Most people dying of COVID-19 are older, and local long-term care facilities are taking precautions to keep at-risk residents healthy and safe.
More than 17% of people living in La Plata County – almost 10,000 individuals – are age 60 or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified older individuals at a higher risk of serious illness caused by a recent outbreak of a coronavirus worldwide.
And long-term care facilities around the county have taken notice.
San Juan Basin Public Health is providing “supplemental support” to facilities in La Plata and Archuleta counties. Some are even considering closing their doors to visitors, administrators said in interviews Tuesday.
Facilities across the region have been asked to review their plans related to disease outbreak, said Rosalind Penney, director of clinical and emergency preparedness and response at SJBPH, in an email.
The public health agency is also offering guidance about how to stop the introduction of a coronavirus into a facility, including tips about disinfection and hygiene.
Sunshine Gardens Senior Community in Durango put up signs warning anyone with flu-like symptoms – including fever, vomiting, diarrhea or dry cough – not to enter the building, said Ashley Socia, an administrator with the senior community. Employees are keeping close track of who enters the facility and may be asked to wear protective gowns to work, she said.
The Volunteers of America Cedar View I and II senior living centers in Durango also warned people with symptoms to stay out of the facilities, said Paulie Tsosie, community administrator. Residents who leave the property have been asked to wash their hands before returning, she said.
The Durango/La Plata County Senior Center closed its salad bar to keep people from touching the same utensils, said Megan Graham, spokeswoman for the county. About 100 people enter and leave the facility each day for food and activities.
Concerns about a disease outbreak in a long-term care community stem from real consequences – 20 of the 25 reported deaths related to COVID-19 in Washington state have been linked to Life Care Center in Kirkland, according to news reports.
The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention found the mortality rate of COVID-19 for people 80 years and older living in mainland China is almost 15%.
The CDC recommends high-risk individuals stock supplies; take precautions, like hand washing and surface cleaning; stay away from people who may be sick; and have a plan for what to do if they contract COVID-19.
The coronavirus causing COVID-19 is spread most through human contact. The CDC warns high-risk individuals to stay home as much as possible if the disease is spreading through a community to reduce the risk of exposure. No cases of COVID-19 were reported in Southwest Colorado as of Tuesday evening.
But basic products like toilet paper, hand sanitizer and household disinfectants are hard to find locally, Socia said. Even distributors are low on supplies, she said. Sunshine Gardens Senior Community prepares for illness outbreaks almost every year, but community fears have made it difficult to get supplies such as gloves, face masks and disinfectants to control the spread of diseases.
“We need to put precautions in place,” Socia said. “But as far as closing my building now, I don’t feel the need.”
bhauff@durangoherald.com
