{"id":29935,"date":"2020-03-17T12:18:31","date_gmt":"2020-03-17T18:18:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=29935"},"modified":"2024-07-29T14:44:23","modified_gmt":"2024-07-29T20:44:23","slug":"outbreak-coronavirus-colorado-ski-areas-communities-very-serious","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/outbreak-coronavirus-colorado-ski-areas-communities-very-serious\/","title":{"rendered":"Novel coronavirus outbreak in Colorado\u2019s ski communities \u2018very serious,\u2019 UCHealth expert warns"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div><figure id=\"attachment_30001\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-30001\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-30001 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/17191950\/Vail-slopes-tinyjpg.webp\" alt=\"The coronavirus outbreak has hit Colorado's ski counties hard. Vail is among the ski areas that have been shut down.\" width=\"600\" height=\"397\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/17191950\/Vail-slopes-tinyjpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/17191950\/Vail-slopes-tinyjpg-300x199.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/17191950\/Vail-slopes-tinyjpg-150x99.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/17191950\/Vail-slopes-tinyjpg-200x132.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-30001\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ski areas including Vail have been shut down as the coronavirus outbreak has grown especially severe in Colorado&#8217;s resort communities. Photo: Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The outbreak of the new coronavirus in Colorado\u2019s ski resort communities is very serious, and residents and visitors should take as many precautions as they can, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\"><span class=\"s2\">UCHealth<\/span><\/a> neuro-infectious disease expert.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-callout-box col-xs-6 col-sm-6 right\" style=\"background-color:#dce4e7; color:#2e3b44;\">\n<h3><strong>Learn more:<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li><strong>The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases throughout Colorado and in the state&#8217;s hardest-hit counties is changing rapidly. For updates on the coronavirus outbreak in Colorado and information about reported cases around the state, please view<a href=\"https:\/\/cdphe.colorado.gov\/covid-19\/data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Colorado&#8217;s coronavirus data web page<\/a>.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cThese mountain communities are being hit hard,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/provider\/daniel-pastula-md-mhs-neurology\/\"><span class=\"s2\">Dr. Daniel Pastula<\/span><\/a>, who has worked on the front lines of epidemics around the world, including outbreaks of illnesses like West Nile and Zika and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/colorado-a-hotspot-for-rare-polio-like-illness\/\"><span class=\"s2\">a rare polio-like illness called Acute Flaccid Myelits.<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_30046\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-30046\" style=\"width: 166px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-30046\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/19061359\/Dr.-Dan-Pastula.webp\" alt=\"Dr. Dan Pastula\" width=\"166\" height=\"205\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/19061359\/Dr.-Dan-Pastula.webp 166w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/19061359\/Dr.-Dan-Pastula-121x150.webp 121w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 166px) 100vw, 166px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-30046\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dr. Dan Pastula.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Pastula assisted local public health officials in Summit County in recent days as they try to fight the growing epidemic. He is now back home and minimizing social contact for 14 days as he follows current guidelines from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.colorado.gov\/pacific\/cdphe\/2019-novel-coronavirus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"s2\">Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE)<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cThe mountains have had many travelers from out of town, which has likely contributed to why they are being hit so hard,\u201d Pastula said. \u201cAdditionally, health resources are generally limited in mountain communities. They have small hospitals that are more focused on ski-related and altitude-related issues rather than widespread respiratory diseases.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_29938\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-29938\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-29938\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/17121020\/Getty-ski-snow-chair-lift.webp\" alt=\"man on a chirlift, who can't ski anymore because of the outbreak of coronavirus at colorado ski areas closed them down.\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/17121020\/Getty-ski-snow-chair-lift.webp 800w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/17121020\/Getty-ski-snow-chair-lift-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/17121020\/Getty-ski-snow-chair-lift-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/17121020\/Getty-ski-snow-chair-lift-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/17121020\/Getty-ski-snow-chair-lift-200x133.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-29938\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"p3\"><span class=\"s3\">Pastula is a neurohospitalist at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-university-of-colorado-hospital-uch\/\"><span class=\"s2\">UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital<\/span><\/a><\/span><span class=\"s4\"> and an\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ucdenver.edu\/academics\/colleges\/medicalschool\/departments\/neurology\/Faculty\/Pages\/Pastula.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"s5\">associate professor of neurology, infectious diseases and epidemiology for the University of Colorado School of Medicine<\/span><\/a> and the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ucdenver.edu\/academics\/colleges\/PublicHealth\/Pages\/default.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"s2\">Colorado School of Public Health<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s1\">He did part of his training in epidemiology and infectious diseases with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"s2\">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s1\">He saluted public health officials and Gov. Jared Polis for taking very tough but decisive actions to limit close contact among people in hopes of slowing the spread of this pandemic.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-callout-box col-xs-6 col-sm-6 right\" style=\"background-color:#dce4e7; color:#2e3b44;\">\n<h4>For all updates and to read more articles about the new coronavirus, please visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/covid-19-coronavirus-recent-updates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\">uchealth.org\/covid19<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s1\">On Monday, Polis ordered the immediate closure of gyms, theaters and clubs for at least 30 days. Restaurants may offer take-out services only. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p5\"><span class=\"s1\">Over the weekend, Polis also ordered the closure of all Colorado ski areas for at least one week. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s4\">And, o<\/span><span class=\"s1\">n March 15, officials at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.colorado.gov\/pacific\/cdphe\/2019-novel-coronavirus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"s2\">Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE)<\/span><\/a> issued <a href=\"https:\/\/www.colorado.gov\/pacific\/cdphe\/news\/cdphe-strongly-advises-all-visitors-and-residents-eagle-summit-pitkin-and-gunnison-counties?fbclid=IwAR3_s8pGseOEsdRZkQSO1jeNybOhniuVa7ufpKCnw_qjW49s6qe2z0Qk59Y\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"s2\">a very strongly-worded warning<\/span><\/a>, urging anyone who has traveled to Eagle, Summit, Pitkin and Gunnison counties over the past week to \u201cminimize all contact with other people, whether or not they are experiencing symptoms.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">The warning included this specific advice:<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li6\"><span class=\"s1\">If you live in Colorado and are leaving one of these communities, you should minimize contact with other people for 14 days and watch for the development of symptoms like cough, fever, and shortness of breath.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li6\"><span class=\"s1\">If you are visiting Colorado from out of state and do not currently have symptoms (cough, fever, and shortness of breath), you can return home and practice social distancing there.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li6\"><span class=\"s1\">If you have symptoms, stay where you are, isolate yourself from others, and call a health care provider or nurse line before seeking care. Do not fly. Do not use public transportation or ride-shares.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">The counties are home to Colorado\u2019s biggest and most famous ski resorts including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspensnowmass.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"s2\">Aspen<\/span><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspensnowmass.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"s2\">Snowmass<\/span><\/a>, <span class=\"s2\">Vail<\/span>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beavercreek.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"s2\">Beaver Creek<\/span><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.breckenridge.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"s2\">Breckenridge<\/span><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.keystoneresort.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"s2\">Keystone<\/span><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coppercolorado.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"s2\">Copper Mountain<\/span><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skicb.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"s2\">Crested Butte<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Pastula said Polis\u2019 orders and the stern warnings about the mountain counties are warranted given widespread community transmission and the impending strain on health care systems. <\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_13293\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13293\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13293\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/11\/01084718\/couple-hanging-out-car-window-in-winter.webp\" alt=\"kid hanging out the back car window on a snowy road. it's advised not to travel to Colorado ski areas because of the outbreak there of the new coronavirus.\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/11\/01084718\/couple-hanging-out-car-window-in-winter.webp 1200w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/11\/01084718\/couple-hanging-out-car-window-in-winter-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/11\/01084718\/couple-hanging-out-car-window-in-winter-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/11\/01084718\/couple-hanging-out-car-window-in-winter-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/11\/01084718\/couple-hanging-out-car-window-in-winter-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/11\/01084718\/couple-hanging-out-car-window-in-winter-200x133.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-13293\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">It is advised to avoid traveling to Colorado&#8217;s mountain counties right now unless absolutely necessary given the current public health emergency. Photo: Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cAvoid traveling to these mountain counties right now unless absolutely necessary given the public health emergency we\u2019re facing,\u201d Pastula said. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">It\u2019s impossible to know exactly when the outbreak began in the ski resort communities, Pastula said. Since resort towns attract visitors from around the world, it\u2019s certainly possible that out-of-state or international visitors may have brought the first cases to the mountain areas. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cThe virus likely has been circulating within the mountain community for the past few weeks,\u201d Pastula said. \u201cThere are likely many more cases than have been reported simply because there aren\u2019t enough test kit supplies currently.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Compared to other outbreaks that Pastula has witnessed, he called the COVID-19 outbreak \u201cvery serious,\u201d primarily because humans don\u2019t have prior immunity to the virus.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cIt appears to be highly contagious, primarily through respiratory droplets,\u201d Pastula said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">For those experiencing symptoms, public health officials warned that they must stay isolated for at least 7-to-10 days after the onset of symptoms. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cIt is only safe to leave isolation if your symptoms are improving and you don\u2019t have a fever for 72 hours immediately prior to the end of your isolation,\u201d the CDPHE advisory said. \u201cIsolation may be longer for individuals who have more severe illness or who work in high-risk occupations like health care.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Coloradans should brace for many more cases, public health officials said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cCommunity transmission is likely increasing across the state, so these measures are important to implement everywhere but are particularly urgent for residents and visitors of mountain communities that are already experiencing high rates of community transmission,\u201d health officials said.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">They recommended that residents and visitors of the affected communities take the following actions:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Stay home or in a comparable setting as much as possible. <\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Work from home if possible; if you can\u2019t work from home, maintain at least 6 feet of distance between you and your coworkers or customers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Only go to public spaces for necessities such as groceries and the pharmacy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Continue healthy, non-group activities like walking, hiking, jogging, cycling and other activities that maintain distance from other people.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Do not gather in groups.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Avoid mass gatherings.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Maintain distance (approximately 6 feet or 2 meters) from others.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">If you need to travel, use a private vehicle instead of taking buses, rideshares, flights, or other transportation that puts you in contact with other people.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Continue to operate critical business functions, such as delivery of goods and operation of businesses, with social distancing and additional safety measures in place.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cWe\u2019re seeing extensive outbreaks in these communities,\u201d said Rachel Herlihy, State Epidemiologist at CDPHE. \u201cWe are asking people to take this voluntary action to slow the spread of the disease in Colorado and keep people safe. If we do this now, our hope is that we can slow down the spread of this virus and lessen the potential stress on our health care systems and workers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">Certain people are at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19, including:<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Older people (over age 60), especially those over 80 years.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">People who have chronic medical conditions like heart, lung, or kidney disease, or diabetes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"><span class=\"s1\">Older people with chronic medical conditions are at greatest risk.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_29882\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-29882\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-29882\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/16113212\/Getty-hand-washing-ethic.webp\" alt=\"ethnic person washing hands, one way to help stop spread of COVID-19 symptoms.\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/16113212\/Getty-hand-washing-ethic.webp 800w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/16113212\/Getty-hand-washing-ethic-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/16113212\/Getty-hand-washing-ethic-768x513.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/16113212\/Getty-hand-washing-ethic-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2020\/03\/16113212\/Getty-hand-washing-ethic-200x134.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-29882\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 class=\"p1\"><strong><span class=\"s1\">Everyone should continue to take the following actions to protect themselves and those close to them:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span class=\"s1\">Practice social distancing: <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"s1\">When possible, increase distance between people to six feet to help reduce spread.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"s1\">Do not shake hands. Instead, bump fists or elbows or simply wave.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"s1\">Do not attend public gatherings.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"s1\">Frequently and thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"s1\">Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash, or use your inner elbow or sleeve.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"s1\">Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"s1\">Stay home if you\u2019re sick, and keep your children home if they are sick.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"s1\">Clean surfaces in your home, and personal items such as cell phones, using regular household products.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Pastula echoed Herlihy\u2019s advice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">If Coloradans take the outbreak seriously and work hard now to isolate themselves if they are sick, we can dramatically reduce the number of people who get sick, he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cWe need to make sure this epidemic does not overwhelm our health systems.,\u201d Pastula said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">For patients who think they may have COVID-19, Pastula said it\u2019s best to isolate yourself and recover at home. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/think-you-might-have-covid-19-what-should-you-do\/\"><span class=\"s2\">Read more about caring for yourself at home.<\/span><\/a>) <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cIf you have mild symptoms, you should call ahead to your doctor or nurse line and see what your provider recommends. They may ask you to stay at home and ride it out to avoid taxing the health system,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Pastula said only time will tell how many cases of COVID-19 Colorado will have, but the numbers will be far lower and the emergency will end sooner if all Coloradans work hard to prevent the spread.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cThis is one of the most serious issues that I\u2019ve seen. People shouldn\u2019t panic, but they should take this very seriously,\u201d Pastula said. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">Washing hands regularly, cleaning frequently touched surfaces daily, avoiding unnecessary travel and large crowds, keeping your distance from others, staying home and isolating yourself if you\u2019re sick will all collectively help.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\">\u201cIf enough people take precautions, we will break the cycle,\u201d Pastula said. \u201cIn the meantime, do your best to support your affected friends, neighbors, and local businesses. We are all one community and need to fight this together.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The outbreak of the new coronavirus in Colorado\u2019s ski resort communities is very serious, and residents and visitors should take as many precautions as they can, according to a UCHealth neuro-infectious disease expert. \u201cThese mountain communities are being hit hard,\u201d said Dr. Daniel Pastula, who has worked on the front lines of epidemics around the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2123,"featured_media":29938,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[4859,4860,162],"class_list":["post-29935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-coronavirus","tag-covid-19","tag-infectious-diseases"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.7 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - 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