- School District 49
- COVID-19 Updates & Resources
D49 Updated Operating Protocols - Effective June 1
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In compliance with new guidance from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and our partners at El Paso County Public Health (EPCPH), D49 will accelerate our adjustment to the protocols we shared late last week. Effective immediately, Tuesday, June 1:
- Individuals may make a personal determination whether or not to wear a mask in all District 49 programs and facilities based on state and county guidance about vaccination/recovery status.
- Further, we have no expectation that individuals will report their private medical status or symptoms.
In addition, D49 will comply with the the following guidance updates from CDPHE and our local public health partners:
- Children 12 years old and younger are not required to wear masks. Mask wearing by students at our campuses shall not be the responsibility of, nor be enforced by, district personnel, including health professionals.
- Restrictions on indoor gatherings have been lifted.
For all contagious illnesses, we expect that healthy individuals will come to school or work, and individuals who are sick will stay home for at least 24 hours after symptoms subside. These protocols comply with current health requirements and executive orders. If conditions change or the state issues further directives, we will analyze and respond accordingly.
Please monitor our regular channels of communication for updates. We thank you for your enduring patience, understanding and trust.
Final D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update May 17, 2021
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FINAL OVERVIEWKey measures of population health remain at elevated (negative) levels over the past six weeks. Since March, the case rate and test positivity metrics have degraded, but we now have three weeks of positive trends for case rates and test positivity. During the period beginning in mid-February, over half the D49 workforce have registered for COVID vaccination through our partner, UC Health, and nearly 100% of those are now through the second dose protocol. In addition, several hundred of our high school students have taken advantage of mobile vaccination opportunities or other community options to begin the vaccination sequence. Most have not received a second dose or had the additional two weeks to achieve “full” immunity, but we are on our way.In addition to the positive vaccination metrics, we also observe that over 66,000 residents have “natural immunity*” via recovery from infection, nearly 280,000 residents are proceeding through inoculation toward vaccine-based immunity—and over 230,000 of those have completed the full vaccination series. Every recovered or vaccinated individual reduces the potential pool of future cases, and improves overall community conditions.*Natural immunity may only last 90 days, but medical experts continue studying and measuring immune responses to the standard variant as well as emerging variants of COVID-19.In addition to the overall COVID-19 dashboard, El Paso County has developed a vaccination dashboard with details about the numbers of doses and series, as well as other information about vaccination plans. You can review that information at the county website:
HEALTH DATACounty health data has been stable with moderate improvement, despite elevated levels and adverse trends from March through mid-April. The last three weeks have shown mild improvements.
https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/ covid19data-dashboard On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday, May 17, 2021:Summary Chart:
Key Measure #1: 7-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Stable Trend
The 7-Day Case Rate stands at 156, which is elevated compared to our baseline (123) from February 8. This metric is near the middle of the previous “concern" range (Between 100 and 300). Guidance from county and other public health officials is to continue monitoring for any evidence of conditions that may degrade conditions.
Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (7-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Stable Trend
The test positivity rate under the new 7-day average is 5.06%, barely above the target level of 5.0%. We want that number lower, so declining numbers are great news. The average turnaround time for testing is stable but significant at 4.27 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.
Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Burden
Rating: Good, but Elevated Level with Stable Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Note that hospitalizations are a lagging indicator following case rates and test positivity by approximately 10-14 days.
ISTRICT INCIDENT DATADue to continued adherence to our safety system, contact tracing, and exclusion from quarantine based on vaccination status, over 99% of our students are attending school without disruption. We are concerned that recent quarantines and outbreaks are disrupting more students, but as of today, all schools and programs are open and serving in-person learning.Other district incident data is available on our dashboard.
D49 Discontinues Mask Enforcement at Elementary Campuses
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Friday, May 14
Dear D49 Families,
The D49 Board of Education passed a resolution at their regular meeting May 13 directing all staff members to discontinue enforcement of mask requirements for elementary students on elementary campuses. This guidance will be effective Monday morning, May 17.
The resolution also directs staff to discontinue enforcement of mask requirements for all individuals at D49 campuses and work locations beginning June 2.
The office of Governor Jared Polis announced on Friday that Colorado will issue a new public health order to conform to newly released CDC guidance. While easing many restrictions for fully vaccinated individuals, Colorado guidelines require masks for individuals older than 10 in schools, daycare facilities and other businesses. This means that District 49 will continue to require masks for adults and for middle and high school students until state guidance changes. We will also require students riding with district transportation services to continue wearing masks through the end of the year.
Our board’s decision followed energetic public comment and significant debate during the Thursday meeting, resulting in a 3-2 vote in favor of the resolution. In summary, the resolution directs the following:
- Effective immediately, mask wearing by elementary grade students at our campuses shall not be the responsibility of, nor be enforced by, district personnel, including health professionals.
- No later than 2 June, mask wearing by students and staff at our campuses and work locations shall not be the responsibility of, nor be enforced by, district personnel, including health professionals.
What does this mean for elementary school families? - We trust our families will make the decision that’s best for them and their students as we maintain normal operations for the remainder of the year. If that means sending students to school in a mask, we respect that. If that means sending them without, we will honor that as well.
What does this mean for secondary school families? - Neither the board resolution nor the adjusted public health order change the requirements for middle and high school families.
When we reopened to full in-person learning after spring break, our objective was to remain open. We’ve managed that with our safety system of masking, frequent hand-washing, distancing, and deep cleaning while applying precautionary quarantines when needed in cases of exposure. Relaxing the mask requirement will increase the size of close contact groups among our elementary school populations. As a result, we may experience an increase in precautionary quarantines before the end of the year.
Nevertheless, we will continue to push hard, and walk forward together as we finish the most difficult year in D49 history. We thank you for your continued support, trust and dedication.
D49 COVID-19 Tracking Dashboard
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As the COVID-19 crisis has progressed, our ability to predict and respond to rising infection rates has improved. As a result, we are continuing to track the impact of positive cases on our students and staff as we conduct contact tracing, precautionary quarantines, and other protective measures.
D49 COVID Tracking Dashboard LINK
Please keep students home if they don’t feel well
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Dear D49 Families,
We want to share a friendly reminder that sending learners to school requires at-home health screening every day.
Along with the excitement of reuniting and getting to know each other in our return to in-person learning, we are already experiencing the challenges of illness in our classrooms. As we are seeing, even minor symptoms can have significant ripple effects to our return to in-person learning. Guidance from our partners at El Paso County Public Health supports our nursing staff as they assess children showing COVID-like symptoms at school, and also informs their appropriate response, which in some cases requires sending home cohorts of learners and school staff.
Parents can help! Please keep students home if they don’t feel well, or are experiencing symptoms in the following checklists:
Symptoms Observed or Reported:
1 or more MAJOR SYMPTOMS
- Feeling feverish, having chills or temp of 100.4F or greater
- New or unexplained persistent cough
- New or unexplained shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Loss of sense of taste or smell
2 or more MINOR SYMPTOMS
- Sore throat
- Runny nose or congestion
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Nausea, vomiting
- Diarrhea
EMERGENCY COVID-19 WARNING SIGNS include: trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, bluish lips or face. Seek medical attention immediately by calling 911.
Students should stay home if they are experiencing:1 or more major symptoms and/or 2 or more minor symptoms indicated on the table above.
This, and more useful information may be found on the D49 Nursing Services webpage. We encourage all of our families to become familiar with this process. Paired with our system of safety protocols, following these steps will give D49 our best chance at making this school year the safe and memorable one we know it can be.
Thank you for your time, understanding, and enduring trust.
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D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update May 17, 2021
OVERVIEWKey measures of population health remain at elevated (negative) levels over the past five weeks. Since March, the case rate and test positivity metrics have degraded, but we now have three weeks of positive trends for case rates and test positivity. During the period beginning in mid-February, over half the D49 workforce have registered for COVID vaccination through our partner, UC Health, and nearly 100% of those are now through the second dose protocol. In addition, several hundred of our high school students have taken advantage of mobile vaccination opportunities or other community options to begin the vaccination sequence. Most have not received a second dose or had the additional two weeks to achieve “full” immunity, but we are on our way.In addition to the positive vaccination metrics, we also observe that nearly 65,000 residents have “natural immunity*” via recovery from infection, over 264,000 residents are proceeding through inoculation toward vaccine-based immunity—and over 219,000 of those have completed the full vaccination series. Every recovered or vaccinated individual reduces the potential pool of future cases, and improves overall community conditions.*Natural immunity may only last 90 days, but medical experts continue studying and measuring immune responses to the standard variant as well as emerging variants of COVID-19.In addition to the overall COVID-19 dashboard, El Paso County has developed a vaccination dashboard with details about the numbers of doses and series, as well as other information about vaccination plans. You can review that information at the county website:
HEALTH DATACounty health data has been stable with moderate improvement, despite elevated levels and adverse trends from March through mid-April. The last three weeks have shown mild improvements.
https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/ covid19data-dashboard On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday, May 17, 2021:Summary Chart:
Key Measure #1: 7-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Stable Trend
The 7-Day Case Rate stands at 199, which is elevated compared to our baseline (123) from February 8. This metric is near the middle of the previous “concern" range (Between 100 and 300). Guidance from county and other public health officials is to continue monitoring for any evidence of conditions that may degrade conditions further.
Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (7-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Stable Trend
The test positivity rate under the new 7-day average is 6.54%, (down from over 8% last week) still above the public health target (maximum) of 7.5%, and above the target level of 5.0%. We want that number lower, so it is concerning that test positivity measure has remained elevated for weeks. The average turnaround time for testing is stable but significant at 4.33 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.
Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Burden
Rating: Good, but Elevated Level with Stable Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Note that hospitalizations are a lagging indicator following case rates and test positivity by approximately 10-14 days.
DISTRICT INCIDENT DATA
Due to continued adherence to our safety system, contact tracing, and exclusion from quarantine based on vaccination status, over 99% of our students are attending school without disruption. We are concerned that recent quarantines and outbreaks are disrupting more students, but as of today, all schools and programs are open and serving in-person learning.Other district incident data is available on our dashboard. -
D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update May 10, 2021
OVERVIEWKey measures of population health remain at elevated (negative) levels over the past four weeks. Since March, the case rate and test positivity metrics have degraded, but we now have two seeks of mildly positive trends for case rates and test positivity. During the period beginning in mid-February, over half the D49 workforce have registered for COVID vaccination through our partner, UC Health, and nearly 100% of those are now through the second dose protocol.In addition to the positive vaccination metrics, we also observe that nearly 63,000 residents have “natural immunity*” via recovery from infection, over 253,000 residents are proceeding through inoculation toward vaccine-based immunity—and over 203,000 of those have completed the full vaccination series. Every recovered or vaccinated individual reduces the potential pool of future cases, and improves overall community conditions.*Natural immunity may only last 90 days, but medical experts continue studying and measuring immune responses to the standard variant as well as emerging variants of COVID-19.In addition to the overall COVID-19 dashboard, El Paso County has developed a vaccination dashboard with details about the numbers of doses and series, as well as other information about vaccination plans. You can review that information at the county website:
HEALTH DATACounty health data has been degrading, with elevated levels and adverse trends over the last eight weeks. The last two weeks have shown mild improvements.
https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/ covid19data-dashboard On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday, May 10, 2021:Summary Chart:
Key Measure #1: 7-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Stable Trend
The 7-Day Case Rate stands at 227, which is elevated compared to our baseline (123) from February 8. This metric is near the middle of the previous “concern" range (Between 100 and 300). Guidance from county and other public health officials is to continue monitoring for any evidence of conditions that may degrade conditions further.
Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (7-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Stable Trend
The test positivity rate under the new 7-day average is 8.43%, above the public health target (maximum) of 7.5%, and above the target level of 5.0%. We want that number lower, so it is concerning that test positivity measure has remained elevated for weeks. The average turnaround time for testing is stable but significant at 4.25 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.
Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Burden
Rating: Good, but Elevated Level with Stable Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Note that hospitalizations are a lagging indicator following case rates and test positivity by approximately 10-14 days.
DISTRICT INCIDENT DATADue to continued adherence to our safety system, contact tracing, and exclusion from quarantine based on vaccination status, over 98% of our students are attending school without disruption. We are concerned that recent quarantines and outbreaks are disrupting more students, but as of today, all schools and programs are open and serving in-person learning.Other district incident data is available on our dashboard.
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D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update May 3, 2021
OVERVIEWKey measures of population health remain at elevated (negative) levels over the past four weeks. Since March, the case rate and test positivity metrics have degraded. During the period beginning in mid-February, over half the D49 workforce have registered for COVID vaccination through our partner, UC Health, and nearly 100% of those are now through the second dose protocol.In addition to the positive vaccination metrics, we also observe that over 61,000 residents have “natural immunity*” via recovery from infection, over 244,000 residents are proceeding through inoculation toward vaccine-based immunity—and over 182,000 of those have completed the full vaccination series. Every recovered or vaccinated individual reduces the potential pool of future cases, and improves overall community conditions.*Natural immunity may only last 90 days, but medical experts continue studying and measuring immune responses to the standard variant as well as emerging variants of COVID-19.In addition to the overall COVID-19 dashboard, El Paso County has developed a vaccination dashboard with details about the numbers of doses and series, as well as other information about vaccination plans. You can review that information at the county website:
HEALTH DATACounty health data has been degrading, with elevated levels and adverse trends over the last eight weeks.
https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/ covid19data-dashboard On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday, May 3, 2021:Summary Chart:
Key Measure #1: 7-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Stable Trend
The 7-Day Case Rate stands at 249, which is elevated compared to our baseline (123) from February 8. This metric is near the high end of the previous “concern" range (Between 100 and 300). Guidance from county and other public health officials is to continue monitoring for any evidence of conditions that may degrade conditions further.
Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (7-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Stable Trend
The test positivity rate under the new 7-day average is 8.9%, above the public health target (maximum) of 7.5%, and above the target level of 5.0%. We want that number lower, so it is concerning that test positivity measure has remained elevated for weeks. The average turnaround time for testing is stable but significant at 4.31 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.
Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Burden
Rating: Good, but Elevated Level with Stable Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Note that hospitalizations are a lagging indicator following case rates and test positivity by approximately 10-14 days.
DISTRICT INCIDENT DATADue to continued adherence to our safety system, contact tracing, and exclusion from quarantine based on vaccination status, over 96% of our students are attending school without disruption. We are concerned that recent quarantines and outbreaks are disrupting more students, but so far nearly all schools and programs are open and serving in-person learning.Other district incident data is available on our dashboard. -
D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update April 13, 2021
OVERVIEWKey measures of population health have degraded over the past two weeks. Through February and March, the case rate measure, test positivity, and hospital burden plateaued with moderate increases in test positivity and case rates. Since the last week of March, the case rate and test positivity metrics have degraded. During the period beginning in mid-February, over half the D49 workforce have registered for COVID vaccination through our partner, UC Health, and more than 90% of those are now through the second dose protocol.In addition to the positive vaccination metrics, we also observe that nearly 57,000 residents have “natural immunity*” via recovery from infection, nearly 199,000 residents are proceeding through inoculation toward vaccine-based immunity—and over 127,000 of those have completed the full vaccination series. Every recovered or vaccinated individual reduces the potential pool of future cases, and improves overall community conditions.*Natural immunity may only last 90 days, but medical experts continue studying and measuring immune responses to the standard variant as well as emerging variants of COVID-19.In addition to the overall COVID-19 dashboard, El Paso County has developed a vaccination dashboard with details about the numbers of doses and series, as well as other information about vaccination plans. You can review that information at the county website:
HEALTH DATACounty health data has been degrading, with elevated levels and adverse trends over the last eight weeks.
https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/ covid19data-dashboard On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Tuesday morning, April 13, 2021:Summary Chart:
Key Measure #1: 7-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Stable Trend
The Case Rate under the new 7-day average stands at 189, which is elevated compared to our 7-day baseline (123) from February 8. This metric is near the middle of the “concern" range (Between 100 and 300). Guidance from county and other public health officials is to continue monitoring for any evidence of conditions that may degrade conditions further.
Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (7-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Stable Trend
The test positivity rate under the new 7-day average is 6.91%, above the public health target (maximum) of 7.5%, and above the new target level of 5.0% in Dial 3.0. We want that number lower, so it is concerning that test positivity measure is increasing. The average turnaround time for testing is stable but significant at 4.52 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.
Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Burden
Rating: NORMAL Level with Stable Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Although it is a self-reported measure with some subjectivity, the fact that total hospitalizations have decreased since early December is a positive indicator of decreasing burden on hospital facilities and services. Note that hospitalizations are a lagging indicator following case rates and test positivity by approximately 10-14 days.
DISTRICT INCIDENT DATADue to continued adherence to our safety system, contact tracing, and exclusion from quarantine based on vaccination status, over 99% of our students are attending school without disruption. We are concerned that recent quarantines may increase and disrupt more students, but so far nearly all schools and programs are open and serving in-person learning. Although we have instances of precautionary quarantines, we have not experienced any outbreaks at D49 schools since spring break.Other district incident data is available on our dashboard.
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D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update April 4, 2021
OVERVIEWKey measures of population health have degraded over the past ten days. Through February and March, the case rate measure, test positivity, and hospital burden plateaued with moderate increases in test positivity and case rates. Since the last week of March, the case rate and test positivity metrics have degraded. During the period beginning in mid-February, over half the D49 workforce have registered for COVID vaccination through our partner, UC Health, and more than 90% of those are now through the second dose protocol.In addition to the positive vaccination metrics, we also observe that nearly 55,000 residents have “natural immunity*” via recovery from infection, nearly 174,000 residents are proceeding through inoculation toward vaccine-based immunity—and nearly 113,000 of those have completed the full vaccination series. Every recovered or vaccinated individual reduces the potential pool of future cases, and improves overall community conditions.*Natural immunity may only last 90 days, but medical experts continue studying and measuring immune responses to the standard variant as well as emerging variants of COVID-19.In addition to the overall COVID-19 dashboard, El Paso County has developed a vaccination dashboard with details about the numbers of doses and series, as well as other information about vaccination plans. You can review that information at the county website:
Please note: the following chart is not directly comparable to earlier versions, as the county has changed the age cohorts represented by the trend lines.
HEALTH DATACounty health data has been degrading, with elevated levels and adverse trends over the last eight weeks.
https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/ covid19data-dashboard On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday morning, April 5, 2021:Summary Chart:
Key Measure #1: 7-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Stable Trend
The Case Rate under the new 7-day average stands at 197, which is elevated compared to our 7-day baseline (123) from February 8. This metric is near the middle of the “concern" range (Between 100 and 300). Guidance from county and other public health officials is to continue monitoring for any evidence of conditions that may degrade conditions further.
Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (7-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Stable Trend
The test positivity rate under the new 7-day average is 8.54%, above the public health target (maximum) of 7.5%, and above the new target level of 5.0% in Dial 3.0. We want that number lower, so it is concerning that test positivity measure is increasing. The average turnaround time for testing is stable but significant at 4.60 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.
Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Burden
Rating: NORMAL Level with Stable Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Although it is a self-reported measure with some subjectivity, the fact that total hospitalizations have decreased since early December is a positive indicator of decreasing burden on hospital facilities and services. Note that hospitalizations are a lagging indicator following case rates and test positivity by approximately 10-14 days.
DISTRICT INCIDENT DATADue to continued adherence to our safety system, contact tracing, and exclusion from quarantine based on vaccination status, over 99% of our students are attending school without disruption. All schools and programs are open and serving in-person learning. Although we have very limited instances of precautionary quarantines, we have not experienced any outbreaks at D49 schools since spring break.Other district incident data is available on our dashboard. -
DISTRICT 49 CEO UPDATE: APRIL 2, 2021
An exciting week at District 49 is coming to a close: Our first week of full schedule, full population, in-person learning. On behalf of D49, Chief Education Officer Peter Hilts wants to thank students, parents and staff for working and walking together through the most difficult year on record. Mr. Hilts also takes a look at the road still ahead, and highlights an opportunity to celebrate student role-models of resilience and flexibility through this difficult season of learning.
We invite you to take a look and have a listen. Thank you for your hard work and for making D49 the Best Choice to Learn Work and Lead!
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D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update March 29, 2021
OVERVIEWKey measures of population health are essentially flat since the start of February. Over the last seven weeks, the case rate measure, test positivity, and hospital burden have all plateaued with moderate increases in test positivity and case rates. During that time, over half the D49 workforce have registered for COVID vaccination through our partner, UC Health, and a majority of those are now through the second dose protocol.In addition to the positive vaccination metrics, we also observe that over 54,000 residents have “natural immunity*” via recovery from infection, and 155,000 residents are proceeding through inoculation toward vaccine-based immunity—with over 98,000 of those having completed the full vaccination series. Every recovered or vaccinated individual reduces the potential pool of future cases, and improves overall community conditions. With vaccination accelerating, we anticipate that we’ll be able to maintain and further enhance improving community conditions.*Natural immunity may only last 90 days, but medical experts continue studying and measuring immune responses to the standard variant as well as emerging variants of COVID-19.
In addition to the overall COVID-19 dashboard, El Paso County has developed a vaccination dashboard with details about the numbers of doses and series, as well as other information about vaccination plans. You can review that information at the county website:
HEALTH DATACounty health data has been flat, with elevated levels and stable trends over the last seven weeks.
https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/ covid19data-dashboard On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday evening, March 29, 2021:Summary Chart:
Key Measure #1: 7-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Stable Trend
The Case Rate under the new 7-day average stands at 158, which is elevated compared to our baseline (123) from February 8. This metric is near the low end of the “concern" range (Between 100 and 300). Guidance from county and other public health officials is to continue monitoring for any evidence of conditions that may degrade conditions further.
Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (7-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Stable Trend
The test positivity rate under the new 7-day average is 6.94%, below the public health target (maximum) of 7.5%, but above the new level of 5.0% in Dial 3.0. We want that number lower, so it is concerning that test positivity measure is increasing. The average turnaround time for testing is stable but significant at 4.68 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.
Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Burden
Rating: NORMAL Level with Stable Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Although it is a self-reported measure with some subjectivity, the fact that total hospitalizations have decreased since early December is a positive indicator of decreasing burden on hospital facilities and services. Note that hospitalizations are a lagging indicator following case rates and test positivity by approximately 10-14 days.
DISTRICT INCIDENT DATAOne key observation for our return to learn is that we have experienced multiple precautionary quarantines related to competitive high school athletics. Because of the nature of close-quarters competition, any athlete or coach who tests positive is likely to trigger a large-scale quarantine. We have multiple schools that are operating with limited staffing, but still open.Other district incident data is available on our dashboard. -
D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update March 22, 2021
OVERVIEWKey measures of population health are essentially flat since the start of February. Over the last four weeks, the case rate measure, test positivity, and hospital burden have all plateaued. During that time, over half the D49 workforce have registered for COVID vaccination through our partner, UC Health, and a majority of those are now through the second dose protocol.In addition to the positive vaccination metrics, we also observe that nearly 53,000 residents have “natural immunity*” via recovery from infection, and over 135,000 residents are proceeding through inoculation toward vaccine-based immunity—with nearly 87,000 of those having completed the full vaccination series. Every recovered or vaccinated individual reduces the potential pool of future cases, and improves overall community conditions. With vaccination accelerating, we anticipate that we’ll be able to maintain and further enhance improving community conditions.*Natural immunity may only last 90 days, but medical experts continue studying and measuring immune responses to the standard variant as well as emerging variants of COVID-19.In addition to the overall COVID-19 dashboard, El Paso County has developed a vaccination dashboard with details about the numbers of doses and series, as well as other information about vaccination plans. You can review that information at the county website:
HEALTH DATACounty health data has been flat, with elevated levels and stable trends over the last six weeks.
https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/ covid19data-dashboard On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday morning, March 22, 2021:Summary Chart:
Key Measure #1: 7-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Stable Trend
The Case Rate under the new 7-day average stands at 126, which is essentially flat compared to our baseline (123) from February 8. This metric is near the low end of the “caution" range (Between 100 and 300). Guidance from county and other public health officials is to continue monitoring for any evidence of conditions that may disrupt the overall positive trend.
Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (7-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Stable Trend
The test positivity rate under the new 7-day average starts at 5.86%, below the public health target (maximum) of 7.5%, but above the new level of 5.0% proposed in Dial 3.0. We want that number lower, so it is concerning that test positivity measure is increasing. The average turnaround time for testing is stable but significant at 4.77 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.
Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Burden
Rating: NORMAL Level with Stable Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Although it is a self-reported measure with some subjectivity, the fact that total hospitalizations have decreased since early December is a positive indicator of decreasing burden on hospital facilities and services. Note that hospitalizations are a lagging indicator following case rates and test positivity by approximately 10-14 days.
DISTRICT INCIDENT DATAOne key observation for our return to learn is that we have experienced multiple precautionary quarantines related to competitive high school athletics. Because of the nature of close-quarters competition, any athlete or coach who tests positive is likely to trigger a large-scale quarantine. We have multiple schools that are operating with limited staffing, but still open.Other district incident data is available on our dashboard. -
D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update March 8, 2021
OVERVIEWKey measures of population health are essentially flat since the start of February. Over the last five weeks, the case rate measure has plateaued, but test positivity, and hospital burden have continued to improve gradually. During that time, over half the D49 workforce have registered for COVID vaccination through our partner, UC Health, and over 90% of those are already through the first dose protocol, with a significant percentage now through the second dose protocol. Additionally, El Paso County has begun vaccinating individuals in the 1B.3 group, which includes individuals 60 years and older as well as other specific populations groups.In addition to the positive vaccination metrics, we also observe that nearly 51,000 residents have “natural immunity*” via recovery from infection, and more than 104,000 residents are proceeding through inoculation toward vaccine-based immunity—with over 58,000 of those having completed the full vaccination series. Every recovered or vaccinated individual reduces the potential pool of future cases, and improves overall community conditions. With vaccination accelerating, we anticipate that we’ll be able to maintain and further enhance improving community conditions.*Natural immunity may only last 90 days, but medical experts continue studying and measuring immune responses to the standard variant as well as emerging variants of COVID-19.In addition to the overall COVID-19 dashboard, El Paso County has developed a vaccination dashboard with details about the numbers of doses and series, as well as other information about vaccination plans. NOTE: The county has added significant new detail about age groups and vaccination progress to their dedicated dashboard. I’ve included a new chart below with data about age cohorts, where you can clearly see the impact of adding groups 1B.1 and then 1B.2 to the vaccination campaign.You can review that information at the county website:HEALTH DATACounty health data has been flat, with elevated levels and stable trends over the last four weeks.
https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/ covid19data-dashboard 
HEALTH DATACounty case rate data has been flat, with elevated levels and stable trends over the last four weeks. Both test positivity and hospital data indicators are improving.
https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/ covid19data-dashboard 
Key Measure #1: 7-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is betterRating: CONCERN Level with Stable Trend
The Case Rate under the 7-day average stands at 126, which is slightly elevated compared to our 7-day baseline (123) that began on February 6. This metric is near the low end of the “caution" range (Between 100 and 300). Guidance from county and other public health officials is to continue monitoring for any evidence of conditions that may disrupt the overall positive trend.
Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (7-Day Average) *Lower is betterRating: CONCERN Level with Improving Trend
The test positivity rate under the new 7-day average starts at 4.92%, below the Colorado public health target (maximum) of 7.5%, and back below the CDC target of 5%. We want that number lower, so it is beneficial that test positivity measure is stable or improving. The average turnaround time for testing is stable but significant at 4.91 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.
Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Burden
Rating: NORMAL with Stable Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Although it is a self-reported measure with some subjectivity, the fact that total hospitalizations have decreased since early December is a positive indicator of decreasing burden on hospital facilities and services. Note that hospitalizations are a lagging indicator following case rates and test positivity by approximately 10-14 days. Since early fall, this is the first time our area hospitals have reported normal burden. This is a very positive sign.
DISTRICT INCIDENT DATAOne key observation for our return to learn is that we have experienced multiple precautionary quarantines related to competitive high school athletics. Because of the nature of close-quarters competition, any athlete or coach who tests positive is likely to trigger a large-scale quarantine. We have multiple schools that are operating with limited staffing, but still open. This past week, we had one secondary school that shifted to e-Learning on Friday to accomplish contact tracing and manage a significant exposure (not transmission) event to prevent additional exposure and quarantines.Other district incident data is available on our dashboard. -
D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update March 1, 2021
OVERVIEWKey measures of population health are essentially flat since the start of February. Over the last four weeks, the case rate measure, test positivity, and hospital burden have all plateaued. During that time, over half the D49 workforce have registered for COVID vaccination through our partner, UC Health, and over 90% of those are already through the first dose protocol.In addition to the positive vaccination metrics, we also observe that nearly 50,000 residents have “natural immunity*” via recovery from infection, and nearly 88,000 residents are proceeding through inoculation toward vaccine-based immunity—with over 40,000 of those having completed the full vaccination series. Every recovered or vaccinated individual reduces the potential pool of future cases, and improves overall community conditions. With vaccination accelerating, we anticipate that we’ll be able to maintain and further enhance improving community conditions.*Natural immunity may only last 90 days, but medical experts continue studying and measuring immune responses to the standard variant as well as emerging variants of COVID-19.In addition to the overall COVID-19 dashboard, El Paso County has developed a vaccination dashboard with details about the numbers of doses and series, as well as other information about vaccination plans. You can review that information at the county website:
HEALTH DATACounty health data has been flat, with elevated levels and stable trends over the last four weeks.
https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/ covid19data-dashboard On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday morning, March 1, 2021:Summary Chart:
Key Measure #1: 7-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Adverse Trend
The Case Rate under the new 7-day average stands at 134, which is elevated compared to our baseline (123) from three weeks ago. This metric is near the low end of the “caution" range (Between 100 and 300). Guidance from county and other public health officials is to continue monitoring for any evidence of conditions that may disrupt the overall positive trend.
Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (7-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Improving Trend
The test positivity rate under the new 7-day average starts at 5.51%, below the public health target (maximum) of 7.5%. We want that number lower, so it is beneficial that test positivity measure is stable or improving. The average turnaround time for testing is stable but significant at 5.01 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.
Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Burden
Rating: GOOD with Beneficial (Improving) Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Although it is a self-reported measure with some subjectivity, the fact that total hospitalizations have decreased since early December is a positive indicator of decreasing burden on hospital facilities and services. Note that hospitalizations are a lagging indicator following case rates and test positivity by approximately 10-14 days.
DISTRICT INCIDENT DATAOne key observation for our return to learn is that we have experienced multiple precautionary quarantines related to competitive high school athletics. Because of the nature of close-quarters competition, any athlete or coach who tests positive is likely to trigger a large-scale quarantine. We have multiple schools that are operating with limited staffing, but still open.Other district incident data is available on our dashboard. -
D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Feb. 22, 2021
OVERVIEWKey measures of population health are essentially flat since the start of February. Over the last three weeks, the case rate measure, test positivity, and hospital burden have all plateaued. During that time, over half the D49 workforce have registered for COVID vaccination through our partner, UC Health, and the majority of those are already through the first dose protocol.In addition to the positive vaccination metrics, we also observe that nearly 49,000 residents have “natural immunity*” via recovery from infection, and nearly 75,000 residents are proceeding through inoculation toward vaccine-based immunity—with 31,000 of those having completed the full vaccination series. Every recovered or vaccinated individual reduces the potential pool of future cases, and improves overall community conditions. With vaccination accelerating, we anticipate that we’ll be able to maintain and further enhance improving community conditions.*Natural immunity may only last 90 days, but medical experts continue studying and measuring immune responses to the standard variant as well as emerging variants of COVID-19.In addition to the overall COVID-19 dashboard, El Paso County has developed a vaccination dashboard with details about the numbers of doses and series, as well as other information about vaccination plans. You can review that information at the county website:
HEALTH DATA
County health data has improved in the last two week, with elevated levels and improving trends.
https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/ covid19data-dashboard On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday morning, February 22, 2021:Summary Chart:
Key Measure #1: 7-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is betterRating: CONCERN Level with Stable Trend
The Case Rate under the new 7-day average stands at 125, which is slightly elevated compared to our baseline (123) from two weeks ago. This metric is near the low end of the “caution" range (Between 100 and 300). Guidance from county and other public health officials is to continue monitoring for any evidence of conditions that may disrupt the overall positive trend.
Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (7-Day Average) *Lower is betterRating: CONCERN Level with Stable Trend
The test positivity rate under the new 7-day average starts at 5.41%, below the public health target (maximum) of 7.5%. We want that number lower, so it is beneficial that test positivity measure is stable or improving. The average turnaround time for testing is stable but significant at 5.11 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.
Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Burden
Rating: GOOD with Beneficial (Improving) Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Although it is a self-reported measure with some subjectivity, the fact that total hospitalizations have decreased since early December is a positive indicator of decreasing burden on hospital facilities and services. Note that hospitalizations are a lagging indicator following case rates and test positivity by approximately 10-14 days.
DISTRICT INCIDENT DATAOne key observation for our return to learn is that we have experienced multiple precautionary quarantines related to competitive high school athletics. Because of the nature of close-quarters competition, any athlete or coach who tests positive is likely to trigger a large-scale quarantine. We have multiple schools that are operating with limited staffing, but still open. The Peak Program is currently on E-learning status for 14 days due to a single positive case and consequent exposure.Other district incident data is available on our dashboard. -
D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Feb. 16, 2021
OVERRVIEWKey measures of population health are all moving together in a positive direction. Over the last six weeks, the case rate measure, test positivity, and hospital burden have all improved. In a major development, over half the D49 workforce have already registered for COVID vaccination through our partner, UC Health, and the majority of those are already through the first dose protocol.In addition to the positive vaccination metrics, we also observe that over 48,000 residents have “natural immunity*” via recovery from infection, and more than 93,000 residents are proceeding through inoculation toward vaccine-based immunity. Every recovered or vaccinated individual reduces the potential pool of future cases, and improves overall community conditions. With vaccination accelerating, we anticipate that we’ll be able to maintain and further enhance improving community conditions. We also affirm the Governor’s decision to move school personnel up into the “1B.2" phase for vaccine distribution, meaning that D49 workforce members who want to receive the vaccine will have that option even sooner than initially projected.*Natural immunity may only last 90 days, but medical experts continue studying and measuring immune responses to the standard variant as well as emerging variants of COVID-19.In addition to the overall COVID-19 dashboard, El Paso County has developed a vaccination dashboard with details about the numbers of doses and series, as well as other information about vaccination plans. You can review that information at the county website:
HEALTH DATA
County health data has improved in the last two week, with elevated levels and improving trends.
https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/ covid19data-dashboard On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday morning, February 16, 2021:Summary Chart:
Key Measure #1: 7-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Stable Trend
The Case Rate under the new 7-day average starts at 122, which is virtually identical to our baseline (123) from last week. This metric is near the low end of the “caution" range (Between 100 and 300). Guidance from county and other public health officials is to continue monitoring for any evidence of conditions that may disrupt the overall positive trend.
Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (7-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Improving Trend
The test positivity rate under the new 7-day average starts at 5.80, below the public health target (maximum) of 7.5%. We want that number lower, so it is beneficial that test positivity measure is stable or improving. The average turnaround time for testing is stable but significant at 5.21 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.
Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Burden
Rating: GOOD with Beneficial (Improving) Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Although it is a self-reported measure with some subjectivity, the fact that total hospitalizations have decreased since early December is a positive indicator of decreasing burden on hospital facilities and services. Note that hospitalizations are a lagging indicator following case rates and test positivity by approximately 10-14 days.
DISTRICT INCIDENT DATAOne key observation for our return to learn is that we have experienced multiple precautionary quarantines related to competitive high school athletics. Because of the nature of close-quarters competition, any athlete or coach who tests positive is likely to trigger a large-scale quarantine. We have multiple schools that are operating with limited staffing, but still open. The Peak Program is currently on E-learning status for 14 days due to a single positive case and consequent exposure.Other district incident data is available on our dashboard. -
D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Feb. 8, 2021
OVERVIEWKey measures of population health are all moving together in a positive direction. Over the last six weeks, the case rate measure, test positivity, and hospital burden have all improved.In addition to the positive metrics, we also observe that nearly 49,000 residents now have “natural immunity*” via recovery from infection, and thousands of residents are proceeding through inoculation toward vaccine-based immunity. Every recovered or vaccinated individual reduces the potential pool of future cases, and improves overall community conditions. With vaccination accelerating, we anticipate that we’ll be able to maintain and further enhance improving community conditions. We also affirm the Governor’s decision to move school personnel up into the “1B.2" phase for vaccine distribution, meaning that D49 workforce members who want to receive the vaccine will have that option even sooner than initially projected.*Natural immunity may only last 90 days, but medical experts continue studying and measuring immune responses to the standard variant as well as emerging variants of COVID-19.In addition to the overall COVID-19 dashboard, El Paso County has developed a vaccination dashboard with details about the numbers of doses and series, as well as other information about vaccination plans. You can review that information at the county website:
HEALTH DATA
County health data has improved in the last two week, with elevated levels and improving trends.
https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/ covid19data-dashboard On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday morning, February 8 2021:Summary Chart:
Key Measure #1: 7-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Improving Trend
The Case Rate under the new 7-day average starts at 123, which is our new baseline. This metric is near the low end of the “caution" range (Between 100 and 300). Guidance from county and other public health officials is to continue monitoring for any evidence of conditions that may disrupt the overall positive trend.
Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (7-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Improving Trend
The test positivity rate under the new 7-day average starts at 5.46, below the public health target (maximum) of 7.5%. We want that number lower, so it is beneficial that test positivity measure is stable or improving. The average turnaround time for testing is stable at 4.66 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal.
Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Burden
Rating: GOOD with Beneficial (Improving) Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Although it is a self-reported measure with some subjectivity, the fact that total hospitalizations have decreased since early December is a positive indicator of decreasing burden on hospital facilities and services. Note that hospitalizations are a lagging indicator following case rates and test positivity by approximately 10-14 days.
DISTRICT INCIDENT DATADistrict incident data is available on our dashboard. -
D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Feb. 1, 2021
OVERVIEWKey measures of population health are all moving together in a positive direction. Over the last four weeks, the case rate measure, test positivity, and hospital burden have all improved.In addition to the positive metrics, we also observe that over 45,000 residents now have “natural immunity” via recovery from infection, and thousands of residents are proceeding through inoculation toward vaccine-based immunity. Every recovered or vaccinated individual reduces the potential pool of future cases, and improves overall community conditions. With vaccination accelerating, we anticipate that we’ll be able to maintain and further enhance improving community conditions. We also affirm the Governor’s decision to move school personnel up into the “1B.2" phase for vaccine distribution, meaning that D49 workforce members who want to receive the vaccine will have that option even sooner than initially projected.
El Paso County COVID-19 Phased Vaccine Distribution Update MemoEl Paso County has developed a vaccination dashboard with details about the numbers of doses and series, as well as other information about vaccination plans. You can review that information at the county website:Our major caution as we continue in-person learning is the pattern, observed in many communities nationwide, that normalizing school operations can correlate with increased community activity, mobility, and transmissions. Although schools are not a direct vector for increased transmission, with extremely low infection rates compared to the community, they may catalyze other conditions that do drive increased transmission. Because schools operate downstream from the community, we redouble our exhortation for all students, staff, and residents to maintain the same, effective, personal practices that have helped our community recover from the December wave of cases and illness.HEALTH DATA
County health data has improved in the last two week, with elevated levels and improving trends.
https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/ covid19data-dashboard On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Monday morning, February 1 2021:Summary Chart:
Key Measure #1: 14-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: HIGH RISK Level with Improving Trend
The Case Rate has decreased from 329 last Monday to to 263 today. This metricremains in the “High Risk" range (Between 175 and 350). Guidance from county and other public health officials is to continue monitoring for any evidence of a sustained surge that may disrupt the overall positive trend.
Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (14-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Improving Trend
The test positivity rate is improved from last week (7.15) to 5.70% today, above the public health target (maximum) of 5%. We want that number lower, so it is beneficial that test positivity measure is stable or improving. The average turnaround time for testing is stable at 2.92 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal. As individuals return from holiday travel and seek precautionary testing, we anticipate that the total number of tests will increase, the turnaround time will increase temporarily, and the positivity rate may become more volatile, with short-term erratic patterns of increases and decreases.
Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Burden
Rating: FAIR/GOOD with Beneficial (Improving) Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Although it is a self-reported measure with some subjectivity, the fact that total hospitalizations have decreased since early December is a positive indicator of decreasing burden on hospital facilities and services. Note that hospitalizations are a lagging indicator following case rates and test positivity by approximately 10-14 days.
DISTRICT INCIDENT DATADistrict incident data is available on our dashboard.
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D49 El Paso County COVID Data Update Jan. 25, 2021
OVERVIEWKey measures of population health are all moving together in a positive direction. Over the last two weeks, the case rate measure, test positivity, and hospital burden have all improved.In addition to the positive metrics, we also observe that nearly 44,000 residents now have “natural immunity” via recovery from infection, and thousands of residents are proceeding through inoculation toward vaccine-based immunity. Every recovered or vaccinated individual reduces the potential pool of future cases, and improves overall community conditions. With vaccination accelerating, we anticipate that we’ll be able to maintain and further enhance improving community conditions. We also affirm the Governor’s decision to move school personnel up into the “1B" phase for vaccine distribution, meaning that D49 workforce members who want to receive the vaccine will have that option even sooner than initially projected.El Paso County has developed a vaccination dashboard with details about the numbers of doses and series, as well as other information about vaccination plans. You can review that information at the county website:Our major caution as we continue in-person learning is the pattern, observed in many communities nationwide, that normalizing school operations can correlate with increased community activity, mobility, and transmissions. Although schools are not a direct vector for increased transmission, with extremely low infection rates compared to the community, they may catalyze other conditions that do drive increased transmission. Because schools operate downstream from the community, we redouble our exhortation for all students, staff, and residents to maintain the same, effective, personal practices that have helped our community recover from the December wave of cases and illness.HEALTH DATA
County health data has improved in the last two week, with elevated levels and improving trends.
https://www.elpasocountyhealth.org/ covid19data-dashboard On the three key population health measures, this is the status as of Tuesday morning, January 25 2021:Summary Chart:
Key Measure #1: 14-Day Incidence per 100,000 *Lower is better
Rating: HIGH RISK Level with Improving Trend
The Case Rate has decreased from 451 last Monday to to 329 today. This metric has entered the in the “High Risk" range (Between 175 and 350). Guidance from county and other public health officials is to continue monitoring for any evidence of a sustained surge that may disrupt the overall positive trend.
Key Measure #2: Daily PCR Test Positivity (14-Day Average) *Lower is better
Rating: CONCERN Level with Improving Trend
The test positivity rate is improved from last week (7.15) to 5.70% today, above the public health target (maximum) of 5%. We want that number lower, so it is beneficial that test positivity measure is stable or improving. The average turnaround time for testing is stable at 2.92 days. Due to logistics realities for collection, transfer to lab, and lab processes, any average turnaround under two days is near optimal. As individuals return from holiday travel and seek precautionary testing, we anticipate that the total number of tests will increase, the turnaround time will increase temporarily, and the positivity rate may become more volatile, with short-term erratic patterns of increases and decreases.
Key Measure #3: Community Health Agency Burden
Rating: FAIR/GOOD with Beneficial (Improving) Trend
This measure is a composite of hospitalization and death rates, which reveal the intensity of infectious spread and resulting illness. Although it is a self-reported measure with some subjectivity, the fact that total hospitalizations have decreased since early December is a positive indicator of decreasing burden on hospital facilities and services. Note that hospitalizations are a lagging indicator following case rates and test positivity by approximately 10-14 days.
DISTRICT INCIDENT DATADistrict incident data is available on our dashboard.
Return To Learn
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We are pleased to announce that District 49 will return from Spring Break on March 29 with a full-schedule, full-population model for all grades to complete the school year.
Public Health Data
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El Paso County Public Health COVID-19 Data Dashboard.
The data graphs in the the D49 weekly update come from the EPCPH Data Dashboard.
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CO COVID Dial Update 11-2-20
Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment: Governor's Public Health Order 20-36
COVID-19 Dial -
In-Person Learning in the Time of COVID
Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment: The costs and benefits of in-person learning during rising cases in Colorado
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"Doing My Part, Help Colorado Now"
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Colorado Department of Education Resources for Schools
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Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
