In the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has uprooted nearly every facet of daily life, and the same rings true for residents of La Plata County.

Gov. Jared Polis announced Colorado’s first case of COVID-19 on March 5, 2020, though health officials believe the virus might have been circulating as early as January, before the state had the ability to test.

San Juan Basin Public Health, the health department that covers Archuleta and La Plata counties, started emergency planning Feb. 29, 2020, in preparation for the arrival of the virus.

That day came March 23, 2020, when the first La Plata County resident tested positive for COVID-19.

The world, for a brief time, seemingly went into uncharted territories.

Over the next several weeks, residents stayed home, schools shut down and workplaces turned to remote working. The economy took a major hit, and several hundred people lost their jobs.

Toilet paper, for reasons we may still not understand, became the hot item to hoard, flying off shelves and creating shortages. So, too, did many canned and nonperishable foods, as well as prized hand sanitizers.

The world was also introduced to a new lexicon: social distancing, PPE (personal protective equipment), flattening the curve, Level Red, Level Blue. And, who could forget everyone’s new meeting place: Zoom.

Handshakes and hugs morphed into the awkward elbow bump. First, we were told to wear masks, then we were told not to wear masks, and then we were told to again wear masks. It’s a misstep health officials regret.

But slowly, as we inched toward summer, the world started to reopen.

And with the pandemic shutting down normal activities, such as traveling abroad and sporting events, and with the turn toward remote working and urban flight, people across the country were seemingly drawn to Durango.

Despite major attractions such as the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad having limited service, and big events such as the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic being canceled, Southwest Colorado was a hotbed for tourism this past summer.

Drawn to the region for its outdoors and recreational opportunities, road-trippers across the U.S. found this little nook of the country. And even still, for most of summer, the COVID-19 pandemic was kept at bay.

It wasn’t until this fall that the pandemic truly made its mark on the community.

Health officials say indoor gatherings around the time of Halloween started the first major wave of the virus in La Plata County – from just 425 cases Nov. 1 to more than 2,000 by mid-December.

The virus started infiltrating nursing homes, as long feared by health officials. In the worst case, a total of 22 people died in relation to an outbreak at the Four Corners Health Care Center in Durango.

As of Thursday, SJBPH reports 37 people had COVID-19 at the time of their death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracks if deaths were a direct result of the virus. The CDC’s tracking system, however, was down this week.

In recent weeks, the virus’ spread has leveled off in the county, which was reporting 3,018 total cases as of Friday. According to the Colorado School of Public Health, Southwest Colorado has the lowest cumulative infection rate in the state.

“Together, we have demonstrated true resilience in the face of monumental challenges,” said SJBPH Executive Director Liane Jollon in a statement. “SJBPH is extremely grateful for everyone’s deep sacrifices and hard work throughout this crisis.”

Southwest Colorado also leads the state in vaccine distribution, SJBPH said.

As of this week, more than 20% of the population in Archuleta and La Plata counties had received a first dose, including more than 70% of people 70 or older.

Both counties were also able to get 75% of educators their first shot within one week, and both counties are in the top one-third of counties in Colorado for total doses per capita.

So while there is light at the end of the tunnel, and hopefully the worst has already passed, the COVID-19 pandemic is still not considered over, and there’s still work to be done, Jollon said.

“Our hearts ache for the lives we’ve lost and the loved ones still ailing, and we know we must keep working together for better days ahead,” she said.