Timeline of COVID-19

Timeline of COVID-19 ......... 4 Honoring Wellness Warriors .........5-7 Mental health in rocky times ...... 8 Food services in Estes ....... 9-13 Proposed stimulus donation ......... 14 Foundation and relief funds ..... 15 Plan ahead for weddings ... 16-17 Moving forward: Challenge ....... 18 Repurposed distillery ......... 19 Freeze frame: April 24 .......... 20 Banks help with CARES Act ..... 21 Photographic look at crisis .......... 22 Estes Valley Library 3D printer works ............. 23 YMCA and SkyRun flex to help ............... 24 Water quality update ........... 25 Please support our sponsors .. 31 Index

Stanley Hotel / Courtesy photo The Stanley Hotel goes blue in honor of first responders and medical workers. The new LED lights will remain on until this pandemic we are all facing ends, allowing Estes Park to reopen.

Wellness Warriors, we salute you!

At the Estes Park Trail-Gazette, we have been amazed, inspired and encouraged by the many ways people in our town have shown courage and fortitude during the COVID-19 crisis.

In this issue of our Wellness Guide, we are honoring the men and women who have been on the front lines of this pandemic, some of whom risk infection every day as they serve in their essential roles. We also want to honor those many businesses and organizations who have stepped up to help and feed many, even while their businesses were suffering financially as well.

None of us could have foreseen the extreme stress, danger and economic impact the crisis has had on our community over the past two months.

From first responders and healthcare workers, to businesses and nonprofits, we salute those people who have fed the hungry, tended the sick and endeavored to keep the economy of Estes Park going during this difficult time.

In these pages, you will find messages of hope, healing and help in these extraordinary times. It is our honor to share these stories. Mike Romero

Publisher

Wendy Rigby Managing Editor

To the Trail-Gazette staff, thank you!

all sources and in all categories, but most importantly on the breaking news regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. We have posted online no fewer than 10 news articles a day, seven days a week, since this started. Each member of this team has put themselves in harm’s way on several occaT he media has been deemed essential during this pandemic. Although we often get overlooked, I would like to thank my staff at the Trail-Gazette for their work during this historic and scary time.

We all have been working tirelessly, posting news from sions to the get the story.

My thanks to Wendy Rigby, Tim Mosier, Daniel Sewell, Deb Thelander, as well as our delivery drivers John Schapps and Bob Aiken who have delivered our copies throughout the community during this time.

Thank you! The work you all have done has made me very proud. I am sure the community is thankful for your dedication and service as well!

Sincerely and with much appreciation, Michael A. Romero, Publisher, Estes Park Trail-Gazette COVID-19 WELLNESS WARRIORS • 3

Six months into the pandemic, timeline continues to grow

By Tim Mosier Trail-Gazette

November 17, 2019 may very well be a date that will live in infamy. That was the date of the first case of SAR-Cov-2 (COVID-19), a respiratory condition caused by the novel coronavirus, in Wuhan, China.

On January 19, 2020, a 35- year-old man walked into an urgent care clinic in Snohomish County, Washington, with a four-day history of cough and subjective fever. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, upon checking into the clinic, the patient put on a mask in the waiting room. After waiting approximately 20 minutes, he was taken into an examination room and underwent evaluation by a provider. He disclosed that he had returned to Washington State on January 15 after traveling to visit family in Wuhan, China.

That was the first recorded case in the United States.

After slowly making its way across the country, it finally made its way to Colorado on March 5. Colorado’s first positive case was a man in his 30s who stayed at the Slopeside Condos in Keystone. On March 5, he tested positive, along with a woman in Douglas County.

From there, the virus seemingly reached into every aspect of our lives, causing an unprecedented number of shut downs, closures, cancellations, and postponements. On March 10, the Governor of Colorado declared a State of Emergency related to the presence of COVID-19 in the State.

On March 12, the NBA, NHL, and almost every collegiate athletic conference sus

Larimer County Department of Health and Environment / Courtesy image A breakdown of positive COVID-19 cases in Larimer County.

pended operations until further notice and the MLB was never able to start the 2020 season.

On March 13, the President of the United States declared a National Emergency and Larimer County declared a Local Disaster Emergency related to COVID19. Later that day, at 3 p.m., Colorado health officials reported the first death from COVID-19 in Colorado. The death occurred in a female in her 80s with underlying health conditions residing in El Paso County.

“While we were expecting this day, it doesn’t make it any less difficult to hear and share this news. As a state we are in mourning and our hearts go out to the family and loved ones of the Coloradan we lost,” said Gov. Jared Polis in a statement.

On March 15, the Larimer County Public Health Director issued a Public Health Order prohibiting events of 250 or more people and all Events at Senior Community Centers.

On March 16, Gov. Jared Polis’s administration ordered the closure of in-house dining at all restaurants and bars in Colorado for at least 30 days. Delivery and takeout was still available. The order, issued by Jill Hunsaker Ryan, the executive director for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, took effect March 17 at 8 a.m.

According to the order, it applied to food courts, cafes, coffeehouses, and other similar places of public accommodation offering food or beverage for on-premises consumption, bars, taverns, brewpubs, breweries, microbreweries, distillery pubs, wineries, tasting rooms, special licensees, clubs, and other places of public accommodation offering alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption, cigar bars; gymnasiums; movie and performance theaters, opera houses, concert halls, and music halls, and casinos. Polis said there are over 12,000 restaurants and bars in the state.

“Our hearts go out to 240,000 employees in the food and beverage industry,” Polis told reporters during a press conference at the state Capitol Monday afternoon. He added, “The more seriously we take this public health emergency, the better we can See COVID-19, pg. 30

By Wendy Rigby Trail-Gazette

Not one. Not one single person missed a shift. Every staff member at the Estes Park Health hospital, nursing facility and clinic showed up for work during these uncertain times. It’s a testament to the commitment of front-line health professionals.

The doctors, nurses, lab technicians and others who provide important patient care in the Estes Park community knew they were putting themselves at risk by continuing to work in healthcare during a worldwide pandemic. They came to work and they were prepared to protect themselves and their patients.

Estes Park Health also designated a COVID-19 Operations Team whose work has been nothing short of heroic.

Estes Park Health / Courtesy photo Karlye Pope and Erica Williams are two members of the COVID19 Operations Team.

This six-person team meets daily to understand the changing recommendations and the changing information about the virus itself.

All of these people have other jobs and have volunteered to take on this new responsibility.

The team members are: • Terri Brandt Correia, Chief Nursing Officer (CNO). • Leslie Roberts, Emergency Department Director. • Karlye Pope, Inpatient Services Director. • Erica Williams, Infection Prevention Director. • Lisa Taylor, Public Information Officer. • Catherine Cornell, Emergency Preparedness Liaison.

“Within the building, our staff is disciplined to wearing PPE (personal protection equipment) and disciplined to the appropriate handwashing,” said Gary Hall, EP Health Chief Information Officer.

The measures being taken at the hospital are keeping patients and staff as safe as possible. EP Health has six ventilators available. Recently, the hospital created four negative pressure rooms and invested money to reverse the air flow to make both operatSee EPH, pg. 29

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Rocky MOuntain National Park Fort Collins

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By Deb Holmes For the Trail-Gazette

Ambulance crews around the world are truly the warriors of the front line, first responders during this unprecedented time.The ambulance crews are often the first contact with patients when they call for medical assistance. They are the first to see patients in their homes, they are the first to screen patients and they are the first to be exposed to the contagions around the environment and patient they have are transporting. It is up to the ambulance crews to make the initial right call, protecting themselves and others.

The lives of our local ambulance crews have been rocked like all crews around the United States and world, as the threat of Covid-19 seeps into every minute of their lives, not only while they are on shift but even when they are home.

When crews go to a house, they not only have the chance of facing Covid-19 face to face, their chances of being exposed skyrockets. Every single crew member, returns from various calls wondering ‘what if that was the call that exposed me?’ Then they must wait for hours to find out if the patient they spent so much time with tested positive.

Exposure to any virus or flu, is always a concern for those on the front line. They not only risk getting sick themselves and being temporarily out of work, but the chances of carrying the virus and passing it onto their own loved ones is equally concerning.

The heightened awareness of this contagion has driven a See AMBULANCE, pg. 30

Deb Holmes / Courtesy photo Paramedic Rachel Hofsess waits for crew member Debbie Francis to begin the decon process before she can take her PPE off.

Larimer County shines during dark times

Officials adjust on the fly, keep citizens informed

By Tim Mosier Trail-Gazette

Throughout the entirety of the this global pandemic, officials at Larimer County have been on the front lines organizing, adjusting, and communicating the most important pieces of information to the community.

On March 13, the same day the President of the United States declared a National Emergency, Larimer County declared a Local Disaster Emergency and later that day, Colorado health officials reported the first death from COVID-19 in Colorado.

Wasting no time, on March 15, Larimer County Public Health Director Tom Gonzales, issued a Public Health Order prohibiting events of 250 or more people and all events at Senior Community Centers. Less than 48-hours later, on March 17, Gonzales issued an order closing all bars, restaurants, theaters and gymnasiums, and restricting events to 50 people or less.

As new information continued to roll in from across the country and around the globe, Larimer County officials were ready to adjust and adapt to the ever-changing conditions the spread of COVID-19 creat6 • COVID-19 WELLNESS WARRIORS

ed.

The day after Rocky Mountain National Park closed, on the 21st, Gonzales issued a Public Health Order ceasing the operations and vacating the premises of all short-term lodging in the Estes Valley.

“We have been encouraging visitors to not drive up to Estes Valley and we will continue to do so,” Larimer County Public Information Supervisor Katie O’Donnell said.

On March 25, the same day that Gov. Polis issued similar orders; Gonzales issued a Stay-at-home Order for all of Larimer County that was set to last until April 17 but would eventually be extended to April 26.

On April 23, sensing the economic hardships felt by those in the County and in tandem with the Town of Estes Park, issued Orders allowing accommodations to reopen with some restrictions. The Orders last through May 31 but State and local lodging regulations, when more strict, still had to be followed. It was made clear that the restrictions may be extended or amended in response to the pandemic.

According to most medical professionals, we are still in the early stages of this pandemic. Some are predicting the world will feel the lingering effects of the Coronavirus for years to come and considering we are only through our first few months, I believe it is safe to say we are not out of the woods yet.

One thing is for sure, the citizens of Larimer County can rest a little easier knowing that while we may be stuck in the woods currently, the leadership of Larimer County is working tirelessly to find the clearing and bring a little light back to our everyday lives. We thank them.