In a new public plea, Austin health officials on Friday asked that anyone who engaged in high-risk Thanksgiving activities — including traveling and attending indoor gatherings — get tested for COVID-19 and stay home at least seven days.
If the test for the coronavirus is positive, people must isolate themselves for at least 10 days to protect others from getting infected, Austin Public Health officials advised. Even if the test comes back negative, health officials still advise that people stay home and quarantine themselves for the full seven days.
People can sign up for a free COVID-19 test through Austin Public Health at austintexas.gov/covid19.
People who don’t get tested after attending a family gathering should stay home for 14 days and avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe complications from COVID-19, Austin public health officials said. Those at high-risk include people older than 65, people with diabetes, kidney or lung problems or chronic health issues or those with decreased auto-immunity.
Those who still plan to attend families gatherings in the future, despite public health advisories not to, should at least “wear a face covering, avoid crowds, and decrease your time in confined areas,” said Janet Pichette, chief epidemiologist for Austin-Travis County. “We must do our part in the community to keep our families and each other safe.”
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