Worry that state will tighten local restrictions

Free testing days should drop COVID positivity rate

[ By Mark Reaman ]

Gunnison County is walking a fine line in terms of COVID-19 restrictions at the moment. The number of positive cases saw a surprise spike last week and if that trend continues, county officials expect the state to move the county into the next level of coronavirus restrictions, which would, among other things, reduce the capacity allowed in local businesses including restaurants.

Currently Gunnison County is one of four counties in Colorado in the so-called “Yellow” status. But of the four counties, Gunnison has the worst looking metrics after last week, when 58 new positives were recorded.

“We are raising the flag. Tighter restrictions could be looming. Like most places we saw a jump in November and in the last month we seemed to plateau and record about 39 new cases each week,” explained Gunnison County public information officer Andrew Sandstrom. “But last week that number jumped to 58 positives, and that does not include any results from the free testing days. That was through normal testing procedures and the jump came as most of the state was seeing a downward trend. So we are all monitoring the numbers closely. Was last week an outlier week or the start of a bad trend?”
Sandstrom said some good news about the numbers is that about one-third of the positives were discovered through contact tracing measures and the people were in quarantine so they were not out spreading the virus.

Public Health director Joni Reynolds stated this week that she is concerned this area will be pushed into tighter restrictions, given the increasing numbers. She said she has had warning conversations with state health officials about such a move but nothing definitive has been decided.

Free tests bring big numbers and good numbers
One way the percentage numbers might decrease is through the two free coronavirus testing days held last week. Results from the 824 people tested in Crested Butte and the 800 people tested in Gunnison showed 1,572 negatives, 44 positives and eight tests with insufficient data. Sandstrom said while that will increase the case count, it would also lower the positivity rate.

“Those tests came back with a 2.7 percent positivity rate and that is important,” he said. “The state average is at 7 percent or 8 percent and before the free testing days we were at a positivity rate of more than 11 percent. So these results will drive down our positivity rate significantly. They should be recorded this week.”

Reynolds told the Gunnison County commissioners that the results from the free testing days is good data to have that can help lower the spread of the virus. “This gives me some confidence that the testing we are doing is working,” she said. “I was really anxious about how these community tests would work out, and I am exceptionally pleased.”

Reynolds is trying to plan another testing event as well, “maybe this time with a blizzard to balance out the last experience that came with subzero temperatures in Crested Butte,” she quipped.

Sandstrom did say the free test offer made for a “super busy first morning in Crested Butte. It got more spread out as the day progressed. It seemed that there was a big backup first thing in the morning at Buckhorn. I heard some people waited more than an hour. Gunnison was more steady throughout the day.”

More than 100 cars were consistently lined up on the runway at the Buckhorn subdivision near Crested Butte for the tests on December 17. Crested Butte Fire Protection chief Rob Weisbaum said the runway was a perfect spot to do the tests, given the turnout. Cathy Low, manager of the Crested Butte Air Park, said the membership “was very happy to help provide that service. It is another example of the advantages that come with having a runway up here at this end of the valley.”

Vaccine administration getting smoother
All 300 of the Pfizer vaccinations were administered last week to front-line public health care workers in the valley. The county received 600 doses of the Moderna vaccine on Tuesday and administered the first 200 doses on Wednesday, December 23. The remaining 400 doses will be injected to local people on Wednesday, December 30. Those doses are slated for healthcare workers who include first responders and those working in medical offices along with some other locals determined to be at the front of the line or in the at-risk category.

“We are dialing in our positions with administering the vaccine, the hourly vaccination rate, scheduling tools, etc.,” said Sandstrom. “A lot has been learned, with the biggest takeaway being that we can run a lot more individuals through than we did on these first three days we administered the vaccine.”

Sandstrom said there have been no issues with getting the vaccine in use and no one has had a bad reaction to the dose. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two shots to be considered complete.

As for who will get the early doses, Sandstrom said details are still being worked out. “We are seeing if Walgreens is going to get to the residents of the Senior Care Center soon. We are aware the CDC is recommending anyone over 75 years old be moved closer to the front of the line. So we are not today 100 percent certain who will get the shot on December 30,” Sandstrom explained.

Ski area awareness
Sandstrom said another COVID factor is the opening of the ski area and officials are carefully watching positives now that the ski area is operating. So far, there is no evidence that the spread is happening at the ski area. “If eventually there is, we would hope to find this trend via contact tracing,” he said. “It is very likely that if a guest came just to ski and then tested positive at home, we wouldn’t necessarily know about it. We may pick up on a trend of positive visitors via contact tracing of locals who test positive. But that is not the case at the moment.”

As the large jets begin flying in and more people show up to hit the slopes for the two-week holiday period, Sandstrom again emphasized the need to stay vigilant. “Wear a mask in crowded spaces. Stay socially distanced and wash your hands,” he said. “The vaccine being here makes it feel like we’re almost done with this and we are close but we have a ways to go. So stay alert.”

Town concerned with numbers
The Crested Butte town council on Monday expressed concern over the rising numbers as the ski season is hitting a high point. “The community needs to stay aware,” said mayor Jim Schmidt at the December 21 council meeting. “We are on the cusp of having more restrictions imposed and that is something none of us want. Mitigation measures are so important. Wear your mask.”

Councilwoman Mona Merrill owns a coffee shop in Breckenridge and she said no one is allowed to come in for dining. “It is take-out only and it is very hard on businesses. Gunnison County is allowed to have restaurants be at 50 percent capacity and not many other places in Colorado have that so we should do what we can to protect that.”

Council and staff also said they would reach out to the local post office to see if mitigation measures could be put in place while people waited in line to pick up packages.

“I have to go to the post office and it is a petri dish,” said councilwoman Mallika Magner. “The line needs to be outside and they should have a designated time for people considered at-risk to pick up their packages first thing in the morning.”

Council as a whole expressed worry that if the state clamps down on Gunnison County, it will negatively impact local business. Council did not have an answer on how to balance economic health and public health so messaged that everyone should do whatever they could to keep the spread of the virus at bay.

“The bottom line is if we don’t tighten up our behavior and slow the spread, the numbers will continue to rise. If last week’s 58 positives is not an outlier but instead a new trend, we are in trouble. That inevitably will result in tighter restrictions, which no one wants. The good news is we still have space available in the hospital and the ability to transfer patients. But if that changes, so will the regulations. So wear that mask and stay socially distanced,” concluded Sandstrom.