The past month of social distancing in an effort to minimize the spread of COVID-19 has been one of the most challenging periods our community has ever faced. All of us have been affected in some way – and many in our community have experienced devastating income loss because of business closures as we all work to keep ourselves and one another safe. As difficult as this has been, our efforts are paying off and we will begin inching back toward normalcy.
Gov. Jared Polis issued his safer-at-home order in late April, allowing businesses and services that had been closed during the stay-at-home period to reopen May 1, provided they follow strict social distancing practices. He also granted local governments the authority to issue more stringent orders. San Juan Basin Public Health, which provides the public health function for La Plata and Archuleta counties, issued a Safer La Plata order that pushed the reopening to May 8 so that businesses could take the time needed to ensure they could be compliant will all the guidelines for reopening.
This is important because even though things like nonessential retail and offices, salons, tattoo parlors and personal trainers can reopen, it will look very different than before the pandemic forced doors to close. Business owners will need to establish social-distancing protocols, disinfecting plans, access to sanitizers for employees and customers, and so many more practices that will be critical to keeping our community safe as we move out of the stay-at-home era.
San Juan Basin Public Health is asking businesses to study and implement the guidelines for reopening and then self-certify compliance before opening their doors to the public. There is a self-certification form, with links to state and local guidelines for businesses and employees available at: https://forms.laplata.co.us/Forms/BusinessCert.
Following these guidelines will be absolutely essential to ensuring that we can continue to keep each other safe while also getting our local economy moving. We know that the social distancing we’ve been practicing since March is working well, and now that we are seeing an influx of testing in La Plata County, we can start to get a better sense of infection rates and we are in a good position to ease some of the restrictions. But we must continue to minimize our contact with others even as we increase our interactions.
During the safer at home and Safer La Plata phase of the COVID-19 incident, La Plata County will continue providing all the services we deliver each day, but will keep doing so with limited in-person involvement. All of our buildings are currently under restricted access, with face-to-face interactions limited to appointment only. However, that has not slowed our ability to serve the community – we have just shifted how we do so. Durango/La Plata Senior Center is not serving its congregate meals now, but has vastly increased its meal delivery numbers. And last week, the Senior Center delivered more than 5,700 meals – including 105 14-day meal kits. These kits contain 42 meals, allowing our seniors to stay home and not worry about exposure to the coronavirus while out shopping for essentials.
We are all having to innovate and shift our practices during this challenging period, and it is heartening to see our community come together to support each other as we navigate the changing environment. We have a lot of practice getting through difficult times together, with fires and floods too often giving us the opportunity. Each time, we prove again that we are a resourceful and resilient community that does our best work through coordinating and collaborating. The coronavirus is no exception, and in what will likely be many weeks or more of shifting guidelines and practices, we must continue in that effort. Stay safe, La Plata County!
Clyde Church is chairman of the La Plata County Board of County Commissioners. Reach him at 382-6219.
