Grace Franklin: State of COVID-19 in San Miguel County

02 May Grace Franklin: State of COVID-19 in San Miguel County

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Grace Franklin, County Public Health Director

I am writing to the citizens of San Miguel County from a very different place than two months ago when we started our fight against COVID-19, and it’s largely because of you all.

An out-of-control virus was threatening everything we thought we could count on, and it created fear in most, if not all, of us. But we stepped up to the challenge, and because of your compliance with early and aggressive public health orders, we met our goals to flatten the curve.

It took discipline and sacrifices to adjust how you lived, and now it is taking courage to face whatever losses are to come.

But my fear has turned to hope, and I hope yours has, too.

We have many reasons to be hopeful. We have PCR COVID-testing capacity that is three-times per capita state levels. Our local medical facilities and regional hospitals have stepped up and provided resources needed to handle our medical needs. And organizations and individuals in our community have come together to help those in need.

This week we will begin to see some vitality return to our community as businesses will open to a new way of operating. Please support them.

For those who may be struggling financially, mentally, or otherwise, we need to support them, too.

Our vulnerable population must continue “stay at home” practices leaving their homes only for essential errands. They also need our support.

Check on your neighbors from a safe distance or initiate video calls. Ask yourself what you can do to help. Have compassion and be kind.

We must rebuild together and leave no one behind. That means doing our part to help keep our community safe to enable continued recovery.

We will see more COVID cases because of increased testing and our actions to loosen restrictions. But my hope is that with continued best practices we will see our curve stay flat.

Success requires you to follow our new “safer at home” orders: wear your face masks, maintain physical distancing and yes, wash your hands!

If we each do our part to comply with these measures, we will continue to open up our community. In my short time here in San Miguel County, I’ve seen what you all can do together.

We still have much work to be done, and it will come with some costs. But I have confidence that we are on the right path, and I invite you to join me.

We will get through this together.