New COVID-19 Hotline Now Available

For immediate release: October 13, 2020 Contact:  Communications & Public Information Office, 512-974-2220 Austin-Travis County Joint Information System, 512-974-0699, hsempio@austintexas.gov   New COVID-19 Hotline Now Available Hotline provides resources and information for high-risk workers during pandemic Austin, Texas – Austin Public Health launched a high-risk worker hotline to promote the safety and well-being of the vulnerable workers in our community.   The hotline, which is operated by Austin Voices for Education and Youth, provides information and referral services for front line staff who need assistance due to COVID-19. These referral services, to organizations such as Austin Area Urban League, Worker's Defense Project, and Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, include legal case management, assistance applying for unemployment, and one-time financial assistance.   "We are proud to work as a community to launch this hotline that will provide a variety of services for high-risk workers in our community," said Stephanie Hayden, Director of Austin Public Health. "It is an important step to assisting our vulnerable community members in a way that is helpful to them. We worked with many partners and agencies to figure out the best way to set up this service in a manner that is most useful and convenient for those who need it."   The hotline can be reached at 512-493-4288 and is open 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. It will be operational through mid-December and is available in any requested language.   For the hotline, a "high-risk worker" is defined as a worker who is one of the following: Is over 65 years of age, Lives in a household with a resident over 65 years of age, Has a health condition, Is unable to work from home, Has an income below 200% of the federal poverty level, Is Black or Hispanic/Latinx, or Has been diagnosed with COVID and has not recovered or is still within the 14-day quarantine. For more information about COVID-19, visit AustinTexas.gov/COVID19.