Austin-Travis County health officials on Wednesday said they will begin offering some coronavirus testing for people without symptoms after seeing a drop in demand for testing in recent weeks.

Austin Public Health officials stopped offering asymptomatic testing at the end of June when a surge of new cases and hospitalizations from COVID-19 emerged that threatened to overwhelm the area’s hospital system.

That surge saw the average number of daily hospitalizations skyrocket from about 27 near the end of June to more than 70 by July 8. Health officials saw a glimmer of hope over through the end of July over a two-week period of declining numbers that pulled the region’s daily hospitalization rate back down into the 30s.

In the past six days, the rate of decline in those numbers has slowed, and stayed steady at about 36 or 37 each day.

As of Tuesday, Travis County had recorded a total of 21,822 coronavirus cases, including 19,570 recoveries and 287 deaths. In the greater Austin area, 309 people were hospitalized, including 113 in intensive care units and 74 on ventilators. Hospitals have moved out of their surge plans, but say they remain ready to accept more patients in the event of an increase.

As the numbers have fallen, Austin and surrounding areas have seen a decline in the number of people seeking testing through the city’s online portal and at community testing events over the past few weeks, interim Austin-Travis County Health Authority Dr. Mark Escott said. The decline opens up the opportunity for more people who do not present symptoms to be tested for the virus,” Escott said.

“We’re getting the sense from other jurisdictions that they’re also seeing a decrease in those who are seeking testing,” he said.

But after the recent trend in declining numbers, Escott said it appears that the area has hit a wall in case reductions, and even seen slight increases in infection and hospitalization rates that could spell bad news moving forward.

“We have to remember that diseases spread through person-to-person contact and that spread is more easily happening when people are face-to-face, which tends to happen more often around people that we’re comfortable with,” he said.

Austin Public Chief Epidemiologist Janet Pichette said officials are investigating numerous cases involving patients who became sick after attending family parties or social gatherings.

The streak of falling numbers pulled Austin out of the territory for Stage 4 restrictions, under which higher-risk people are asked to avoid gatherings with more than two people and to avoid all nonessential shopping or dining. Those not at heightened risk are asked to avoid gatherings with more than 10 people, along with avoiding nonessential shopping or dining.

However, heath officials kept those restrictions in place, saying they would like to see at least two weeks of lowered numbers before considering easing up.

“Now’s the time, even though the cases may be declining for us, to remain vigilant,” Pichette said. “Just like we said last week, we’re in this for the long haul and we need to continue to to be vigilant in our preventive measures, and that includes those measures that will protect you, even if it is exposure to your own family members.”

Escott said he wants to see Austin return to Stage 2, in which the seven-day average of new hospitalizations from the coronavirus is less than 10 people, before area schools reconvene for classes.

“How we push past this plateau that we’re seeing now is really paying close attention to how we’re acting outside of work and outside of our visits to grocery stores or other places like restaurants,” Escott said.

He said that means eliminating gatherings like barbecues, pool parties and birthday celebrations, or doing them virtually.

“I think this is the piece that we haven’t cracked yet, because its more difficult because it happens behind doors at people’s homes. We really need folks to understand that this is how we get to Stage 2,” he said. “We can do it. We’ve got almost a month, or a little over a month for us to do that prior to schools opening.”

Escott said nearly half of COVID-19 cases still are asymptomatic, mildly symptomatic, or pre-symptomatic, but still infectious. So while practicing social distancing and wearing face coverings in public is helpful, people also need to take precautions around family and close friends.

“We have to go back to our mindset that we had in March and April, when we were all staying home, when we were really limiting our travel outside the home, because we have to be in a better place to get our kids back in school, and hopefully get businesses open more in the future,” he said. “We’ve got to do better, and I’m concerned that if we don’t do better, we’re going to be back in Stage 4 territory in terms of the hospital admissions in the short term.”

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