Montrose, COLO.— Montrose County Public Health is encouraging the public to have a COVID-19 plan for their household. Increased COVID-19 cases have indicated that transmission is occurring within family or residence units and creating a plan may help reduce case numbers. Make a plan, much like emergency preparedness, encourages residents to think through scenarios involving COVID-19 and helps guide them through some common questions in order to be better prepared.
“Montrose is a strong, resilient and generous community and we take care of each other,” said Commissioner Sue Hansen. “This community-first attitude has helped Montrose County overcome challenges in the past and this is one small step to ensuring that we will continue to protect our vulnerable and slow the spread of COVID-19. The benefits of having a plan extend beyond just your residence—it will help keep schools and businesses open and ultimately, help protect our community.”
One of the most important parts of this plan is to find a doctor. Several practices in Montrose County are accepting new patients—including uninsured and under-insured individuals—and many offer sliding fee scales to assist with payments. It’s easier to connect with a doctor and fill out paperwork before getting sick rather than in the middle of an illness. Having reliable medical guidance from a physician is key to helping individuals stay healthy.
“Recently the county has moved a level on the state’s dial due to the increase of cases, and right now our job is to identify ways to help reduce that spread,” said Assistant Public Health Director Allison Howe. “Transmission among families is high—we know it is important to help care for loved ones when sick, but we are encouraging the public to have a plan in place to help keep the rest of the household residents safe. Also, because many households have multiple generations, and it is extremely important to keep our vulnerable populations safe from COVID-19.”
For more information and guidance on a plan, as well as daily COVID-19 data, please visit montrosecountyjic.com or watch the Make a Plan video at https://youtu.be/Y97lzP7xBog.