End of an era: Austin Public Health changes COVID-19 reporting policy

Nicole Villalpando, Austin American-Statesman

Austin Public Health is changing the way it reports COVID-19 cases.

For four years, the health entity has tracked each case and posted it on an online dashboard.

Now it will track and report cases only if Austin is having an outbreak, Austin Public Health said in a news release Thursday. "The dashboard is retiring," the news release said.

"This is the end of an era for Austin Public Health and the community we serve," said Dr. Desmar Walkes, the Austin–Travis County health authority.

At the height of COVID-19, the dashboard recorded more than 22,000 cases in just one week in January 2022, during the omicron variant surge.

Why the change in COVID-19 tracking?

The change comes as the Texas Department of State Health Services announced that providers are no longer required to report individual COVID-19 cases. It changed its dashboard to a respiratory virus surveillance site, which looks at flu, COVID-19 and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now suggests the public and doctors treat COVID-19 like any other respiratory virus: Stay home and isolate until you are fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.

That change came as fewer people have been getting seriously sick, more people have been vaccinated, and better treatments, including antivirals, are available at the first sign of COVID-19.

What happens if there is an outbreak?

Since COVID-19 first emerged, Austin has followed a similar pattern, with surges in June and July followed by another surge in December and January. In the event of a surge, Austin Public Health will again track cases.

It also will continue to do water surveillance to see how much COVID-19 virus is being shed by humans into wastewater. It will continue to track COVID-19 in high-risk settings such as long-term care facilities, schools and day care centers.

Walkes said the dashboard was invaluable during the pandemic because it highlighted which ZIP codes were being hit the hardest and needed additional resources.

"It showed us the effectiveness of our immunization and prevention campaigns, and it served as a stark reminder of those who were lost and the importance of our continued efforts to fight this virus,” Walkes said in the release.

What should we do without a dashboard?

All of the safety measures recommended by the CDC during the pandemic still apply:

  • Stay current with the COVID-19 vaccine, including the latest version.

  • Wash your hands and cover your mouth during sneezes and coughs.

  • Practice social distancing in large groups, especially indoors.

  • Stay home if you feel sick.

Will COVID-19 vaccines still be provided?

Austin Public Health will continue to hold mobile vaccine clinics as well as its Shots for Tots and Big Shots clinics.

The federal government continues to supply home tests at covid.gov/tests.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin Public Health changes COVID-19 reporting policy

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