SM County: Testing Remains Low, But Is Key to Stopping Covid Spread!

13 Aug SM County: Testing Remains Low, But Is Key to Stopping Covid Spread!

San Miguel County puts out the word: Delta variant dominates the county resulting in rapid spread of the virus throughout the region.

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Grace Franklin, County Public Health Director.

San Miguel County Public Health has increased testing opportunities as Microgen returns to Lawson Hill’s Intercept Lot on Mondays and Tuesdays beginning Monday, August 16. The recent resurgence of COVID over the last several weeks has led to an added need for access to testing for those vaccinated and unvaccinated.

“Increased access to free testing will help us stop the current COVID spread in our communities,” said Public Health Director Grace Franklin. “As the highly contagious Delta variant is now the dominant strain in Colorado and in our county so testing, even when symptoms are mild, is a critical tool to help us make smarter choices and protect each other.”

With 90 percent of counties in the United States experiencing substantial or high transmission rates according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Public Health strongly recommends wearing a KN95 or double-masking when inside public indoor spaces.

The Delta variant accounted for the overwhelming majority of COVID copies in the most recent wastewater sample with a small presence of the Delta+ variant. These variants continue to drive increases in cases in highly vaccinated counties and, while symptoms are mild amongst vaccinated populations, people who have not yet been vaccinated remain at highest risk.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has estimated that 1 in 112 residents of the West Central Partnership are currently contagious with COVID-19. This partnership includes Delta, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Montrose, Ouray and San Miguel counties. San Miguel County’s current one-week average positivity rate is 9.0% while the one-week cumulative incidence rate is 159.

“This battle is between us and the virus, not between each other, our communities, or groups. We have the right tools in place to put this behind us, but we must use them. When we use vaccinations, distancing, and masking, we can more effectively control this disease. Our community knows and has successfully implemented best practices over the last year and a half to contain the spread, we must continue diligently on our path to recovery by getting vaccinated and wearing masks.” added Franklin.

Weekly testing opportunities beginning Monday, August 16, as follows:

• Monday: Microgen Testing at Lawson Hill Intercept Lot, 7 am to 2 pm
• Tuesday: Microgen Testing at Lawson Hill Intercept Lot, 7 am to 2 pm
• Wednesday: Public Health Mobile Testing at Mountain Village’s Blue Mesa Parking Lot, 11 am to 1 pm
• Friday: Public Health Mobile Testing at Telluride’s Miramonte Building Parking Garage, 9:45 to 11:30 am
• Monday through Friday: Uncompahgre Medical Center by appointment, (970) 327-4233

Especially with the increase in testing appointments, Public Health encourages anyone feeling even minor symptoms to isolate and get tested 24 to 48 hours after symptom onset.

For questions regarding COVID, testing, vaccination or otherwise, email publichealth@sanmiguelcountyco.gov. To register for a COVID-19 test, visit bit.ly/smccovidtest.

Public Health has confirmed 24 new positive cases of COVID-19 from test results received from August 5 through 12. Of these cases, 17 are confirmed as East End residents; two are confirmed as West End residents. As of release time today, there are 15 active cases, all actively contagious cases are currently in isolation.

• 71-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, community
• 69-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, social
• 63-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, travel
• 62-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, travel
• 62-year-old male, nonresident, symptomatic, social
• 59-year-old female, nonresident, symptomatic, travel
• 58-year-old female, resident, symptomatic, household
• 54-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, workplace
• 47-year-old female, resident
• 45-year-old female, resident, symptomatic, community
• 37-year-old female, resident, symptomatic, workplace
• 35-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, social
• 33-year-old female, resident, symptomatic, community
• 31-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, social
• 29-year-old male, nonresident, symptomatic, travel
• 28-year-old male, symptomatic, household
• 26-year-old female, resident, symptomatic, social
• 26-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, workplace
• 25-year-old female, nonresident, symptomatic, travel
• 24-year-old female, resident, symptomatic, workplace
• 24-year-old male, resident, symptomatic, workplace
• 22-year-old female, resident, symptomatic, social
• 12-year-old female, resident, asymptomatic, community
• 9-year-old female, nonresident

To-date, there have been 968 total COVID cases among residents including 32 breakthrough cases and one COVID-related death.

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

Power The Comeback:

• Crowded places, covered faces
• Get vaccinated
• Stay home when sick and get tested