Judge Lina Hidalgo today announced that she is lowering the county’s COVID-19 Threat Level Indicator from Level 1: Red to Level 2: Orange. The move comes as positive cases and COVID-19 ICU populations are decreasing.
“The omicron wave hit Harris County very, very hard,” said Judge Hidalgo. “In fact, only now have our hospitalization rates dropped to levels that don’t immediately threaten the capacity of our healthcare system. While we’re moving in the right direction, there are no guarantees we won’t see another wave in the future. My hope is that the on-demand availability of vaccines and treatments will help us to avoid another dangerous spike. I continue to urge folks to get vaccinated. Doing so will allow us to deal with COVID-19 as a manageable risk rather than an emergency that unnecessarily threatens lives and the capacity of our entire healthcare system.”
Level 2: signifies a significant and uncontrolled level of COVID-19 in Harris County, meaning that there is ongoing transmission of the virus. At this level, unvaccinated residents should continue to mask, physically distance, and avoid all medium and large gatherings. Vaccinated individuals should follow the latest local public health guidance on whether to also wear a mask while indoors in public places, in crowded outdoor settings, and for activities with close contact with others who are not fully vaccinated.
After two years, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo will kick off at the end of the month. The Harris County Public Health team urges residents to wear face coverings, given the continued presence of the Omicron wave in our community and asks that unvaccinated individuals, per the threat level system, avoid medium or large gatherings.
The COVID-19 vaccine and vaccine booster are available at no charge for all Harris County residents 5 and above. To find out more information, locations and hours, click here.
For a complete list of indicators, guidance, and related information visit ReadyHarris.org.
