If you are symptomatic, but otherwise ok, please self-isolate and self-report at www.gunnisoncounty.org/covid19
If you are symptomatic and worsening, please call the call center. 970-641-7660
We ask that you not show up to the screening site until you call first.
If it is an emergency, never hesitate to call 911.
Primary Information Sources
www.gunnisoncounty.org/covid19
Gunnison Health and Human Services Facebook page
Please self-report if you have any symptoms and encourage others to self-report so we can have the best information. We are using this data to help us track the virus through our community and to predict a potential surge on our healthcare system.
Testing
The current testing we are sending to the state is an RNA test that looks for genetic material from the virus. While this process is extremely accurate, it is slower and only shows if a patient has an active infection. The testing helps us to track down clusters and understand that it is in our community. Scientists are currently in a race to validate (via the FDA) other forms of testing. Many of these new serologic tests are looking at immune response and can show if someone has had the virus in the past and if they have built up immunity to it. This is what would help us in a more community wide type of testing. It is something that we are very actively pursuing, as is the rest of the world. As mentioned in last night’s update, GVH has launched a validation study with Vibrant America. This will be measuring the immune response in individuals who have already been through the RNA test that the state is doing. The reason that the test is only currently open to those that have been tested is that they are working to get validation of the new Vibrant test to ensure its accuracy. Once a test like this is validated, we will be able to do a larger sample of the community and find out who has had the virus, who currently has the virus, and who has built up an immunity to the virus. We also will have results much faster than the current RNA testing. If you have been tested for COVID-19 already, please reach out to Tina Wilson at GVH to participate in this validation study. 970-641-7259
Second Homeowners
Thinking of visiting your part-time home in the Gunnison Valley to enjoy the abundant trails, waters, peaks and sunshine? Think again.
While the primary residents of Gunnison County work to weather the coronavirus (COVID-19) health crisis, “non-resident homeowners are strongly encouraged to leave Gunnison County and return to their primary place of residence,” according to a Public Health Order. There are reasons for this:
- Compliance: Primary residents have proven much more familiar with the restrictions imposed by the Public Health Order to limit the spread of this deadly disease.
- Resources: The supplies at our markets and pharmacies are already strained. As are the staffs with EMS and law enforcement.
- Healthcare: GVH has no ICU capabilities or rooms. We have expanded our negative pressure rooms from one to five. We are a 24-bed critical access hospital. We do not have nearly enough tests to care for one of the highest case rates per capita in the U.S.
- Altitude: Gunnison County’s rarefied air is not well suited for a respiratory illness such as COVID-19.
Help Gunnison County begin to sink the spike of positive COVID-19 tests by simply not visiting Gunnison County. We miss you. We value you. We can’t wait to see you again. Just please. Not until we begin to reverse the aggressive trend of this global pandemic in our neck of the woods.
A Message to Visitors
Since March 16th, visitors to Gunnison County have been “directed to return home immediately upon the issuance of this [Public Health] Order by the fastest and safest available means, and persons considering visiting Gunnison County should remain home.” Along with a shutdown of short-term lodging, the visitors ban is designed to fight the spread of the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19) in a county that has seen one of the highest case rates per capita in the U.S.
As Gunnison County fights fiercely to protect against COVID-19, it also fights to protect its resources. In particular:
- Supplies at markets
- Medicines at pharmacies
- EMS and law-enforcement capacity
- Beds and tests at our small regional hospital
For the foreseeable future, businesses in Gunnison County are for county residents only. No visitors allowed. But please know: We can’t wait to welcome you back to a valley rich with beauty and free of COVID-19.
Screening Site
With the storm approaching we are working to move the Crested Butte screening site to the Lodge at Mountaineer Square parking garage for Thursday, 4/2, from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM.
Do not show up to the site unannounced. Please call the call center (970) 641-7660 prior to going to the screening site.
Call Center Hours
The call center is now running from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday-Saturday, closed on Sunday. 970-641-7660
Self-Report as Resolved
As we are beginning to see some individuals run the course of this virus, we would like to ask that you start reporting on when your symptom resolve date is. When did you recover from your symptoms? RECOVERY defined as resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications for 72 hours and improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and, at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. Please fill out the following form.
At 9:33 AM we had 209 previously symptomatic people reporting that their symptoms had resolved.
By the Numbers
As of 8:36 AM, we have 80 positive, 131 negative, and 23 pending tests. This document is updated live with information.
As of 8:36 AM here is the current status of the hospital.
| Hospital | Last update | |
| Current Occupied Capacity (includes non-respiratory patients) | 21% | 8:36 AM 4/01 |
| Current Admits with respiratory issues | 5 | 8:36 AM 4/01 |
| Total Admits with respiratory issues | 25 | 8:36 AM 4/01 |
| Transferred Today | 0 | 8:36 AM 4/01 |
| Total Transferred | 13 | 8:36 AM 4/01 |