Telluride Med Center: Non-Clinical Staff Member Tests Positive!

17 Jun Telluride Med Center: Non-Clinical Staff Member Tests Positive!

Effective immediately, healthcare providers at the Telluride Regional Medical Center can issue diagnostic COVID-19 tests to any patient requesting one, regardless of symptoms. To make an appointment for a PCR diagnostic COVID-19 test visit tellmed.org/testing for step-by-step instructions. And any community member experiencing COVID-19 symptoms — fever, cough, congestion, shortness of breath, malaise, headache or diarrhea — should call the Med Center to discuss next steps.

Dr. Sharon Grundy

A Telluride Regional Medical Center non-clinical staff member, with no patient contact, has tested positive for COVID-19 and is one of five new positive cases announced today by San Miguel County Public Health.

Risk of exposure to patients and staff is considered low, according to health officials.

It is believed the woman was exposed to the virus outside her work at the clinic.

The infected staff person first experienced mild congestion on Monday, June 15 and was tested for COVID-19 that day. Her positive result was returned Tuesday, June 16. Immediate contact tracing identified those who may have had contact with her.

Nine staff members who had low to moderate exposure to the individual were tested for COVID-19 this morning. They are quarantined at home pending test results.

No staff, including the nine tested, spent any time in proximity to the COVID-19 positive individual without a face mask.

“We have no reason to believe patients or staff at large at the medical center are at any additional significant risk of infection, and therefore, at this time no action is necessary or recommended outside of compliance to best practices,” said San Miguel County Public Health Director, Grace Franklin.

“Throughout the pandemic, all staff, including the COVID-19 confirmed individual, have been consistently vigilant while at the clinic in wearing face masks, washing hands, and employing healthcare sanitation measures above and beyond what is recommended,” said Dr. Grundy.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines high risk exposure as contact with an infected person less than six feet away, without a mask, for longer than 15 minutes.

If you visited the Telluride Regional Medical Center between June 9 and June 15 and still have concerns, call the Medical Center to speak with staff.

The infected staff person is doing well and is quarantined with her family.

Protocol for COVID-19 positive staff includes a 14-day quarantine before returning to work. The Medical Center will release the results of their staff testing as necessary in the interest of public health.

The Telluride Regional Medical Center does not release personal information about patients, as that could violate health care privacy laws.

“Let this stand as a reminder to everyone, this virus is very much still here, and we all need to continue to use best practices and stay home when sick,” said Dr. Grundy.