Public Health: Stay at Home at Level Red – Severe Risk!

24 Nov Public Health: Stay at Home at Level Red – Severe Risk!

In Telluride and throughout San Miguel County, Safer at Home Public Health Order escalated to Stay at Home Level Red – Severe Risk. Positive COVID cases spread without signs of slowing; urgent mitigation escalation enacted.

Grace Franklin, County Public Health Director.

San Miguel County Public Health will implement a new public health order moving the county to Stay at Home Level Red Severe Risk at midnight MST on Thursday, November 26. As positive cases continue to surge across the county and tourism season begins, mitigation efforts have become critical to containing the spread and limiting strains on regional hospital capacity.

Restrictions will go into place as follows:

• Lodging will be reduced to 50% maximum daily capacity limited to a single household per lodging unit including hotels and short-term lodging. A household is defined as the person or persons who live together in a single residence. This applies to all lodging stays including established reservations. Owners and/or entities responsible for the booking and renting of short-term lodging units must confirm the identity of all renters upon arrival to ensure all individuals are arriving from the same residence.

• Restaurants and bars that have adapted to serve food will close to indoor, in-person service. Curbside takeout and to-go offerings will be allowed including, where the towns allow, takeout beverages. Outdoor service is permitted with 6 feet of social distance between parties. Last call will be moved to 8 pm Mountain Standard Time.

• Critical and non-critical retail will be limited to 50% capacity at all times and will establish hours for senior and at-risk populations to shop exclusively. Online or call-in offerings with curbside pickup are highly recommended.

• Offices should move exclusively to remote work where possible. If office attendance is essential, capacity is limited to 10% with masks on indoors at all times.

• Gyms, fitness and indoor recreation are limited to a 10% capacity indoors or 10 people, whichever is fewer. If taking place outdoors, capacity is limited to no more than 10 participants.

• Schools will implement remote, in-person or hybrid learning as appropriate and in consultation with Public Health.

• Group sports and camps are not allowed indoors, virtual collaboration is recommended. If group sports take place outdoors, capacity is limited to no more than 10 participants.

• Places of worship are limited to 25% capacity or 50 people, whichever is fewer and as long as 6 feet of social distance can be maintained.

• Indoor personal gatherings are prohibited.

• Indoor events are prohibited including, but not limited to, weddings, theatre performances, live music and conferences.

• Outdoor guided services are limited to 25% capacity or 10 participants, whichever is fewer.

“Local data has made clear that this virus is not slowing down but rather increasing as the winter season sets in,” said Public Health Director Grace Franklin. “We have heard a great deal of feedback from the community and our data supports this move to strict restrictions in order to protect our community, keep our schools open and limit strain on our regional medical centers and area hospitals.”

Public Health has confirmed 20 new positive cases of COVID-19 from test results received November 20 through 24 at 11 a.m MST. Of these cases, 14 are residents; six are nonresidents. All 20 positives are currently in isolation. There have been 182 total COVID cases among residents to date with 14 active cases. To learn more about the County’s current COVID-19 metrics, please visit the County COVID-19 dashboard.

Covid-19 cases to date, overview:

• 63-year-old female, resident, symptomatic, social
• 60-year-old male, nonresident, symptoms and exposure unknown
• 60-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, community
• 59-year-old female, resident, symptomatic, workplace
• 49-year-old female, resident, symptomatic, household
• 44-year-old male, nonresident, symptoms and exposure unknown
• 43-year-old female, resident, asymptomatic, community
• 40-year-old female, resident, symptomatic, community
• 39-year-old male, nonresident, asymptomatic, workplace
• 32-year-old male, resident, asymptomatic, social
• 30-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, household
• 29-year-old female, resident, symptomatic, travel
• 28-year-old male, nonresident, symptoms and exposure unknown
• 27-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, workplace
• 27-year-old male, nonresident, symptoms and exposure unknown
• 20-year-old male, nonresident, asymptomatic, community
• 16-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, household
• 15-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, community
• 14-year-old female, resident, symptomatic, community
• 7-year-old male, resident, asymptomatic, community

San Miguel County will continue posting caseload updates twice a week. The next update will be published on Friday, November 27.

Five Commitments of Containment:

Wear a mask
Maintain six feet of physical distance
Minimize group size
Wash hands frequently
Stay home when sick and get tested