Community Response
Throughout the pandemic, Gunnison County has been effective in balancing our response to the Coronavirus and our community response is crucial in this effort.
With that in mind, we ask that everyone consider what they can do personally to make a difference in reducing the risk of COVID spread. Small individual efforts will create a collective large community impact! Remember that reducing daily interactions, wearing your facial covering consistently and appropriately, and maintaining social distancing as individuals is crucial to our collective response.
As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we encourage everyone to consider their plans, gatherings, and travel needs carefully. Single household is best, small gatherings are better than mixing households and groups of 10 or more, virtual or outdoors is better than in-person. Given that travel is a significant risk, we ask that you plan ahead, and take precautions to reduce risk. An effective tool for gauging the risk associated with your travel and gatherings can be found here.
Please take a moment to consider the exposure risk associated with the communities you may travel to. If you’re the thinking about being the host of Thanksgiving this year, consider where your family and friends may be traveling from and the potential risks.
State Dial Changes
The state plans to move our county to their yellow level beginning Thursday, November 19th. As of now, we remain in our Gunnison County Blue Level on our Coronameter, but will be facing some additional restrictions in response to state mitigations. These are primarily adjustments to occupancy in some business sectors. Businesses will be at 50% capacity with gyms/fitness centers at 25% capacity.
While Health and Human Services will continue to work through additional event applications, we are pausing any future approvals as we continue to move into a surge of cases. Applications can still be submitted through the Events Review webpage. Thank you for your support in keeping our community healthy, safe, and open.
Additionally, given that exposures and infections continue to occur through travel, we are recommending that anyone who travels outside of the county for more than 24 hours self-isolate for 7 days upon their return. If you develop symptoms during that time, stay isolated and seek testing.
Numbers
Our numbers are at 449 positive, 4,524 negative, 108 pending, and 26 indeterminate as of November, 15. Following the transition of our database, and the various IT challenges throughout the community there are still some details to be worked out in the nuances of detailed data display. Please note this has not impacted the ability to contact trace and other essential containment measures. We thank you for your continued patience.
2 of 7 Indicators Met
We continue to meet two indicators for a move to the Yellow level of Gunnison County’s Coronameter. We have had 3 or more days in a 7-day period with 3 or more positives per day. The second indicator regarding positivity of tests remains over our 5% threshold. As of 11/14/20 that positivity rate is over 14%.
The remaining indicators in the Coronameter are in regards to our ability to give care. While our local healthcare system continues to manage well, there has been an increase in hospitalizations at the state level. We will continue to monitor these indicators and update the community.
Cyber Attack on GVH
Early Saturday, November 14th, GVH discovered ransomware attached to their Microsoft Windows systems. No personal health information was stolen or at risk and all critical systems are up and running. This serves as a good reminder to be vigilant when opening emails and if anything doesn’t look right, delete it or contact your IT department.
Center For Mental Health Crisis Walk-In Center Alert Temporary Closure
The CMH Crisis Walk-In Center, Crisis Stabilization Unit, and Withdrawn Management Unites will be temporarily closed from 6:00 AM Wednesday, November 18th to 6:00 AM on Thursday, November 19. Calls to the Center Support and Crisis Line at (970) 252-6220 will be answered and directed to appropriate resources.
Ventilation Assistance Program
Due to a high volume of requests after the initial deadline, we are re-opening the Gunnison County Ventilation Assistance Program application. If you have previously submitted an application, please do not resubmit your application.
The second application period will remain open through the end of the day on 11/19/20.
Virtual Town Hall
Our next town hall will be on 11/19 during the 4:00 PM-5:00 PM time slot. Sign up ahead of time here.
If there is a topic you would like to see covered, please email ideas to, pio@gunnisoncounty.org.
State Exposure Notification App
The state’s new exposure notification app is now live. Info on how to set it up can be found here. Even a small uptake of the app in our community can positively impact our outcomes. While alone it won’t be a game changer, combined with our other tools- social distancing, masks, hand hygiene- we can continue to reduce the spread.
Screening Site
The main screening site is located at Gunnison Valley Health and is open Monday through Friday. Testing requires an appointment ahead of time.
The screening site is located in the large north entrance parking lot and operates out of a shed. We ask that you please contact the Call Center in advance to schedule an appointment at 970-641-7660.
Call Center: 970-641-7660
The Call Center is open from 8 a.m.-12p.m. and 1 p.m.- 4 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Here is an infographic of the Call Center call tree.
For those needing assistance outside of those hours, please leave a message. There will also be someone monitoring the callcenter@gunnisoncounty.org email.
Delivery Assistance
We can help you arrange deliveries of groceries from City Market’s Pickup program, food bundles from the Gunnison Food Pantry and prescriptions from City Market or Walmart pharmacies. We ask that you only use this service if you are at risk and isolating at home, ill with COVID-19 symptoms or quarantined because of exposure. Deliveries are made by drivers trained to handle your order safely.
To arrange for a delivery, please call Senior Transportation Dispatch at 970-641-7959 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Grocery deliveries can be scheduled Monday through Friday.
Prescription deliveries can be called in throughout the week but will only be delivered on Tuesdays and Fridays for the Gunnison area and on Tuesdays for the Crested Butte area. Special arrangements may be made in the case of an emergency.
Food Pantry bundles can be requested throughout the week but are only delivered on Tuesdays and Fridays in Gunnison, and on Tuesdays for the Crested Butte area.
Importance of Self-Reporting
One of the best tools to provide early warnings of spread in the community is to self-report as symptomatic. If you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, even if they are mild, please self-report and isolate yourself.