Sunshine Gardens Senior Community in Durango reported an outbreak of 11 COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday.
Of the cases, seven are among residents and four are among staff members at the assisted living facility at 25 Sunshine Court in north Durango. No deaths were associated with the outbreak as of Monday, according to San Juan Basin Public Health.
An outbreak is five or more cases associated with a single facility within a 14-day period, as defined by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
“In response to this outbreak, both San Juan Basin Public Health and CDPHE have provided support to this facility, including a consult and virtual tour conducted by an expert infection preventionist at CDPHE, and staffing support from CDPHE’s Residential Care Strike Team,” the state health department said.
SJBPH is primarily assisting with fit-testing N95 masks for new employees. The fittings ensure the masks properly seal and are as safe and effective as possible, said Chandler Griffin, SJBPH spokesman.
“We also serve as a resource if the facility needs help with the guidance,” Griffin said.
CDPHE requires masking for staff members, visitors and residents in residential care facilities, regardless of vaccination status. The state also requires regular testing of fully vaccinated people who have close contact with a COVID-19-positive person.
CDPHE conducts rapid testing for all unvaccinated staff members and residents who leave the facility for longer than 24 hours, according to the state public health department.
When a positive case is identified, either CDPHE or the local public health agency contacts the facility and advises staff members about on minimizing the spread of COVID-19 in the facility.
Facilities can also receive staffing assistance so residents receive the appropriate level of care during the outbreak, CDPHE said.
Older adults are more likely to see severe cases of COVID-19, which could result in hospitalization, intensive care or death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The risk increases for people ages 50 and older. People 85 and older are the most likely to get very sick, according to the CDC.
People 65 and older who received both doses of either Pfizer or Moderna vaccines showed a 94% reduced risk of COVID-19 related hospitalization, according to the health agency.
COVID-19 cases in La Plata County reached a peak in November 2020, when an outbreak started at Four Corners Health Care Center. In total, 147 cases were reported among staff members and residents, and 22 residents died during the outbreak, according to CDPHE.
smullane@durangoherald.com
