Austin Public Health (APH) needs your help.
To protect everyone in our community during the spread of COVID-19, we must ensure safe, healthy work environments, and we must stay home when we’re sick.
We’re all in this together. Austin Public Health (APH), the City of Austin (COA), and Travis County have created tools to help business owners on the road to recovery.
APH published a color-coded chart to help residents of Austin-Travis County understand the stages of risk and provide recommendations on what people should do to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new risk-based guidelines identify five distinct stages of risk—from the lowest threat, Stage 1, through the most serious, Stage 5—along with recommended behaviors for each stage. Based on an assessment using provisional modeling, APH has assessed Austin-Travis County to be in the Stage 3 risk category.
This means individuals are currently advised to:
- Practice good hygiene
- Stay home if sick
- Avoid other people who are sick
- Maintain social distancing
- Wear facial coverings
- Avoid all social gatherings and any gathering of more than 10 people
- Avoid dining and shopping except with precautions (lower-risk individuals) or except as essential only (higher-risk individuals)
- Avoid non-essential travel (higher-risk individuals)
- Return to workplaces in essential and reopened businesses only
Additional protective measures are recommended for people at higher risk, including those over 65 years old or people with chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease, obesity, or those who are otherwise immunocompromised.
As the stages progress from 1 through 4, higher-risk individuals are advised to limit the size of their gatherings, and their dining and shopping to a greater extent than lower-risk individuals. However, by Stage 5, all individuals are advised to limit their activities and exposure to the same degree, whatever the condition of their health.
Free COVID-19 Testing
If you’re feeling sick or know someone who is feeling sick, please encourage them to stay home and to make an appointment for free testing at drive-thru testing sites with APH, CommUnity Care, and local hospitals.
We will not ask about your immigration status and you do not need a doctor’s referral or insurance for any of the following options:
- Take the free self-assessment online to schedule testing with Austin Public Health
- Call 512-978-8775 for screening at the nearest CommUnityCare Clinic
- Go to the testing site located outside the CommUnityCare Hancock Walk-In Clinic:1000 E 41st Street, Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m., weekends 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
As you plan the next steps for business recovery, know that we are partnering with local agencies and organizations to develop resources to help you.
Business Recovery
ATX Recovers provides business owners with the latest updates and resources in direct support of recovery efforts for Austin businesses, entrepreneurs and non-profit organizations. Go to the website and sign up for the newsletter to receive more information about local business recovery.
City of Austin Utility Bill Assistance
City of Austin utilities customers may be eligible for financial assistance if you’ve been impacted by COVID-19. Austin Energy and Austin Water have contributed an additional $12.3 million into the Plus1 program to provide more help to customers. Visit AustinBillHelp.com to apply for assistance.
Stay updated with localCOVID-19 information at AustinTexas.gov/COVID-19
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