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With 18 new cases in the past week, and 33 in the past 14 days, Chaffee County’s case count is on an upward trend. The county’s two-week positivity rate is up to 2.5 percent, up from last week’s 1.7 percent.

None of those who tested positive in the past week have yet needed hospitalization, though only two of the 18 were asymptomatic. In the past month, more than 69 percent of positive cases have been men, and more than 86 percent remain in isolation. Only 21 cases have resulted in hospitalization since the start of the pandemic last March. There have been 1,069 cases in the county in the past year.

The state’s two-week cumulative incidence is up as well, coming in at 315.0 per 100,000 people. There were 1,448 new cases reported on April 8 and 89 new hospital admissions. Currently, 5 percent of the state’s hospital beds are in use for suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients, and the state has a 5.12 percent positivity rate.

The state also updated and clarified certain sections of Dial 3.0, including removing the prohibition on dance floors and games in restaurants and bars. It requires public transportation providers to comply with the CDC order on face coverings on public transit, and aligns language that clarifies that bars in Level Blue may operate and are no longer required to be establishments that sell or provide food.

Indoor events in Level Green may operate at 100 percent capacity with six feet of distancing and can have seating of up to 10 people together, including non-household members. Organizers or operators of more than 500 people must consult with CDPHE. A full list of the changes can be found online.

As of April 6, 15,504 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered to Chaffee County residents. Data shared by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) shows that 33 percent of those who have received their first dose and 42 percent of those who have received their second dose were age 70 and up, as of March 29th. Statewide, 1,168,890 people have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and Chaffee County is in the top 5 counties for vaccination.

Vaccination appointments are now open to all Colorado residents ages 16 and up. Information about vaccines can be found online or by calling the state’s Vaccine Call Center. The Vaccine Call Center is open 24 hours per day, seven days a week, and the toll-free number is 1-877-CO VAX CO (1-877-268-2926). Call center staff can answer COVID-19 vaccine-related questions, provide info about vaccine providers across the state, and give general information about COVID-19. More information can also be found below.

Courtesy of CCPH.

To make an appointment for an upcoming community vaccination clinic, go to https://chaffeecounty.rsvpify.com/ or sign up for a date below:

You must have an appointment to receive a vaccine and should bring your completed vaccination consent form to both your first- and second-dose appointments. The scheduler for the second dose will generally open the day after the first dose is administered if you were vaccinated by CCPH. Use the same electronic scheduler used to make the first appointment to make your schedule your second dose. The date for the second appointment will be on your white CDC vaccination card.

Courtesy CCPH, CDC.

Fully vaccinated people may visit other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physically distancing in small groups, visit unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 indoors without wearing masks or distancing, and can refrain from quarantine and testing following a known exposure if they show no symptoms. Those who are exposed to COVID-19 should still monitor themselves for two weeks and should get tested and isolate if symptoms develop.

Community testing clinics are held at the Chaffee County Fairgrounds, 10165 CR 120 in Salida, CO 81201, by appointment. This week, clinics will be held from 10:30  a.m.– 11:30 a.m. on April 8, 12, 13, and 15.

A complete list of testing sites in Chaffee County can be found online. If you test positive, read the isolation letter and begin contacting close contacts and employers. Close contacts include anybody who was within six feet of the positive person for 15 minutes or more over 24 hours, beginning 48 hours before symptoms show or before a positive test result if asymptomatic. Additionally, send close contacts the quarantine letter.