AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Public Health will again host weekly question-and-answer sessions regarding the area's COVID-19 response, with one happening at 10:30 a.m. Friday.
As the demand for interviews has increased due to the state of area hospital ICU space and Stage 5 COVID-19 risk-level recommendations, the department will give news outlets the "opportunity to ask questions related to COVID-19 as leaders respond to the surge."
As of Friday morning, the Austin-Travis County dashboard showed the seven-day rolling average of new hospitalizations is slowly dropping. With Thursday's data in the system, there were 79 new COVID-19 admissions that dropped the average to 77. At its highest point in the most recent Stage 5 designation, the moving average was at 84 on Aug. 11.
There were 741 new COVID-19 cases reported Thursday.
After announcing plans earlier this month, Austin Public Health also launched an incentive pilot program where people can an extra $50 for groceries if they haven't gotten their COVID-19 shot. The H-E-B gift card is for people who receive their first or second dose. People can get the gift card at an eligible APH location, and there are only 2,000 available.
Neighbors can call 311 for information about where to get the vaccine.
We will stream the video conference in this story and on Facebook. We will also update this story shortly after the conference ends.
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