Through a combination of laboratory testing and epidemiological investigation, San Juan Basin Public Health (SJBPH) has identified a COVID-19 outbreak at Evening’s Porch, an assisted living facility in Bayfield, Colo. Two residents and two employees have been confirmed as COVID-19 cases. SJBPH and Evening’s Porch management took immediate action to limit the further spread of disease. Evening’s Porch has enacted their COVID-19 containment plan, placed both residents in isolation in their rooms, excluded the positive employees from work, conducted contact tracing and tested all facility residents on November 24. In addition, SJBPH is providing infection control guidance to management, which has cooperated with the outbreak investigation and is taking all appropriate measures to stop spread of the virus. 

The outbreak investigation is ongoing, and additional cases or contacts may be identified. As with any communicable disease, this investigation will take some time to complete. In order to protect the privacy of the individuals, identifying information and medical information about the persons involved will not be released to the public. As of November 25, all residents who tested positive are asymptomatic. 

“Evening’s Porch Assisted Living is doing their best to follow the guidance of SJBPH to minimize the spread of this terrible virus,” said Melissa Swanson, Evening’s Porch Administrator. “We are extremely thankful for the guidance and support SJBPH has provided our facility. We appreciate the dedication and hard work of both Evening’s Porch staff and SJBPH staff during this trying time,” Swanson said. 

“For almost nine months SJBPH and the assisted living facilities in our region have worked hard to keep our most vulnerable populations safe from the virus. We’ve seen numerous outbreaks in assisted living facilities throughout the state, so we knew that this was a place to devote testing, education, and close coordination with our partners,” said Liane Jollon, executive director of SJBPH. “We hope that with quick action on the part of SJBPH and Evening’s Porch management, this outbreak will be quickly contained and resolved. With the virus so prevalent in our community, it remains critical that people take the virus seriously, stop socializing outside their household, wear a face covering in public and at work, monitor their symptoms, and get tested if they are feeling any symptoms of COVID-19,” Jollon said. 

The following precautions will be essential to containing the spread of COVID-19 through the winter holiday season:    

• Stay at home as much as possible, and instruct employees to work from home, if possible.      
• Practice physical distancing (at least 6 feet away from another person.) 
• Gather only with members of your household. Social gatherings with people from other households is not permitted while La Plata County is in level Red: Severe Risk, on the state COVID-19 dial.   

• Wear face coverings when in public; the statewide mask order is still in effect in indoor public spaces.    
• Practice good hygiene (washing hands, covering coughs and sneezes, etc.) 
• Get tested if you have symptoms or believe you’ve been exposed through a known contact or community interaction. 
• Don’t go to work, school, or social activities if you are sick or have a known or suspected exposure. 

For the most up to date information, visit SJBPH’s website at https://sjbpublichealth.org/coronavirus/.