Wastewater shows Covid-19 on the rise in Austin

Austin Public Health is warning that wastewater data is showing an uptick in Covid-19. A press release from the health authority said the presence of the virus has increased over the past six weeks, though it remains below the national average. “We have seen an increase in the spread of Covid-19 every summer, and it is important to get vaccinated and receive your booster dose,” said Austin-Travis County Health Authority Dr. Desmar Walkes in a statement. “Ways to prevent the spread of Covid-19 remain the same – maintaining healthy habits like frequent hand-washing, covering your cough, staying home and testing when you are sick.” Though Covid-19 has lingered past the official national emergency caused by the virus, hospitalizations remain low. That is attributed to vaccines, which continue to protect against the virus even when new variants spread. Updated vaccines that will target these variants are expected in the fall. Anyone can visit vaccines.gov (vacunas.gov in Spanish) to find nearby Covid-19 vaccine providers.