Announcements

Media Release by Wilco's Public Information Office

On July 21, the Williamson County Commissioners Court approved the implementation of an Order Prohibiting Outdoor Burning in the unincorporated areas of Williamson County to commence on Wednesday, July 22, 2020, at 5:00 p.m. and continuing for a period not to exceed 30 days and to authorize County Judge Bill Gravell to lift the ban if conditions improve during the effective period of the burn ban.  A person violates this order if they burn any combustible material outside of an enclosure which serves to contain all flames and/or sparks, or orders such burning by others. The burn ban prohibits the burning of household yard waste, such as leaves, grass, brush and other yard trimmings.  It also prohibits burning to clear land of trees, stumps, shrubbery, or other natural vegetation.  This order may be enforced by any duly-commissioned peace officer.  It is a Class C Misdemeanor that is punishable by a fine up to $500.  For additional restrictions, requirements and details relating to the Order Prohibiting Outdoor Burning, the Order may be viewed here.    

Williamson County is celebrating the opening of the Brushy Creek Regional Trail Phase V located in Precinct 1. This .9 mile segment of the trail starts near the shore of Brushy Creek at the northwest corner of the Creekside Plaza Shopping Center in Round Rock, located at Chisholm Trail and Round Rock Avenue. To watch an entertaining video created for the trail's ribbon cutting, click here.

A follow-up sampling of mosquitoes taken at two expanded traps near the Southwest Williamson County Regional Park tested positive for West Nile Virus. The Williamson County and Cities Health District (WCCHD) set up two expanded trap sites following last week’s positive mosquito sample. Both of the expanded traps came up with positive test results, while the original trap tested negative. No other samples were found to be positive from routine trapping this week as part of the WCCHD Integrated Vector Management program. Health officials strongly encourage everyone to remain vigilant about protecting themselves from mosquito bites and preventing mosquito breeding on their personal property. Please eliminate all standing water around your house or on your property. Mosquitoes cannot breed without standing water. Residents should treat ponds, rain barrels, or other stagnant water that can’t be drained with a larvicide. Please apply the treatment based on its labeled use. These products can be found at local home improvement stores.

Oped by Commissioner Cook

No one imagined in 1943 when the Williamson County Health Department was established that it later would become a health district, and one day be at the forefront of preserving our public health against a worldwide pandemic.

In 1989, under the Texas Local Public Health Reorganization Act, the county and the cities of Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown and Taylor established the Williamson County and Cities Health District through a cooperative agreement.

The agreement was revised and re-adopted in 1992 and again in 2007, when Liberty Hill and Hutto joined WCCHD. In 2013, Leander enlisted. Any incorporated city in the county with a population over 15,000 may apply to join the health district.

The Williamson County Board of Health, as the administrative authority for the health district, sets policies to promote and preserve public health and safety. The Williamson County Commissioners Court appoints two directors, while each participating city appoints one board member.   

WCCHD Executive Director Derrick Neal said the health district allows each participating city to customize its own services to better meet the needs of its residents, especially with COVID-19’s challenges.

Of WCCHD’s 92 full-time employees and eight contractors, roughly 70 perform COVID-related work. WCCHD’s 58 investigators include 41 epidemiologists, nurses, surge volunteers and staff, six contact tracers and 11 call center volunteers.

There are three types of investigations. An epidemiological investigation occurs when individual cases of possible COVID illness or exposure are reported to the health district. A WCCHD staff member then calls those individuals and interviews them about their symptoms, where they’ve been and their close contacts over a specific time.

Contact tracing team members call the person’s contacts identified during the epi investigation informing them they probably were exposed to a COVID-19 case and should stay home for 14 days.

WCCHD recently transitioned to state contact tracing, which will provide additional resources with the tremendous growth in new cases.

For clusters—sites with two or more positive cases—public health staff conduct on-site assessments, offer education, consulting and other services. One or more cases at a long-term care facility, such as a nursing home, is considered a cluster.  Wilco EMS and firefighters investigate these clusters and establish safety controls through isolation and testing everyone.

WCCHD also has run a public testing drive-through at a Georgetown middle school that offered at least 60 tests every weekday from April 30 until it closes July 17. Seven WCCHD staff, seven volunteers, five Georgetown Fire Department firefighters and one Weir firefighter tested people through their car windows as they drove up.