4/29/2021 Crowley/Otero COVID-19 Update #1: Weekly Update

Description: 4/29/2021 Crowley/Otero COVID-19 Update #1: Weekly Update


Published: 04/30/2021
Byline: Hart

THIS IS A RAPIDLY EVOLVING AND FLUID SITUATION.  INFORMATION AND ACTION ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME.  BE PREPARED TO BE FLEXIBLE AND PATIENT.

The situations, numbers, website links, data, and etc. described below were current as of Thursday 4/29/2021 at 9:51 a.m.

PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THIS WIDELY

4/29/2021 Crowley/Otero COVID-19 Update #1:  Weekly Update

Please take the time to read and understand this entire message.

Internet links:  Before I send out each update, I check the links to make sure they are active.  However, links do change from time to time, so the links I sent out today may not be the same tomorrow.  You may have to search around a bit.

Happy to all.  Please find this week’s COVID-19 updates below:

  1. Current Crowley/Otero COVID-19 Status: 

ü  One Week Cumulative Incidence Rate (per 100,000) Ranges

§ Green Level:  0-35

§ Blue Level:  36-100

§ Yellow Level:  101-300

§ Orange Level:  301-500

ü  Crowley County:  Crowley remains in Blue Level (COVID-19 dial dashboard | Colorado COVID-19 Updates) with a current 1 week cumulative incidence rate of 49.7 for the data period of 4/21/2021-4/27/2021.  From 4/23/2021-4/27/2021, we saw 3 days with no rate change and 2 days with rate decreases, but no daily increases.  Interestingly, at the time of this writing Crowley would have been eligible for Protect Our Neighbors (PON)/Green Level status under the metrics of the now defunct state COVD-19 Dial.  Good job Crowley!   

ü  Otero County:  Otero is likewise still in Blue Level (COVID-19 dial dashboard | Colorado COVID-19 Updates) with a current 1 week cumulative incidence rate of 92.99 for the data period of 4/21/2021-4/27/2021.  From 4/23/2021-4/27/2021, we saw 2 days with no rate change and 3 days with rate decreases, but no daily increases.  Keep up the good work Otero! 

ü  Keeping Our Rates Down:  How can we do this?  The Governor’s Office shared these great suggestions on 4/13/2021 (below in yellow highlight and italicized): 

“Along with getting the vaccine as soon as one becomes available, it’s crucial that Coloradans continue to take good sense safety measures including:

ü  Wearing masks

ü  Social distancing

ü  Staying home when sick

ü  Getting tested if you think you have been exposed to someone with COVID

ü  Gathering outside in small groups instead of opting for indoors

  1. Crowley/Otero COVID-19 Requirements & Recommendations:  Effective 4/16/2021 and until further notice, the following are the COVID-19 requirements & recommendations for Crowley and Otero Counties:

ü  REQUIREMENTS: 

§ Masks continue to be required in the following settings/places (statewide requirement):

·         Schools (including for extracurricular activities);

·         Child care centers;

·         Indoor children’s camps;

·         Public-facing state government facilities;

·         Emergency medical and other healthcare settings (including hospitals, ambulance service centers, urgent care centers, non-ambulatory surgical structures, clinics, doctors’ offices, and non-urgent care medical structures);

·         Personal services (i.e. hair salons, nail salons, esthetician services, body art professionals, etc.);

·         Limited health care settings as defined by Public Health Order (PHO) 20-36;

·         Congregate care facilities (nursing facilities, assisted living residences, intermediate care facilities, and group homes); &

·         Prisons and jails.

·         PHO 20-38 rate-specific requirement:  “For counties with a one week disease incidence rate in excess of 35 per 100,000, face coverings are also required pursuant to Executive Order D 2020 138, as amended and extended, in a Public Indoor Space, as defined in Executive Order D 2020 138, as amended and extended, where 10 or more unvaccinated individuals or individuals of unknown vaccination status are present.”

o   This currently applies to both Crowley and Otero Counties. 

o   For questions regarding this state requirement, please contact Su Korbitz (719-241-4372, ehdir@oterogov.org) or Tony Harviston (719-383-3087, eha@oterogov.org)

·         Executive Orders & Public Health Orders (PHO) can be found here:  Public health & executive orders | Colorado COVID-19 Updates

§ Under current state requirement, 6 foot social distancing is required between parties in mass indoor gatherings that exceed 100 people (for unvaccinated people or when vaccination status is unknown).

ü  RECOMMENDATIONS:  Additionally, I am making the following recommendations for Crowley and Otero Counties:

§ I would strongly urge all those that have not been vaccinated to wear a mask when in any public places, including employees/staff of businesses.

§ If you have been vaccinated but you have not had 14 full days elapse since being vaccinated with Johnson and Johnson vaccine, or 14 full days have not elapsed since your booster shot (second shot) of Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, please wear a mask when in any public places, including employees/staff of businesses.  This 14 day period allows your body the necessary time to develop immunity. 

  1. CDPHE Spanish Language COVID-19 Website:  Home- Español | Colorado COVID-19 Updates
  1. Free Community Testing:  Free COVID-19 community testing is available in Crowley and Otero Counties.  Until further notice, the schedule is as follows: 

ü  Testing Location: Crowley County Nursing Center (CCNC), 401 Idaho Avenue, Ordway, CO 81063

§ Testing Days:  Tuesdays

§ Testing Hours:  9am-11am

ü  Testing Location: Otero Junior College (OJC), 1619 San Juan Ave, La Junta, CO 81050

§ Testing Days:  Wednesdays

§ Testing Hours: 10am-3pm

  1. School Webpages:  Please visit these websites for school-specific information and updates regarding COVID-19:

a.       Cheraw:  https://www.cheraw.k12.co.us/

b.      Crowley County:  http://www.cck12.net/

c.       Fowler:  http://www.fowler.k12.co.us/

d.      La Junta:  https://www.lajuntaschools.org/

e.       Manzanola:  https://www.manzanola.k12.co.us/

f.       OJC:  https://www.ojc.edu/

g.      Rocky Ford:  https://www.rockyfordk12.org/ 

h.      Swink:  https://www.swinkk12.net/

  1. VACCINATION INFORMATION

a.       Vaccination Appointments:  If you would like to make an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccination, please call Carolina Cortez at 719-468-8083.

b.      Ayuda En Espanol (Spanish Language Assistance):  Para ayuda en Espanol, habla con Debbie Jaramillo en 719-383-3040 por favor (For help in Spanish, please call Debbie Jaramillo at 719-383-3040). 

c.       OCHD Vaccines:  OCHD is using Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson and Johnson (Janssen) vaccines.

ü  Pfizer vaccine information:  Coronavirus COVID-19 Vaccine Update: Latest Developments | Pfizer

ü  Moderna vaccine information:  Moderna’s Fully Enrolled Phase 3 COVE Study of mRNA-1273 | Moderna, Inc. (modernatx.com)

ü  Johnson and Johnson (Janssen) vaccine information:  Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine Official Website

d.      Booster Shots

ü  Where to go to get your booster shot:  If you received your first vaccination through OCHD, we will contact you to arrange a time for your booster shot.  If you received your first shot at another medical provider (i.e., your doctor’s office or pharmacy), please contact them regarding your booster shot.  Regardless of where you go to get your booster shot, please be sure to bring your COVID-19 vaccination card that you received during your initial vaccination.

ü  Booster Shot Timing:  Here is the CDPHE information regarding the timing of booster shots:  “If it isn’t possible to get the second dose on the right day, the second dose can be given early, up to 4 days before it is due. Additionally, the second dose can be given as late as 42 days (6 weeks) after the first dose. This is called a grace period.”  Here is the website where you can read the above information COVID-19 Vaccine frequently asked questions | Colorado COVID-19 Updates and the information is under the heading entitled “Getting your second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine”.

ü  Booster shot appointments:  If you received your first dose of COVID-19 vaccine from OCHD, we will contact you to make an appointment for your booster shot.  We are having some trouble contacting a few people because they are not answering their phones nor returning messages.  Please answer your phone or return a message from OCHD so we can schedule your booster shot appointment. 

e.       More Vaccine Information:  Colorado-specific information on COVID-19 vaccine can be found here:

ü  Colorado COVID-19 Vaccine Website:  COVID-19 vaccine | Colorado COVID-19 Updates

ü  Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):  COVID-19 Vaccine frequently asked questions | Colorado COVID-19 Updates

ü  Learn about COVID-19 vaccines:  Learn about COVID-19 vaccines | Colorado COVID-19 Updates

ü  Colorado Vaccine Dashboard (including county-level data):  Vaccine data | Colorado COVID-19 Updates

ü  Moderna Vaccine Information:  Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine EUA Fact Sheet for Recipients and Caregivers (fda.gov)

ü  Pfizer Vaccine Information:  Coronavirus COVID-19 Vaccine Update: Latest Developments | Pfizer

ü  Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) Vaccine Information:  Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine Official Website

ü  Currently approved vaccine side-by-side comparisons:  https://astho.org/COVID-19/Vaccine-Comparison/

ü  CDPHE COVID-19 vaccine hotline:  This is a state-wide call center for the public to ask questions specifically about the COVID-19 vaccine.  The hotline is open hours a day, seven days a week. The toll-free number is 1-877-CO VAX CO (1-877-268-2926).

  1. COVID-19 Test Information

a.       Basic Information:  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has some good, general information on the different types of COVID-19 tests about which you may have heard.  To review this information, please go to the following website:  Coronavirus Disease 2019 Testing Basics (fda.gov)

b.      State Testing Sites:  Here is a website that details COVID-19 testing sites across the state of Colorado:  CDPHE Test Sites Portal (colorado.gov)

  1. Summaries

a.       Crowley County

ü  COVID-19 Rate Color/Level Status:  COVID-19 dial dashboard | Colorado COVID-19 Updates

ü  COVID-19 Data:  COVID-19 data | Colorado COVID-19 Updates

o   Click on “Case Summary” at the top/left

o   Then click on “Maps” on the right

ü  Facility outbreak information can be viewed here:  https://covid19.colorado.gov/outbreak-data

o   Important Note:  Facility outbreak numbers (i.e. prisoners and nursing home residents) are only updated by CDPHE once per week, on Wednesdays after 4:00pm.  Total case numbers, on the other hand, are updated daily by CDPHE.  This means that there could be facility cases reflected in the total case numbers that are not yet reflected in the facility numbers.  And remember, total case numbers are cumulative, meaning they include all cases since the outbreak began.

ü  Total COVID Related Deaths:  15

o   Change from the last weekly update:  0

b.      Otero County

ü  COVID-19 Rate Color/Level Status:  COVID-19 dial dashboard | Colorado COVID-19 Updates

ü  COVID-19 Data:  COVID-19 data | Colorado COVID-19 Updates

o   Click on “Case Summary” at the top/left

o   Then click on “Maps” on the right

ü  Facility outbreak information can be viewed here:  https://covid19.colorado.gov/outbreak-data

o   Important Note:  Facility outbreak numbers (i.e. prisoners and nursing home residents) are only updated by CDPHE once per week, on Wednesdays after 4:00pm.  Total case numbers, on the other hand, are updated daily by CDPHE.  This means that there could be facility cases reflected in the total case numbers that are not yet reflected in the facility numbers.  And remember, total case numbers are cumulative, meaning they include all cases since the outbreak began.

ü  Total COVID Related Deaths:  63

o   Change from the last weekly update:  0

c.       Crowley/Otero COVID-19 Related Hospitalization(s):  No new hospitalizations since the last weekly update.

d.      State of Colorado Information:  https://covid19.colorado.gov/data

e.       United States Information:  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html 

f.       Global information:  https://covid19.who.int/

  1. What can you do RIGHT NOW?

ü  Read, understand, and comply with public health orders!  Public health orders can be found here:  https://covid19.colorado.gov/prepare-protect-yourself/prevent-the-spread/public-health-executive-orders

ü  Prevent the spread of COVID-19: https://covid19.colorado.gov/prevention 

ü  Stay home if you are sick and, if needed, call your medical provider.

ü  Wear an appropriate mask when required to do so. 

ü  If you are in a high risk group, take extra precautions.

a.       CDPHE:  People at higher risk for severe illness | Colorado COVID-19 Updates

b.      CDC:  Do I need to Take Extra Precautions Against COVID-19 | CDC

ü  Cover your cough and/or sneeze.

ü  Keep your fingers and hands away from your face.

ü  Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly.

ü  Stay informed by trusted and reliable sources.  Be careful about believing what you read on social media sites.  Trusted sources/websites:

o   Otero County Health Department (OCHD):  Home | Otero County (colorado.gov)

o   Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):  https://www.cdc.gov

o   Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE):  https://covid19.colorado.gov/

It’s up to us.

Richard Ritter, Executive Director

Otero County Health Department

13 West 3rd Street, Room 111

La Junta, Colorado 81050

719-383-3045 (Office)

719-383-3060 (Fax)

rritter@oterogov.org



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