5:00 PM 4/3/20 Update
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 or have overcome your symptoms.
Swabs
In our morning briefing, there was some good news about a shipment of 500 swabs that came in from the state. Unfortunately, upon getting these to the hospital, they are not going to work for testing. We do still have 50 test kits that will allow us to keep screening at-risk and essential workers. We are continually after more testing.
The NP (nasopharyngeal swab) is very tiny and will reach all the way to the back of the nasopharynx via the nostril. It can also be used to swab the throat, if cross-over use is needed.
The OP (oropharyngeal swab) is a much larger “q-tip” appearing swab that is only designed for swabbing the throat. It will not fit in the nostril to the back of the nasopharynx, therefore is not the right tool for the job.
When the state cache supplied us with swabs on our last shipment, the kits included both an NP and OP swab in the kit. This most recent delivery of 500 swabs to GVH was from a distributor and the item is ONLY an OP swab.
The other piece to the puzzle is medium. There are different ways to store the swab for transport to a lab and different labs will only accept certain transport methods. Some labs require that the swab be stored in “viral transport medium” or “VTM” and other labs allow certain swabs to be stored in normal saline solution. We only have a limited number of VTM that is our supply to send the state and a limited number that we can send to the Mayo Clinic.
New Public Health Orders
On 4/03/2020 Joni Reynolds, Public Health Director, signed a 5th Amended Public Health Order. This pushes the sunset date to 4/30/2020 as well as clarifies restrictions on non-residents and those who have recently traveled.
The purpose of these amendments are:
1) to amend and clarify the existing Order to further restrict the gathering of person(s).
2) to extend the duration of the existing Public Health Order to 4/30/20.
3) eliminate all non-essential services, travel and activities or sales of goods.
4) orders all residents of Gunnison County who travel outside of Gunnison County for any period of time to isolate and quarantine from all other persons for a period of 7 days.
5) prohibit all non-residents, including non-resident homeowners, from remaining in Gunnison County during the duration of this Order.
The Public Health Director finds that non-residents, visitors and non-resident homeowners from lower altitudes are at a greater risk for complications from COVID-19 infection than residents, who are acclimatized to the high-altitude environment of Gunnison County.
The Public Health Director also finds that non-residents, regardless of whether they own a residence in Gunnison County, are imposing unnecessary burdens on health care, public services, first responders, and food and other essential services, and are creating issues with regard to enforcement of Gunnison County’s public health orders.
Accordingly, the presence of non-residents and visitors, including non-resident homeowners, is no longer permitted in Gunnison County in order to maintain public health and safety and to continue to address the COVID-19 pandemic, unless otherwise expressly permitted by this Order, including if granted an exemption or waiver by the Public Health Director under the provisions of this Order.
The Public Health Order does allow the business, events and activities permitted in the order to continue (e.g., delivery drivers to grocery stores or gas stations, medical personnel to assist in hospital operations, law enforcement to assist in the enforcement of this Order).
6) The Gunnison County Public Health Orders control over any executive order issued by the Governor and Public Health Orders issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE).
The non-resident exemption form can be found on our website as well as here.
We have posted the signed version as well as a pdf of the redline version so that you can see the changes from the 4th order.
Delivery Assistance Hotline
If you are at risk and self-isolating at home, ill with Covid-19 symptoms, or quarantined and need groceries or prescriptions delivered to your home; call (970) 641-7959. Deliveries are by drivers trained to safely handle your order and are available throughout the valley 7 days a week from 9:00 till 5:00.
Gunnison Country Food Pantry
Gunnison Country Food Pantry continues to provide food assistance to those-in-need during the current emergency. Visit the pantry Monday 1:00-4:00, Wednesday 1:00-7:00, or Thursday 10:00-2:00 on the southwest corner Ohio and Main. Call (970) 641-7959 if you need food from the pantry delivered to your home and are self-isolating, ill with Covid-19 symptoms, or quarantined.
Screening Site
The screening site will again operate in Gunnison on Monday, 4/06/2020 from 10:00AM-12:00PM.
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 4:33 PM we had 249 previously symptomatic people reporting that their symptoms had resolved.
By the Numbers
As of 4:08 PM, we have 85 positive, 143 negative, and 35 pending tests. This document is updated live with that information.
| Hospital | Last update | |
| Current Admits with respiratory issues | 5 | 4:08 PM 4/03 |
| Total Admits with respiratory issues | 28 | 4:08 PM 4/03 |
| Transfers today with respiratory issues | 0 | 4:08 PM 4/03 |
| Total transfers with respiratory issues | 13 | 4:08 PM 4/03 |