Austin Public Health reported 56 hospital admissions June 23, and the moving seven-day average of daily hospitalizations has spiked from 11.3 to 39.3 over the course of two weeks from June 9-23.
Meanwhile, the doubling time of COVID-19, a metric local officials follow to monitor the exponential spread of the virus, has dropped from a steady rate of roughly 44 days through the spring—when stay-home orders were in place—to just 17.9 days as of June 23.
"If we're not successful in decreasing that doubling time, by mid-July we're going to exceed that hospital capacity," Escott said. "If you don't need to go out, don't go out. If you don't need to congregate with people, don't do it. We need to transition our mindset back to what it was in April."
Doctors, nurses and other members of the Austin medical community joined Escott in the press conference to deliver the message that residents need to take the virus seriously to keep hospital beds open, keep businesses running and keep their neighbors safe.
Dr. Christopher Ziebell, the medical director for U.S. Acute Care Solutions Southwest, said he has had a number of conversations with people close to him who see wearing a mask as an attack on their personal liberties.
"I can understand that perspective. I can also understand that while you are free to do the wrong thing; you are also free to do the right thing, and the right thing to do is to protect yourself from the disease," Ziebell said.
Escott said he is "pleading" with business owners to do everything they can to limit capacity where possible to avoid another shutdown. Restaurant dining rooms and other businesses in Austin were closed from March 17 to May 1 before Gov. Greg Abbott instituted orders to allow businesses to open back up in phases.
If COVID-19 case count and hospitalization trends continue, Escott said within the next week to two weeks he will recommend another shutdown to Austin Mayor Steve Adler and Travis County Judge Sam Biscoe.
"The lid is off. We have to put it back on," Escott said.
