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A COVID legacy? When doctors say we should still be masking up

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:53 GMT

Even before the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 pandemic was no longer a “public health emergency of international concern” on Friday, many Canadians had already given up wearing masks as mandates lifted in most public places.Although WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted Friday’s declaration “does not mean COVID-19 is over,” many people will likely interpret it that way, said Dr. Allison McGeer, infectious diseases specialist and microbiologist at Sinai Health Systems in Toronto.“Truthfully, at least in Canada, most behaviour is already reflecting most people’s opinion that the pandemic is over,” McGeer said.Still, infectious diseases specialists are hoping the practice of masking, which emerged in this country as a response to the pandemic, will continue at certain times and in certain places to help reduce the spread of not only COVID-19, but influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as well.Alt...

Rain and thunderstorms forecast for several days

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:53 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Severe thunderstorms roamed the area Friday with large hail, gusty winds and heavy rain. There were at least 17 reports to the Storm Prediction Center of hail with 11 of them in Burnet County. There were two reports of hail 2.50" in diameter, one at Burnet Municipal Airport and the other 4 miles northeast of Inks Lake State Park. BLOG: Severe storms roll through Central Texas Friday night CENTRAL TEXAS RAINFALL TOTALS Hot and humid air are part of the forecast today as highs peak in the upper 80s to low 90s. The heat index, a combination of temperature and dew point, will peak in the upper 90s to around 100° after 2 to 3 p.m. today.There is an increasing chance of showers and thunderstorms in the northwest Hill Country late in the afternoon moving east during the evening.Thunderstorms develop late Saturday afternoonThere is a slight risk (Category 2 out of 5) for severe storms over western/northern Mason County into San Saba Country. Today's severe storms risk...

Pecan Street Festival returns to downtown Austin this weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:53 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Pecan Street Festival is happening downtown this weekend.Taking over east 6th street from Brazos to I-35, the festival this weekend is one of the largest and longest-running art, craft and music festivals in the country.The event runs from Saturday to Sunday and has over 100 vendors. Which Austin roads will be closed for Pecan Street Festival this weekend? The first Pecan Street Festival was held in 1978, back when Sixth Street was called Pecan Street.Roads around the festival will be closed until Monday

Austin Fire Department celebrates new cadet graduates

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:53 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — College students aren't the only ones celebrating graduation this weekend.Cadets from the Austin Fire Department's latest academy class walked the stage Friday.The academy runs for six months, and afterwards cadets are officially recognized as probationary firefighters.AFD Cadet Class 135 graduated Friday, May 5. (KXAN Photo/Jake Sykes)AFD Cadet Class 135 graduated Friday, May 5. (KXAN Photo/Jake Sykes)AFD Cadet Class 135 graduated Friday, May 5. (KXAN Photo/Jake Sykes)AFD Cadet Class 135 graduated Friday, May 5. (KXAN Photo/Jake Sykes)AFD Cadet Class 135 graduated Friday, May 5. (KXAN Photo/Jake Sykes)Some, like graduate Keoki Stauber, are glad to be done but don't want to rest on their laurels."We never wanna lose sight of the training, and hopefully learn something new everyday we go to work" Stauber said.This is the 135th graduate class of AFD's academy.

BLOG: Severe weather rolls through parts of Central Texas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:53 GMT

This blog is no longer being updated.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Severe storms are moving across Central Texas. The main concerns Friday evening are large hail and damaging winds. Isolated tornadoes are also possible.Scattered storms have already started developing in parts of the Hill Country. Isolated to scattered storms will continue developing as we head into the evening getting roughly 40% of Central Texas rain.The southeastward movement of storms has increased the chances for rain in at least part of the Austin Metro Counties.Tennis ball-sized hail has already been reported between Llano and Burnet. KXAN First Warning Weather forecast Weather ResourcesHow to talk to your kids about severe weatherWatches vs Warnings: Understanding how a storm is madeTraffic mapLive Central Texas radarCentral Texas rainfall totalsDownload KXAN Weather AppSign up for KXAN daily forecast newsletter and severe weather alerts newsletterLatest blog updates are shown below:10:51 p.m.Outages in the area:Austin E...

World premiere of ‘An American Tail’ comes at right time, thanks to Children’s Theatre

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:53 GMT

If you’ve ever left a theater performance mulling why its producers thought it important to present that particular show at that time, know that you won’t feel that after attending Children’s Theatre Company’s world premiere production of “An American Tail.”At first blush, one could wonder why CTC chose to commission an adaptation of a 1986 animated feature inspired by stories passed down within the family of superstar film director Steven Spielberg. But the motivation becomes clear quickly in this energetic, entertaining and quite well-executed staging.For surely playwright Itamar Moses (a Tony winner for 2017’s “The Band’s Visit”) and composers Michael Mahler and Alan Schmuckler looked around late last decade and saw that immigrants were being scapegoated for a host of American problems, our borders hardening against entry. So they set to work on a story from the late 19th century, when the country was far more welcoming to new arrivals and saw it as a central element to the natio...

John Shipley: MLB’s experimental “Challenge” system has legs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:53 GMT

Triple A baseball is a player’s last stop before making the Show. The same applies for new rules, which, like the players, tend to begin in low-A ball and work their way to the top.This season, the major leagues added the pitch clock, bigger bases and a ban on severe defensive shifts after they proved adequately successful in Class AAA ball. The rules being tested this season are just as radical, most notably using technology to call balls and strikes — what MLB is calling the Automatic Balls and Strikes system.Even more interesting is the “Challenge” system, a hybrid of ABS and human umpires. Basically, the ABS system is running but the plate umpire calls balls and strikes. Any one of three players — the pitcher, catcher and batter — can request a challenge.The challenge system was put through its paces for the first time at CHS Field on Friday when the Saints played host to the Nashville Sounds.“It’s kind of throwing the umpires under the bus a little,” Saints outfielder Kyle Garl...

Overnight double homicide, one injured, St. Louis shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:53 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- After a shooting, two people are dead and one is injured. It happened last night around 11:30 p.m. on Cherokee Street between Oregon and California Avenues.Two victims were taken to the hospital, where they later died. The third victim was shot in the leg. Homicide is investigating the scene.

Highest-rated free things to do in Missouri, according to Tripadvisor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:53 GMT

Whether for the weekend around town or to add to your out-of-town itinerary, free things to do are good. With the ever-rising costs of gas and food, the idea of disposable income can feel like a distant fantasy.The cost-of-living continues to rise across the country, forcing each dollar earned to stretch further. While vacations are undoubtedly beneficial for mental health, maintaining savings, paying down debts amid inflation, and regular expenses likely take precedence. But, not everything enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's probably a roster of completely free things to do in your current area.Think about the most common entries on a vacation getaway itinerary: Sight-seeing, touring landmarks, or completing a nature walk. Or, maybe you're just aiming to relax and want some peace and quiet.The truth is: Whether you're a history buff or aching to dip your toes in some cool water, you can find all this and more without swiping your card. Find and plan your next h...

The federal COVID emergency is ending, but Californians get 6 extra months of free tests

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:53 GMT

If your medicine cabinet is low on COVID tests, you only have a few days left to stock up for free from the federal government.And starting Friday, the feds also will no longer protect patients from being billed for their COVID testing.But there’s good news for Californians: The state legislature has given Golden State residents an extra six months of guaranteed coverage of COVID tests and reimbursements from their insurance.Changes are coming next week in much of the country as the federal government’s COVID national and public health emergencies end on May 11, more than three years after they were declared by then-President Trump and the Department of Health & Human Services as the virus was first detected in the United States.File photo of three drops being administered to tan at-home COVID-19 testing device in Fremont in 2022. You only have a few days left to stock up on free COVID tests from the federal government. Starting Friday, the feds also will no longer p...