Austin health leaders keeping eye on COVID-19, monkeypox as flu season nears

This week, COVID-19 levels are staying steady at the same time as the growth in monkeypox cases is starting to slow down in the Austin area. On the horizon is influenza.

Austin Public Health has now counted 147 confirmed monkeypox cases, up 13 from last week. In previous weeks, cases were growing by more than 20 or 30 new cases a week. The region now has 185 cases, up from 165 last week.

Austin Public Health is now working with Wellness Equity Alliance to roll out more monkeypox vaccine to high-risk groups. To find out if you qualify and to schedule an appointment, go to the Wellness Equity Alliance site, wellnessequityalliance.com/monkeypox.

More:Monkeypox cases rise in Travis County; more than 100 confirmed

COVID-19 spread levels look better

Travis and Williamson counties remain in a low-level of spread for COVID-19, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bastrop, Hays and Caldwell counties continue to have medium level of spread. The difference in the counties is that Travis and Williamson counties have transmission rates (the number of new cases per 100,000 people) that are below 200. Travis County's rate fell to 126.54 from 159.9 the week before; Williamson County's rate was 152.57. It did not report a rate the previous week, but was at 82.3 before that.

Hays, Bastrop and Caldwell counties continue to see their levels drop. Hays County's rate fell from 260.22 last week to 205.48 this week. Bastrop County was at 222.04 last week and is now at 208.51. Caldwell was at 279.41, but is now at 261.08.

Hospitalization rates have remained steady as well. There are now 105 people with COVID-19 in area hospitals, with 15 in intensive care units and two on ventilators. About 40% of people hospitalized with COVID-19 this summer were admitted for other reasons and tested positive for COVID-19, said Dr. Brian Metzger, medical director of infectious diseases at St. David's HealthCare. Most of the people who have been hospitalized because of severe COVID-19 have been people who are unvaccinated, he said.

With a low level of spread, CDC guidelines recommend that people up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters who are not at risk for severe disease don't need to take precautions such as masking. Those at higher risk or the unvaccinated also could decide not to take precautions.

At the medium level of community spread, CDC guidelines say that precautions are optional for people who are up to date with their vaccinations, including boosters, but recommend that they wear a mask when social distancing is not possible. Under the medium level, people who are at higher risk or who are not vaccinated or not up to date on their vaccine doses are advised to use precautions while gathering, dining and shopping.

Tracking disease:COVID-19 cases steady in Austin as new boosters roll out; other epidemics being watched

Uptick in COVID-19 cases in schools

The official county-level COVID-19 case numbers come from people who take a test in a clinic, pharmacy or hospital. People who test positive for COVID-19 using a home test, though, don't show up in those numbers.

Where health authorities are seeing more COVID-19 cases is in schools. The Austin Independent School District has reported 882 cases in the first three weeks of this school year. Last school year, it had 9,587 cases, but some schools are outpacing case rates in the first three weeks of school compared with all of last year.

Some examples: Bailey Middle School has had 42 cases this year, but had only 127 cases all last year. That's a third of last year's cases already. Mills Elementary has had 57 cases this year, but had 141 cases last year; that's 40% of last year's cases. Boone Elementary has had 33 cases this year, but only 98 cases in all of last year.

In the Round Rock school district, the case rates are similarly disproportionate at some schools. Joe Lee Johnson Elementary School has 31 cases this year, compared with 42 last year, or 74% of the cases it had for the entire past school year. Pearson Ranch Middle School has 36 this year, compared with 64 last year, or 56%. At Cedar Valley Middle School, 45 cases have been reported compared with 232 last year, or 19%.

In Eanes, it's the same at West Ridge Middle School, which has had 54 cases compared with 183 last year, or 30%. In Del Valle, Del Valle High School has 83 cases, compared with 181 last year or 46%. In the Leander district, Glenn High School had 69 cases, compared with last year's 310 cases or 22%.

More:Texas State University reports first confirmed monkeypox case

COVID-19 boosters, vaccines available

Last week, the updated COVID-19 boosters were given authorization by the FDA and recommended by the CDC. These boosters are now available in many pharmacies. The updated boosters from Pfizer and Moderna are formulated for both the original strain of COVID-19 that was in the initial vaccines, as well as for the current omicron strains: BA.4 and BA.5.

The updated Pfizer boosters are for anyone ages 12 and older, two months after their last vaccination or booster shot. The Moderna updated booster is for ages 18 older, two months after their last vaccination or booster shot.

For kids 5 to 11, they can get a booster five months after their initial vaccine series, but it is with the original vaccines, not the updated boosters. Kids 6 months to 4 years are still receiving their primary series, and boosters have not yet been approved for that age group.

Austin Public Health officials say they are concerned about this youngest age group. In Travis County, less than 2,500 children 6 months to 4 years old are fully vaccinated. Austin Public Health said in August, 44 children were hospitalized with COVID-19 in Travis County, including seven who were in the ICU, and one on a ventilator. Half of the kids hospitalized with COVID-19 in August were unvaccinated and did not have an underlying health condition, Austin Public Health said.

Flu shots available

Austin Public Health recommends that anyone 6 months or older get a flu shot by the end of October. They can get a COVID-19 vaccine or booster at the same time.

COVID-19 is expected to continue to spread this fall and winter, and the flu season is expected to be more serious than the last two years, which have been mild. Australia, which tends to predict our flu season, is already seeing numerous cases, especially in children and teens.

"Now is not the time to let our guard down," said Austin-Travis County Health Authority Dr. Desmar Walkes. "Everyone, especially children and seniors, need flu protection. This time last year we were fighting the COVID-19 delta variant, and we protected our most vulnerable from COVID-19 and flu with a combination of masking and vaccine. Let’s do it again."

It's not all COVID-19:COVID-19, other viruses make flu shots even more important this year

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin health leaders keep eye on COVID-19, monkeypox as flu season nears