Gov. Jared Polis declared a state of emergency Tuesday in response to the spread of the new coronavirus in Colorado. Presumptive cases have been confirmed in Denver and in some mountain communities, including evidence of community spread.
No cases have been confirmed in the southwest corner of Colorado, but preparations have been made for its arrival.
Marc Meyer, director of pharmacy and infection control at Southwest Health System, says testing is issued for people who meet specific criteria. If you’re feeling possible symptoms, like shortness of breath and a fever, call your health care provider for further instruction. If you don’t have one, Meyer says to call Southwest Health System’s coronavirus information hotline at 970-564-2201.
Note: Southwest Health System is an underwriter of KSJD.
You’ll get asked some questions about your symptoms and travel history before being determined if you need testing. Priority is also given to at-risk groups, like the elderly, to make sure the limited number of tests are used only as needed.
A drive-up testing site will be rolled out next week, Meyer said. A similar site opened in Denver on Wednesday.
Local and state health officials are urging calm as people incorporate precautions for the safety of the public. Staying home when you’re sick and avoiding non-essential travel will help to reduce spread of the coronavirus, keeping hospitals working within their capacity.
“We only have so many beds, we only have so many medical staff and nurses in these communities,” Meyer said. “If we get everybody sick at once and they require medical care, we won’t be able to provide that.”
The county’s multi-agency coordination group - which includes municipal governments and emergency services, among others - recommends avoiding public events over the next three weeks. Both the Montezuma-Cortez and Dolores County school districts have canceled sports and extracurriculars as a result, in addition to limited school-related travel.
Meyer joined KSJD’s Daniel Rayzel to share what preparations and plans have been made for the testing and treatment of the coronavirus in the county.
