally through what local doctors’ offices and clinics are experiencing, as well as an uptick in COVID-19 in our wastewater.
This summer spike is exactly what Austin has seen since COVID-19 arrived in 2020, said Dr. Angela Gibson, the urgent care and after-hours chief for Austin Regional Clinic.
“None of us are surprised,” she said. “It is doing exactly what we thought it would do.”
Why do COVID-19 cases rise each summer?
After May brought some of the lowest numbers of cases since COVID-19 began, the cases started climbing again in June, and “now it’s everywhere,” Gibson said.
The simple reason: People are traveling. Most of the cases Gibson has seen are in people who have been in and around airports or have had family members traveling.
If you haven’t had the latest COVID-19 booster from last fall, it’s not a bad idea to get that vaccine a month before a big trip, Gibson said. The next update in boosters should be out in September, she said.
What are the symptoms of this COVID-19 variant?
The U.S. is still seeing omicron variants, including FLiRT strains, which are very similar. Most people don’t have the loss of smell or taste. Sometimes they have stomach upset or diarrhea, but mostly the symptoms are flulike:
- Fever.
- Sore throat.
- Nasal congestion or runny nose.
- Cough.
- Body aches.
- Fatigue.
- Headache.
- Brain fog.
People can have any or many of these.
“I wish I could say there was something definitive,” Gibson said.
Often, people might think they are having allergies, even though seasonal allergies in Austin are at their lowest point in July, she said.
Are people in the hospital with COVID-19?
Very few people need to go to the hospital now for COVID-19.
“I haven’t had to send a patient to the hospital (for COVID-19) in a long time,” said Dr. Edgar Navarro Garza, a pediatrician at Harbor Health.
Gibson, who treats both adults and children, also hasn’t had to hospitalize someone for COVID-19 in a while.
Most patients with COVID-19 who do end up going to an emergency room have respiratory symptoms similar to the common cold, said Dr. Ann Buchanan, an emergency room physician at St. David’s Medical Center. Some also have nausea and vomiting.
Most people who test positive for COVID-19 are not experiencing serious symptoms because we have built up immunity through vaccination, previous infections or being exposed to it in the community, Garza said. Doctors also are able to help patients better manage COVID-19 at home to prevent the need to go to a hospital, he said.
When should you take a test?
Anytime you have any of the COVID-19 symptoms, you should take an over-the-counter test. Because many people have only mild symptoms, COVID-19 has become sneakier and easier to spread by the otherwise healthy people who think they just have a cold or allergies, Gibson said. They often get a surprise if they do take a COVID-19 test, she said, because their test turns out positive for the virus.
COVID-19 and flu are still dangerous for people who are older than 65 or have a condition that compromises their immune system.
Do I have to quarantine if I have COVID-19?
The CDC changed the guidelines in March. You should stay home with COVID-19 until you have had 24 hours in which your symptoms are getting better and you are fever-free. After that point, for the next five days, you should take precautions such as wearing a mask and distancing to protect other people from becoming sick.
What else is going around?
Flu: It’s not common, but the occasional case is popping up, especially for people who have traveled recently or been around people who have traveled recently.
Strep throat: In children or in adults who are around children, this bacterial infection shows up regularly.
“Walking” pneumonia, aka mycoplasma pneumonia: This is spreading among families and has a spike every four to five years, Gibson said. This is the year of the spike. It can take one to four weeks to spread from family member to family member. At first it seems like any other cold, but then the cough doesn’t get better and the fever might return occasionally. Antibiotics are needed to treat it.
Intestinal ick: The vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, etc., can be caused by a variety of factors in the summer: Traveling to other countries where your body isn’t used to the food or water; food poisoning, especially from improperly storing food in the heat; a general stomach bug; or drinking the water while swimming in a pool, lake or river. If it isn’t better in 48 hours, you should see a doctor.
Pink eye: It’s the other ick from the swimming in unclean water problem.
Heat stroke or exhaustion, or sunburn: Remember to drink enough water (not beverages with alcohol or caffeine) to have light-colored urine; to seek the shade; to avoid being outside in the afternoon heat; to wear an SPF 30 or more sunscreen; and to add a new coat of sunscreen every one to two hours.
Not Saharan dust: Most people are not having a problem with Saharan dust unless they have asthma or another lung disease, Garza said. If you think you are having a problem with a sore throat and nasal congestion, check for COVID-19.
AUSTIN, Texas — The screwworm outbreak is having a major impact on animal shelter budgets across Texas. Instant kill and preventative medications for dogs and cats are an unprecedented expense.
Paul is a rescue dog from South Texas, where he was living on the streets and starving. He is now at Austin Pets Alive! getting Screwworm prevention medication and the treatment he needs to get healthy.
“Any dog that enters our shelter period, but especially if they look like this, we are going over them with a fine-tooth comb and looking for anything that might be a wound where a screwworm might have been able to gain access,” said Dr. Ellen Jefferson, CEO and President of Austin Pets Alive!
RELATED| FDA authorizes generic over-the-counter drug to treat New World screwworm in pets
Dr. Jefferson says dogs and cats need regular checks of their eyes, noses, ears, and underneath their fur. But Austin Pets Alive! says the best protection is a combination of Capstar, which is an instant-kill medication for existing active screwworm larvae, and prescription preventatives that provide ongoing protection when administered every 30 days.
“Just to buy the initial Capstar for our program, it was close to $10,000,” said Rebecca Giamona, Asst. Medical Care Director at Austin Pets Alive!
Giamona says preventative meds are also putting a heavy financial strain on the nonprofit’s budget at a cost of around $70,000.
“We need about 5,000 doses of the monthly preventative, and they are roughly $14 to $15 per dose,” said Giamona.
Products with the active ingredients ending in l, a, n, e, r are highly effective at preventing and treating infestations. But keeping Paul and every shelter animal up to date will take help from the public.
“Donations, and hopefully some more donations,” said Giamona.
An infestation of New World Screwworm can be painful, disfiguring, and potentially deadly for animals. Most cases involve livestock, especially cattle, but dogs and cats can also get infestations.
AUSTIN, Texas – Central Texans gather to celebrate Juneteenth or “Freedom Day” on June 19 and commemorate the end of slavery.
What you can do:
The Greater East Austin Youth Association (GEAYA) is hosting the Central Texas Juneteenth Parade and Festival today (6/19).
It’s free and taking place at Rosewood Park in East Austin located at 2300 Rosewood Ave.
The schedule for the events is as follows:
- ACME Juneteenth FunRun – 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
- Juneteenth Historical Parade – 10 AM – 12 PM
- Park Celebration and Fireworks – 12 PM – 9:45 PM
Other events
On June 20, the Carver Kickback: Juneteenth Edition will be taking place 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural, and Genealogy Center located at 1165 Angelina Street.
It will be a day of celebration and remembrance and there will be BBQ plates and music as well as vendors and hands-on activations.
The backstory:
Juneteenth commemorates the end of formal slavery in Texas on June 19, 1865, two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, and more than one month following the end of the American Civil War.
Colloquially known as “The Black 4th of July,” Juneteenth marks the beginning of an African American journey to carve a new place in society for free people to shape identities independent of racial caricature, eradicate slave culture, promote ethnic pride, and create economic prosperity.
The Source: Information from City of Austin and Greater East Austin Youth Association and reporting by Jessica Rivera.
Juneteenth celebrations are happening across the city this weekend. The events will mark the 161st anniversary of the day Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay to announce that more than 250,000 enslaved people in Texas were free. The announcement on June 19, 1865, came more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. June 19 — known as Juneteenth — became a federal holiday in 2021.
From historical bike rides to Austin’s annual parade, here are seven events taking place in Austin.
Annual Juneteenth FunRun, June 19
The city of Austin’s African American Cultural and Heritage Facility will host a fun run starting at 8:30 a.m. on Friday at East Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Leona Street, and concluding at Hargrave Street near the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex. Participants will have one hour to complete the course. The route is the same as the parade through the African American Historical Cultural District that will start later that morning. Runners and walkers of all ages and levels can participate.
Central Texas Juneteenth Parade & Festival, June 19
The annual Juneteenth parade will take place Friday and begin at 10 a.m. at East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Leona Street and will travel down to Chicon Street before turning on Rosewood Avenue. The parade will feature floats, live music and performers.
A Very Juneteenth Comedy Jam, June 19
The Velveeta Room, Austin’s longest-running comedy club, will have shows highlighting Black voices Friday night at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. The 18+ event will feature comedians like Freddy Do Less and Roderick McDaniel. Tickets for both shows are around $23.
Sistas Walk And Talk: Juneteenth Edition, June 20
Texas Sistas Society will host a 3-mile walk and talk Saturday at 515 S. Pleasant Valley Road starting at 7:45 a.m. Texas Sistas Society is an Austin-based community created for Black women and women of color. Attendees are encouraged to wear Juneteenth colors: red, yellow, green or black, and to RSVP ahead of time.
The Carver Kickback: Juneteenth Edition, June 20
The George Washington Carver Museum in Austin is dedicated to creating a “space where the global contributions of all Black people are celebrated.” The museum is hosting a free celebration from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday with barbecue plates, live music, vendors and activities for all ages.
Black Auteur Film Festival, June 20
The Black Auteur Film Festival, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting Black filmmakers in Texas, is hosting its third annual film festival to showcase short films directed by Black Texans at AFS Cinema on Saturday. One filmmaker will win the $1,000 “Best of Fest” award, and attendees can enter a raffle for a chance to win Austin Film Society memberships and movie tickets. The festival runs from 2 to 5 p.m. Tickets are $14.
Juneteenth Social Ride, June 21
Black History Bike Ride, an Austin nonprofit teaching people about the city’s Black history through cycling, is hosting its seventh annual Juneteenth ride starting at the Haskell House on Saturday at 10 a.m. Austin-based historian Harrison Eppright will serve as the ride’s guide. Registration is required for all attendees. The event is free, but donations are encouraged.
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