COVID-19 weekly summary 5.18.21

Local/state mask changes & gatherings guidance
Hospitalizations and illness reported mainly from unvaccinated individuals

Garfield County Public Health COVID-19 clinics offer vaccine by walk-up or appointment, and welcome those needing first or second doses. If you have not been vaccinated and need help getting a vaccine, call public health at 970-665-6371

A new video that captures the stories of 14 individuals who chose to become vaccinated is also available on the Garfield County website.

 

Mask update (for businesses and individuals)

Reactions to mask changes and transitioning out of the pandemic will look different for everyone. Many people are happy, but unsure of how to handle this change. Please remember to be respectful and courteous to others.

  • Fully vaccinated individuals: The pandemic is not over, but if you are vaccinated, you can mostly return to life as normal. Fully vaccinated Coloradoans no longer require masks. Even if you are vaccinated, keep a mask handy in case an establishment requires one or if you find yourself in large crowds. For the fully vaccinated:
    • The risk of serious illness from COVID-19 is nearly eliminated and your chance of contracting or spreading the virus is dramatically reduced
    • COVID becomes like a mild flu that you likely will not catch
    • You are not at significant risk from mask-less people in stores who may or may not be vaccinated
  • Unvaccinated individuals: must exercise personal responsibility and continue to wear a mask when indoors in groups of more than 10. This protects those whose age or health conditions prevent them from being vaccinated.
  • Individual businesses can still require mask or proof of vaccination.
  • Local governments may have mask mandates in place, so be sure to check with the municipality/county that you are in.
  • Garfield County is following all orders issued by the state health department and governor of Colorado

Guidance on gatherings

If more than two weeks have passed since your last required dose of COVID-19 vaccine:

  • You may visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physically distancing in small groups.
  • You may visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing. For example, fully vaccinated grandparents can visit indoors with their unvaccinated healthy children and grandchildren without wearing masks or physically distancing, provided none of the unvaccinated family members are at risk of severe COVID-19.
  • You do not need to wear a mask outdoors in most circumstances. However, it is strongly recommended to wear a mask in crowded spaces, either indoors or out, even if you have been vaccinated.
  • It is recommended to continue avoiding large gatherings or crowds, especially indoors.

 

For more information, visit the following guidance webpages.

Unvaccinated individuals show higher risk in Garfield County

All 10 of the Garfield County COVID-19 hospitalizations admitted since May 1 are people who had not been vaccinated, or were not yet fully vaccinated.

  • 8 had not received any COVID-19 vaccine
  • 1 had received only the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine
  • 1 had received vaccine, but was exposed within the window of time before the vaccine becomes effective in the body

Of the 10 cases:

    • 1 death occurred after being placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
    • 1 case is currently hospitalized on life support in an out-of-county facility
    • 1 case is intubated in an out of county facility
  • The Cleveland Clinic released a study showing that 99.75% of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 between January and April were not fully vaccinated.
  • New CDC assessment finds fully vaccinated adults 65 years and older are 94% less likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than people of the same age who were not vaccinated.

County vaccination status

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • In Garfield County there has been widespread uptake of the vaccine. There are no particular pockets without any vaccines.
  • On Friday, May 14, the state added 12- to 15-year-olds to the eligible population numbers.
  • This slightly lowered the overall percent of the population with a first dose of vaccine
  • Garfield County has an estimated 3,200 individuals ages 12 to 15.
  • 53% of Garfield County eligible individuals age 12+ have received at least 1 dose of the vaccine.
  • Every county has a goal of having 75% of their eligible population immunized by July 4. Garfield is on track to meet this goal even with the expanded eligible population.

This week’s Public Health COVID clinics

A list of vaccine clinics can be found online and on Facebook @Garfieldhealth.

Carbondale, Wednesday, May 19
Roaring Fork High School
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Student-focused clinic
Pfizer vaccine for anyone 12 or older
*First or second dose welcome
*Walk in or register

 

Glenwood Springs, Wednesday, May 19
Public Health in Glenwood Springs, 2014 Blake Avenue
1 – 3 p.m.
Moderna and J&J vaccine for anyone 18 or older
*First or second dose welcome
*Walk in or register

 

Rifle, Thursday, May 20
Public Health in Rifle, 195 W. 14th Street
1 – 3 p.m.
Moderna and J&J for anyone 18 or older
*First or second dose welcome
*Walk in or register

 

Apple Tree, Friday, May 21
5175 CR 335 in New Castle
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Pfizer and J&J vaccines for anyone 12 or older
*First or second dose welcome
*Walk in or register

 

Cottonwood, Friday, May 21
27653 US-6 in Rifle
3 – 6 p.m.
Pfizer and J&J vaccines for anyone 12 or older
*First or second dose welcome
*Walk in or register

 

Rifle, Saturday, May 22
Public Health in Rifle, 195 W. 14th Street
10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Moderna and J&J for anyone 18 or older
*First or second dose welcome
*Walk in or register

 

Outbreak update

Outbreaks continue to occur among unvaccinated groups. Garfield County currently has several outbreaks in schools, the Garfield County Jail, a workplace, and an elderly care center due to unvaccinated staff.

Variant forms of COVID-19

Garfield County now has cases of the Brazil, UK, CA and NY COVID variants.

  • Two P.1 (Brazil) variant
  • 132 cases of the B.1.1.7 (UK) variant
  • 16 B.1.427/429 (CA) variant
  • Two B.1.526 (NY)
  • Two B.1.526.1 (NY)

 

CURRENT STATS – from Johns Hopkins, covidtracking.com, CDPHE, and Our World in Data and the CDC

Geographic Area Total Cases Currently Hospitalized Deaths *Recovered
Global 162,680,972 Not Available (N/A) 3,372,459 139,691,997
United States 32,938,935 27,992 585,959 N/A
Colorado 531,700 609 6,562 N/A
Garfield County 5,940 5* N/A
39 Confirmed
Eagle County 6,085 2 22 N/A
Pitkin County 2,491 N/A 4 N/A
Mesa County 15,026 25 130 14,490

* Hospitalized cases that GCPH is tracking though the contact investigation process.

 

Cases since last week

  • 27 cases added from 5/3-5/9, 38 for the 7-day period, for a rolling average of 5.4 cases added per day.

Deaths

  • 39 confirmed COVID-19 related deaths
  • 2 deaths have occurred amongst COVID-19 cases; cause of death was not COVID-19
  • 0 deaths under investigation
  • 0 new death reported since last week

 

State dial information (5/10 – 5/16)

One-week incidence:

Monday: 56.5

Tuesday: 53.2

Wednesday:48.2

Thursday: 51.5

Friday: 46.5

Saturday: 44.9

Sunday: 39.9

 

Test positivity, one-week period:

Monday: 2.2%

Tuesday: 2.3%

Wednesday: 2.3%

Thursday: 2.0%

Friday: 1.9%

Saturday: 2.0%

Sunday: 1.8%

 

Hospitalizations, days with stable or declining hospitalizations:

Monday: 11

Tuesday: 11

Wednesday: 11

Thursday: 12

Friday: 12

Saturday: 12

Sunday: 12

 

Vaccinations

As of May 16, for individuals vaccinated anywhere in the state with a Garfield County address.

 Vaccine First   Doses Second Doses        
Moderna 15,655 13,016  
Pfizer 9,125 7,442  
Johnson & Johnson 2,023  
Total 26,803 20,458  
Difference from prior week 626 1,084  

 

The following are the total number of doses administered by Garfield County providers as of May 16, 2021.

  First   Doses Second Doses Doses Administered for the week      
All vaccinating

Providers as of 5/16

26,889 21,152 1,622  

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