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Pueblo County issued the following announcement on Sept. 4.

Community COVID-19 Testing Site Open Labor Day

Pueblo County’s free COVID-19 drive-thru testing site will be open Labor Day, Monday, September 7 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the parking lot at Arroyo and Acero avenues. The testing site, which is now managed by MAKO Medical, will be open Monday through Saturday the week of September 7 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. The site will operate in the parking lot at Arroyo and Acero avenues (enter off Arroyo) through Wednesday (Sept. 9). Beginning Thursday (Sept. 10), the testing site will move inside the Colorado State Fairgrounds and individuals must enter through Gate 4 off Mesa and Gaylord avenues. There is no limit to the number of people who can be tested per day.

Testing is encouraged for people experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, first responders, health care workers, critical infrastructure employees, teachers, and individuals who work in congregate settings.

Important Testing Information:

• • Testing is free
  • Tests are administered by test site staff; no self-swabbing testing
  • Testing is encouraged for individuals experiencing COVID-19 symptoms
  • Testing will be provided for anyone who feels the need to get tested for COVID-19
  • Testing will be provided to individuals 2 years of age or older
  • No insurance or physician referral is required
  • Masks are required.
  • There are resources on-site for our Spanish-speaking population
  • Pre-registration is recommended but not required
  • Registration link can be found here: www.pueblohealth.org/covid19

Testing is drive-thru only and individuals being tested must be in an enclosed vehicle wearing a mask. No bicycles, motorcycles or walk-ups are allowed. The site is open to neighboring counties.

District 70 to Provide Free Meals to All Students

School District 70 announced this week it will provide free meals to all students during remote learning period. District 70 will provide free meals to students regardless of their learning platform (in-person, remote, hybrid). Students at Villa Bella and Swallows Charter Academy are eligible for the free meals. The meals are available from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the following locations: Avondale Elementary, Vineland Middle, Pleasant View Middle, Desert Sage Elementary, Liberty Point International, Beulah School, and Craver Middle School. The Grab-n-Go meals can be picked up in the bus loop of the school. On Thursdays, students will receive a meal package for Friday.

State Releases Indoor Visitation Guidance for Residential Care Facilities

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has released guidance for indoor visitation in residential care facilities which allows for skilled nursing facilities, assisted living residences, group homes, and intermediate care facilities that meet the criteria to welcome visitors indoors. The guidance allows for visits from service providers such as beauticians, barbers, podiatrists, dentists and therapists. Currently, residential care facilities may offer visitation under compassionate circumstances and in outdoor environments. The guidance released this week outlines criteria that must be met to implement indoor visitation. For the criteria and more on the guidance click here.

State and Local Officials Urge Precautions be Taken to Ensure Safe Labor Day Weekend

With the Labor Day weekend ahead, state and local public health officials are urging people to act responsibly to limit the spread of COVID-19. After the Fourth of July holiday, there was an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. In an effort to avoid such an increase after the Labor Day holiday, individuals are urged to take the following precautions: wear a face-covering when around others, gather only in small groups (preferably 10 people or fewer) and outside if possible, maintain a 6-foot distance from others and avoid risky activities that could lead to COVID-19 exposures.

State Officials Announce Partnership to Expand Access to Broadband Services for Students

A public-private partnership was announced this week that will bring access to broadband services for students this school year. T-Mobile will provide free WiFi hotspots and 100GB of data for up to 34,000 low-income households in the state. Qualifying households will also have access to devices, such as tablets or computers, at a significant discount. Households in the T-Mobile service area will be eligible for the program based on student participation in the National School Lunch Program. Additionally, other providers will be offering low- and no-cost options for families.

Colorado Department of Education officials also announced they will distribute $2 million from the emergency federal funding to help school districts provide broadband access to low-income families. Attorney General Phil Weiser also announced the state is filing a petition asking the Federal Communications Commission to temporarily waive some restrictions on its E-Rate program to allow schools to extend their broadband internet networks to students’ homes for educational purposes.

Governor Extends Disaster Emergency Declaration

Governor Jared Polis extends the executive order for disaster declaration and employment of the Colorado National Guard to support and provide planning resources in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The executive order can be read here.

Outbreak Reported at Coronado Stone; Taco Bell Outbreak Resolved

Public health officials from the Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment announced a new COVID-19 outbreak in Pueblo County. Coronado Stone has reported an outbreak on September 1. According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, an outbreak in a facility is defined as two or more confirmed cases of COVID-19 during a 14-day period. To date, Coronado Stone has eight employees who have tested positive for COVID-19. 

The COVID-19 outbreak at Taco Bell, 703 N. Santa Fe Ave, and the Pueblo Youth Center have been resolved. CDPHE deems an outbreak resolved after 28 days have passed with no new illness reported. The outbreak at Taco Bell was reported on August 4. The outbreak at PYC was announced July 14. Pueblo County has had 18 reported outbreaks, seven are active and 11 are now resolved.

Pueblo’s COVID-19 Case Updates

Public health officials from the Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment announced 40 new positive COVID-19 cases in Pueblo County since Monday, August 31. The positives cases are a 4-year-old female, 11-year-old female, 13-year-old female, 13-year-old female, 15-year-old female, 15-year-old female, 19-year-old female, 21-year-old female, 21-year-old female, 24-year-old female,  24-year-old female, 24-year-old female, 24-year-old female, 35-year-old female, 36-year-old female, 40-year-old female, 45-year-old female, 49-year-old female, 50-year-old female, 64-year-old female, 69-year-old female, 72-year-old female, 75-year-old female, 1-year-old male, 2-year-old male, 6-year-old male, 7-year-old male, 8-year-old male, 23-year-old male, 25-year-old male, 26-year-old male, 33-year-old male, 39-year-old male, 49-year-old male, 51-year-old male, 61-year-old male, 67-year-old male, 71-year-old male, 73-year-old male and 74-year-old male.  Pueblo County has a total of 919 confirmed positive and probable* cases among Pueblo County residents. The total number of people testing, 15,693 is not reflective of everyone testing negative in Pueblo County.

Confirmed and probable cases have been combined to align with state and national data. However, the COVID-19 Status Update chart will continue to show probable cases.

As cases continue to be investigated, the data in this update is subject to change.

*A probable case meets the clinical criteria and epidemiological evidence, yet it has not been laboratory confirmed with a test. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is now reporting probable cases across the state.

Original source can be found here.