1/11/2022 Crowley/Otero COVID-19 Update #1: Rate Update; EMS Crisis Standards of Care; Updated Isolation/Quarantine School Guidance

Description: 1/11/2022 Crowley/Otero COVID-19 Update #1: Rate Update; Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Crisis Standards of Care; Updated Isolation/Quarantine School Guidance...


Published: 01/11/2022
Byline: Hart

THIS IS A 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 Tuesday 1/11/2022 at 11:00 a.m.

PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THIS WIDELY

1/11/2022 Crowley/Otero COVID-19 Update #1:  Rate Update; Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Crisis Standards of Care; Updated Isolation/Quarantine School Guidance

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.

  1. Current Crowley/Otero COVID-19 Rate Status

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

ü  Green Level:  0-35

ü  Blue Level:  36-100

ü  Yellow Level:  101-300

ü  Orange Level:  301-500

ü  Red Level:  501+

b.      COVID-19 Dashboard:  COVID-19 dial dashboard | Colorado COVID-19 Updates

c.       Crowley County:  As of the time stamp detailed above, on the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s case rate website (COVID-19 dial dashboard | Colorado COVID-19 Updates), Crowley’s rate is listed as 735.7, which is Red Level.  This is not correct, as the majority of cases used to calculate this rate includes inmates.  After I adjust for this factor, Crowley’s rate is in Orange Level with a current 1 week cumulative incidence rate of 325.1 (for the data period of 1/3/2022-1/9/2022). 

d.      Otero County:  Otero’s rate recently crossed into Red Level with a current 1 week cumulative incidence rate of 530.15 (for the data period of 1/3/2022-1/9/2022).

  1. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Crisis Standards of Care:  A recent Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) release stated, “The Chief Medical Officer at the Colorado Department of Health and Environment reactivated Crisis Standards of Care for Emergency Medical Services (EMS). With many EMS staff out ill and with high demands for patient transports, guidance to the EMS providers on how to best use their services is needed at this time. The last time the state activated Crisis Standards of Care for Emergency Medical Services was April 2020.”  I have attached the CDPHE press release. 
  1. Updated Isolation/Quarantine School Guidance:  The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has released an updated Practical Guide for Operationalizing CDC’s School Guidance to align with CDC’s new recommendations for COVID-19 prevention, including isolation and quarantine, in school settings. This updated guide provides best practices and guidance for schools to slow COVID-19 transmission and help minimize the disruption caused by disease spread. It is intended to keep students and educators as safe as possible while maintaining in-person learning that is critical for students.  For more information, please see the second attachment and/or the websites directly below. 

ü  CDC Information:  Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools | CDC

ü  CDPHE Information:  Practical guide for operationalizing CDC’s school guidance | Colorado COVID-19 Updates

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

Colorado reactivates Crisis Standards of Care for Emergency Medical Services

Public health officials ask all Coloradans to stay up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccines to lessen the strain on the healthcare system

STATEWIDE (Jan. 7, 2022) — The Chief Medical Officer at the Colorado Department of Health and Environment reactivated Crisis Standards of Care for Emergency Medical Services (EMS). With many EMS staff out ill and with high demands for patient transports, guidance to the EMS providers on how to best use their services is needed at this time. The last time the state activated Crisis Standards of Care for Emergency Medical Services was April 2020. 

Emergency Medical Services are an essential part of the continuum of health care that often starts with a call to emergency dispatch (e.g., 9-1-1). The crisis standards for Emergency Medical Services provide guidance for call centers, dispatch centers, and emergency medical service agencies, and responders regarding how to:

  • Interact with potentially infectious patients.

  • Maximize care for multiple patients with limited staff and emergency vehicles. 

  • Determine what kind of treatment to provide, such as whether and where a patient should be transported for further care, if deemed necessary. 

At this time, the state has not activated crisis standards of care for hospital and acute care facilities, crisis standards of care for out of hospital care providers, crisis standards of care for specialty patient populations, or crisis standards of care for personal protective equipment. 

“If you are sick and think you need emergency care, please continue to use 9-1-1 or seek emergency care as you would normally. Your health in an emergency is always a priority. The dispatchers and emergency medical service experts will help you determine if you need immediate care. They may also advise you to seek care through a normal doctor’s appointment, if your case can wait,” said Dr. Eric France, Chief Medical Officer. “With increasing demands on hospitals and EMS, we need to make sure we can provide care to anyone who needs it immediately. Crisis standards of care help us to do that. We also need every Coloradan over the age of 5+ to get vaccinated so we can lessen the strain on our healthcare system and protect everyone.”

In November, the state of Colorado reactivated crisis standards of care for staffing of health care systems. Crisis standards of care for staffing of health care systems allows hospitals to implement staffing solutions to meet the increasing medical needs of their communities. 

Crisis Standards of Care are protocols that help health care providers and systems decide how to deliver the best care possible under the extraordinary circumstances of a disaster or public health emergency. These protocols may be used when there are not enough resources to provide the usual standard of care to people who need it. The goal of crisis standards of care is to extend care to as many patients as possible and save as many lives as possible. 

Continue to stay up to date by visiting covid19.colorado.gov.


CDPHE updates isolation and quarantine guidance for school settings

STATEWIDE (Jan. 7, 2022) — Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) is releasing an updated Practical Guide for Operationalizing CDC’s School Guidance to align with CDC’s new recommendations for COVID-19 prevention, including isolation and quarantine, in school settings released yesterday. This updated guide provides best practices and guidance for schools to slow COVID-19 transmission and help minimize the disruption caused by disease spread. It is intended to keep students and educators as safe as possible while maintaining in-person learning that is critical for students. 

This updated Practical Guide for Operationalizing CDC’s School Guidance reflects the following CDC recommendations in school settings:

  • Isolation recommendations align with CDC’s recent guidance for the general population:

  • Everyone with COVID-19 should stay home and isolate away from other people for at least five full days (day 0 is the first day of symptoms or the day of the positive viral test for asymptomatic people). People who have mild symptoms can end isolation after five full days only if they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and if other symptoms have improved. They should wear a well-fitting mask when around others at home and in public for an additional five days. People who are unable to wear a mask around others, including children under the age of 2 years and people of any age with certain disabilities, should isolate for a full 10 days even if they are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms.

  • Students, teachers, and staff who come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 should quarantine for at least five days (day 0 through day 5) after exposure if they are in one of the following groups:

  • Ages 18 or older and completed the primary series of recommended vaccine, but have not received a recommended third (booster) dose when eligible.

  • Those who have received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine (completing the primary series) over two months ago and have not received a recommended booster dose.

  • Those who are not vaccinated or have not completed a primary vaccine series.

  • People who are unable to wear a mask around others, including children under the age of 2 years and people of any age with certain disabilities, should quarantine for a full 10 days after exposure.

  • Students, teachers, and staff who come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 do not need to quarantine if they:

  • Are ages 18 or older and have received all recommended vaccine doses, including third doses and additional primary shots for some immunocompromised people.

  • Are ages 5-17 years and completed the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines.

  • Had a confirmed positive COVID-19 viral test within the last 90 days.

To provide time for Colorado educators to receive their third doses, staff who are fully vaccinated but have not yet received their third doses may return to work following an exposure until February 1, 2022. They must obtain a negative test result before returning to work and wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days after exposure. Testing should be repeated on day 5. Effective February 1, the option to return to work based on vaccination status will only be available to teachers and staff who are up to date on vaccinations, meaning they have received a third dose of vaccine five months after their initial Pfizer or Moderna series or a second dose of any authorized COVID-19 vaccine at least two months after their Johnson & Johnson dose. Staff will be considered up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations immediately upon receiving a third or booster dose; a 14-day window after vaccination is not necessary.

Everyone should wear a well-fitting mask around others at home and in public for 10 days from the date of their last close contact with someone with COVID-19 (the date of last close contact is considered day 0). They should also get tested at least 5 days after having close contact with someone with COVID-19 or immediately if symptoms develop.

Vaccination remains the best protection against COVID-19, and CDPHE recommends parents and guardians of children ages 5 and up make a vaccine appointment as soon as possible. There are more than 1,800 vaccine providers throughout the state, and all community vaccination sites provide vaccinations for those over the age of 5.

Last week, CDPHE updated quarantine and isolation guidance for the general population and health care workers to align with new recommendations from the CDC.

Continue to stay up to date by visiting covid19.colorado.gov.



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