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, TX
Texas agency denies Austin ISD pause for 3 middle schools facing takeover risk
A possible state takeover continues to loom over the Austin Independent School District after the Texas Education Agency denied the district’s request for an accountability pause for three middle schools.
The denial also affects money that would have gone toward Burnet, Dobie and Webb middle schools, which have each received “F” ratings four times since 2019. A fifth “F” rating would open the district up to a state takeover.
Austin ISD schools expect to see their accountability scores, or grades, later this summer. If Burnet, Dobie, and Webb middle schools receive a fifth “F” each — all in the last seven years — the district could face a state takeover.
Houston ISD was taken over by the state in the 2023-2024 school year, and it has been reported as a rocky ride for teachers and families.
Toni Templeton, a senior research scientist at the University of Houston Education Research Center, said, “Generally, what we’re seeing is a large exodus of both teachers and students from the district.” Templeton and two colleagues released the first part of an ongoing study into the Houston takeover in January. Templeton said, “What that signals to us is that parents are choosing to put students in a different schooling option,” including a neighboring district or charter schools.
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Austin ISD has not been taken over, and the district’s future hinges on the next set of ratings. Asked whether Austin ISD is in a vulnerable place and how likely a takeover is, a district spokesperson provided a statement released by Superintendent Matias Segura on Thursday, saying in part, “Over the last two years, student outcomes have continued to improve across Austin ISD.”
Ken Zarifis, president of Education Austin, also pointed to improvement while raising concerns about the state’s authority. “I think the state will take over a school district if it wants to, and I think that’s a problem, but what we’ve got here is we’ve got some information that I think that is hopeful that we’ve got to produce as far as test scores,” Zarifis said.
He added, “Yeah, I think it’s really important to see what they’re doing now? Not, what are they doing in 2022? What are they doing today? What have they been doing the last few years? And there’s been an improvement, and they’re very hopeful for at least two of the schools.”
A Texas Education Agency spokesperson said that because accountability ratings come out in August, it is too soon to speculate.
Austin, TX
Barton Springs Bridge named one of Preservation Texas’ most endangered places for 2026
AUSTIN, Texas (KXAN) – The City of Austin is considering replacing the Barton Springs Bridge, citing concerns about the structure’s condition and long-term safety. However, preservation advocates are urging city leaders to fully explore alternatives before moving forward.
This week, Preservation Texas named Barton Springs Bridge one of the most endangered places for 2026.
“It’s a major road and a lot of stuff happening around here all the time, you know, public safety access, all these things are huge concerns, too. But we think that the historic nature of the bridge is really important,” said Meghan Namour, Policy and Outreach Planner at Preservation Austin.
According to city officials, the 100-year-old bridge has deteriorated over time, with cracking concrete, missing sections of concrete and other issues that have raised concerns about its future.
In 2024, the city received a $32 million bridge improvement grant from the Federal Highway Administration to help fund the project.
For longtime Austin resident Bethani Ragland, the bridge represents a piece of the city’s history.
“I’ve been here so long, since my childhood,” said Bethani Ragland, Austin resident.
She said she was disappointed to learn the bridge could eventually be replaced.
“It was built well because I haven’t noticed anything, no cracking no nothing. There’s no reason to take the bridge down. It’s just more construction in Austin,” said Ragland.
City of Austin officials say the project must still go through the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, review process.
In a statement to KXAN, the city said:
“The Barton Springs Bridge project is currently at the 90% design milestone. The project received a $32M bridge improvement program grant from the Federal Highway Administration, and will go through a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review and approval process which includes assessment of environmental assets and review of bridge alternatives. The NEPA document will review and evaluate the historic, environmental and archeological significance of the bridge. There will be an analysis of both replacement and rehabilitation alternatives included. The NEPA process is expected to be completed in 2027.”
Preservation advocates say they hope that process includes meaningful consideration of ways to preserve the bridge.
“In our own city, we have examples of historic bridges that have been repurposed for new or different uses. There’s the Pfluger Pedestrian and Bike Bridge that was added next to the Lamar Bridge. Not every case is the same but we would love for those options to at least be meaningfully considered,” said Namour.
Austin, TX
3 Keys For Texas Baseball To Advance Out Of Austin Regional
The road to Omaha starts now for the No. 6 national seed Texas Longhorns. For the 39th time in the program’s storied history, the Longhorns will host the NCAA Regional with the opportunity to host a super regional if they can get out of a talent grouping.
This year’s Austin Regional is paired up with the Eugene Regional, hosted by the No. 11 Oregon Ducks. Last season, Texas had its best season since 2010 in its first year in the Southeastern Conference, but everything came crashing down when the Longhorns lost twice to the UTSA Roadrunners.
While last year’s result served as a lesson for the returners, most of the 2026 squad was either at other places or in high school, marking a new beginning for many.
“It’s always the most fun time of year, and certainly when you need the opportunity to play at home,” head coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “Welcome to Holy Cross, Tarleton State, and UCSB. Looking forward to great three or four days of baseball.”
Here are some keys for the Longhorns to make it out of the regional round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2023.
1 – Aiden Robbins Must Produce
At one point in the season, Texas junior outfielder Aiden Robbins was one of the most dangerous hitters in the nation. For a hitter who has never batted under .300 dating back to high school, he maintained his production in a much more competitive SEC slate.
But in the final couple of games in the season, Robbins has not been the same imposing bat that won him the SEC Newcomer of the Year honors. Dating back to the Tennessee series, Robbins has gone 4-for-21 at the plate while striking out nine times.
The Longhorns’ top-of-the-order bat is also riding a three-game hitless streak heading into postseason play.
Robbins is battling back from a stomach bug that took him out early in the second game of the Missouri series and the entirety of the regular season finale.
If Texas wants to get out of its regional, its best bat for the entirety of the season must get back to his original form. A possible tuneup game against Holy Cross may be the switch to get him back. If not, he’ll have to move down in the order to allow catcher Carson Tinney and SEC Freshman of the Year, Anthony Pack Jr., to be the brunt of the offensive load.
2 – Texas Can’t Get Into The Loser’s Bracket
Playing two games in one day is almost a death sentence for any team with hopes of making it out of the regional.
Texas learned this the hard way: after beating Houston Christian in the first game of last season’s regional, the Longhorns fell in the second game to UTSA, forcing them to battle in the losers’ bracket with Kansas State.
Despite beating Kansas State on Sunday, Texas only had around an hour’s break before the regional final game, and a rematch with UTSA, ultimately in the regional defining loss.
“The biggest thing we learned is that everything up to this point just doesn’t, doesn’t matter. It’s all out the window – it’s a new season,” Luke Harrison said. “We’ve got to find a way to get better as a team and play better than we have all year.”
Texas is rolling out Harrison for game one against Holy Cross, saving Dylan Volantis for a big-time game on Saturday for either a rematch with Tarleton State or against a talented UC-Santa Brarba team.
While Texas does have the arms to win out of the losers’ bracket, it’s a task that will cause more pressure on the entire team.
3 – Starters and Bullpen Must Play Their A-Game
It has been well documented that the bullpen has seen its fair share of woes this season, and one of the keys to beating Texas is to retire the starter early to force them to tap into the bullpen early.
The starting trio of Harrison, Dylan Volantis and Ruger Riojas must eat up as many innings as possible, something they’ve done for the most part the entire season. Then it’s up to the bullpen to not allow the opposition to gain momentum down the stretch.
For Schlossnagle, there will not be much experimentation in the regional, and the arms that have proven their worth will get the nod.
“The guys who have pitched the best all season, they’re going to pitch the most,” Schlossnagle said. “If that means a reliever who maybe hasn’t pitched before the seventh inning has to come in a different part of the game, that’s what’s going to happen.”
While the SEC Tournament was disappointing on the hitting front, Texas was able to get looks from multiple pitchers in different parts of the game. Freshman pitchers, Sam Cozart and Brett Crossland, will be primary options while Thomas Burns and Haiden Leffew cannot struggle in the late-inning situations
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