SM County: Bifurcation, East End Moves into Orange Extreme!

09 Feb SM County: Bifurcation, East End Moves into Orange Extreme!

East End of San Miguel County, including Telluride, Mountain Village, to move into Orange Extreme; low cases keep Norwood in Orange.

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Grace Franklin, County Public Health Director.

By analyzing positivity and incidence trends since January 4, San Miguel County Public Health has recognized a disparity in the disease burden between the east and west ends of the county. As a result of increased cases in the east end of the county, San Miguel County Public Health, advised by the Board of Health, has determined that differing regulations to address the varied levels of disease burden is in the best interest of both regions. The line of bifurcation will be drawn at the R-1 school district boundary, with the west end remaining in Level Orange. The east end will move to a new level, Orange Extreme.

“COVID spread is rampant in mountain towns throughout Colorado,” said Public Health Director Grace Franklin. “While our east end rates are seeing a slow in transmission, the numbers remain very concerning and require action. All residents are encouraged to continue tightening their behaviors in the coming weeks to ensure a sustained decline.”

As the east end of the county continues to see record rates of COVID-19, Level Orange Extreme will focus efforts on limiting the risk of transmission by reducing gatherings, indoor and outdoor dining and lodging to members of one household only. Additionally, this level will reduce the number of occupiable nights for short-term lodging and the occupancy of non-critical office space.

Effective in San Miguel County’s east end as of Wednesday, February 10 at 10 pm MST, Level Orange Extreme modifies Level Orange in the following manner:

• Lodging: 50% daily occupancy for company-owned properties. 50% occupancy of monthly nights for individual-owned properties. All new reservations must be from single households only.

• Restaurants and Bars: Only customers from the same household may be seated at the same table whether indoor or outdoor. Households seated at different tables must be at least six feet apart from one another.
–Face coverings must be properly worn at all times except while actively consuming food or beverages.
–Bar seating is prohibited for the purpose of consuming beverages or food unless the bar is not utilized by staff or for preparation of food and beverages.
–Last call for food and beverages shall be at 9:00 pm MST.
• Gatherings: Public and private gatherings (to include, but not limited to personal residences, private clubs/lounges and other spaces) are limited to persons from one household and no more than 10 people.
 • Non-Critical Office-Based Businesses: In-person work for non-critical office-based businesses shall not exceed 10% of posted occupancy limits.

Additionally, two modifications have been made to the San Miguel County mask order which supplements Colorado’s Executive and Public Health Order delineating that a face covering must be worn when entering, waiting in line to enter, and while inside the following locations within the county:

• Any public transportation and businesses that provide transportation or shuttle services for their customers.
• Face coverings must be properly worn in the locations detailed in Section IV.B.1., the County’s mask mandate, at all times by customers and employees except while actively consuming food or beverages.

Public Health has confirmed 15 new positive cases of COVID-19 from test results received from February 6 through 8. Of these cases, 14 are confirmed as residents and all actively contagious cases are currently in isolation.

San Miguel County Public Health has traced 169 resident positives over the last two weeks.

There have been 771 total COVID cases among residents to date with 54 active cases.

To learn more about the county’s current COVID-19 metrics, please visit the County COVID-19 dashboard.

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