San Juan Basin Public Health (SJBPH) is committed to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic by continuing to take strong actions to keep our community healthy. SJBPH’s actions and the community’s commitment to following public health guidance have resulted in slowly declining case counts and hospitalizations in Archuleta and La Plata counties.
To continue to control the spread as our schools reopen, SJBPH has extended a public health order for La Plata County requiring that businesses, workplaces, and organized events complete an infection prevention checklist and self-certify their compliance with state public health orders to SJBPH.
“As we head into fall, where people’s everyday activities start to move indoors, and as our families come into contact with each other in school settings, it remains critical that our workplaces and special events help prevent the spread of infection by complying with state executive and public health orders on capacity, social distancing, requiring face coverings, and screening employees for symptoms.”, said Liane Jollon, executive director of SJBPH.
Businesses and events in La Plata County must self-certify prior to opening to the public. The SJBPH order does not apply in Archuleta County but workplaces and events there are strongly encouraged to complete the self-certification checklist to ensure that their infection prevention plans comply with state requirements.
Over 1,200 businesses and community organizations have already self-certified their infection prevention operations to SJBPH in compliance with the Safer La Plata Public Health Order that SJBPH first issued on April 28. “This simple requirement places good public health practice in the forefront of the business operation in a time when we all need to take care of each other to control the spread of disease.”, said Jollon.
The order will be in effect as long as Archuleta and La Plata counties remain in the state’s “Safer at Home” phase of reopening, unless extended, amended, or rescinded by SJBPH.
For up to date information on how to take precautions against the spread of COVID-19, visit SJBPH’s website at: https://sjbpublichealth.org/coronavirus/