As of Monday, October 18, 22,577 SLV residents have been fully vaccinated, and the good news is that it appears our case numbers are dropping.

Last Thursday, the SLV had 305 total active cases, but today we have 208. Other metrics such as percent positivity and hospitalization rates, however, remain high, so it is necessary to continue to remain vigilant of disease spread in our community and continue to follow public health recommendations as much as possible.

Scientists who study disease transmission in communities combine a basic solid foundational knowledge of how viruses and other diseases generally behave with what is constantly being discovered about how those viruses change. Viruses are savvy organisms that continually adapt and change to make the most of human behavior. That is why we keep hearing about COVID variants. The original virus that was being passed around in March 2020 is a slightly different bug from what is now being passed around today. A good analogy to understand this is how we change clothes to adapt to changing seasons. We do better when we wear warm winter coats in a blizzard than if we wear what we were wearing several months ago when it was 75 degrees outside.

Since what scientists understand about COVID-19 is continuously changing, so too, do public health recommendations regarding these measures. It can be difficult to keep up, especially when recommendations vary according to situation or location. When disease transmission is high in one community, local guidelines may even differ from state or federal guidelines. An example of this variability is the time required to quarantine if a person is exposed to COVID. According to Beverly Strnad of Alamosa County Public Health, “A 14-day quarantine is recommended in most cases while community transmission is high, but there may be some exceptions. One exception may be in schools, where in-person learning has a very high priority.”

There are currently 208 known active cases of COVID-19 in the SLV. 

• Alamosa County – 77
• Conejos County – 22
• Costilla County – 17
• Mineral County – 2
• Rio Grande County – 85
• Saguache County – 5

For information on where to find proctored testing sites and vaccinations in the SLV, see www.slvphp.com or call 719-480-8719. 

If you are feeling stress related to COVID-19, the Colorado Spirit Crisis Counseling Program can help. Services include individual and group counseling, stress management, community education, and resources and referral. Call (719) 480-2650 for more information.

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Dan R

Danny “Dan R” Ridenour has been in radio and television broadcasting for over 40 years, starting as a senior in high school in Rogers, Arkansas. His radio career has had stops in Nashville, Memphis, Oklahoma, and eventually, Colorado. Dan enjoys being involved in the community, having been a member of the Upper Arkansas Service Club and is currently on the board of directors for the Salida Community Center and is a member of the Chaffee County Fair Committee. He and his wife Carrie spend their days doing everything the mountains have to offer: hiking, camping, fishing and skiing. They've raised 3 children and have 2 grandchildren.

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