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AUSTIN, Texas - Austin Public Health held its weekly news conference to talk about COVID-19 in the area and discuss vaccine distribution, masks, and more.
It was the first news conference since Governor Greg Abbott announced that he was lifting COVID-19 restrictions across the state including allowing businesses to fully reopen and rescinding his statewide mask order. It's a move that isn't sitting well with Austin-Travis County leaders.
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Austin Public Health has continued to push for masking to carry on, one year into the pandemic, and it's a move other local officials like Austin Mayor Steve Adler and Travis County Judge Andy Brown support.
Meantime the Texas Department of State Health Services said nearly half of all people 65 and older in the state have received a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
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Efforts to ramp up vaccine allocation continue next week as the Johnson & Johnson vaccine makes its way to providers.
In Austin, a mass vaccination clinic is kicking off Friday at COTA. Travis, Bastrop, Caldwell, and Hays Counties, along with Ascension Seton and CommUnity Care Health Centers, are teaming up for the clinic, which runs through this weekend.
The clinic kicks off at 11:30 a.m. Friday. The goal is to give 10,000 vaccines over the course of three days. There is no public signup for this clinic. It is for folks who have already signed up through a local provider.
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