There are currently 163 known active cases of COVID-19 in the San Luis Valley. Our region is seeing the highest positivity rate and the highest one-week case incidence rate in the state right now.
This surge in cases has prompted questions by many about quarantine after exposure to the virus. Due to high case rates and the presence of variants in our community, the quarantine period for those who have close contact with a positive case is 14 days.
If you tested positive for COVID-19 and completed your isolation, there are 90 days of assumed natural immunity so you will not be required to quarantine if you come into close contact with someone who has a new case of COVID-19 during that 90 days. If you do not have proof in the form of a positive test, you will still need to quarantine.
If it has been at least two weeks since you received the recommended doses of vaccine (2 doses of Moderna or Pfizer, or 1 dose of Johnson and Johnson), you are considered fully vaccinated and you will not need to quarantine, even if you have had close contact with someone who has COVID-19.
The chances of getting COVID-19 after you are fully vaccinated are very small, but it is not impossible. While those who are fully vaccinated and later have contact with a new positive case do not need to quarantine, they should still watch for symptoms for 2 weeks just in case. For those rare few who do develop COVID-19, the vaccine greatly reduces the likelihood of severe illness.
Among our residents age 65 and older, 68% have been fully vaccinated. This is reflected in lower hospitalizations in this age group. In the past 2 weeks, there were 15 local hospital admissions related to COVID-19, many of them under the age of 50. There have been 3 reported fatalities related to COVID-19 in the Valley over the past 2 weeks.
If you have symptoms of COVID-19, get tested even if you think the symptoms may be something else, like allergies. Many people have assumed they just had allergies, and unintentionally exposed others before their illness worsened and finally prompted testing.
Active case counts and other data are being updated weekdays at https://www.slvphp.com/slv-regional-covid-dial.
Alamosa County - 76
Conejos County - 52
Costilla County - 6
Mineral County - 1
Rio Grande County - 8
Saguache County - 20
Some special free one-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccination opportunities are coming up in the form of Servicios Mobile Services Clinics staffed by doctors traveling by van to these locations:
Fri, 5/14: Capulin, 9AM-1PM at St. Joseph's Parish; 2-6 PM at Our Lady of the Valley
Sat, 5/15: Fort Garland Visitor's Center, 9:30 AM-3:30 PM
Sun, 5/16: San Luis Community Park, 1-6 PM
The providers listed below also continue to offer vaccines. Online signup links for these providers can be found at www.slvphp.com. If you have an appointment and you can’t make it, please call to cancel.
Valley-Wide Health Systems (719) 587-9610
Rio Grande Hospital (719) 657-2418
SLV Health (719) 587-1355
Alamosa County Public Health (719) 589-6639
Conejos County Public Health (719) 274-4307
Costilla County Public Health (719) 672-3332
Silver Thread Public Health (719) 658-2416
Rio Grande County Public Health (719) 657-3352
Saguache County Public Health (719) 655-2533
City Market Pharmacy - www.citymarket.com/rx/guest/get-vaccinated
Safeway Pharmacy - www.mhealthappointments.com/covidappt
Walgreens Pharmacy - www.walgreens.com
Walmart Pharmacy - www.walmart.com/COVIDvaccine