San Juan County, with its single incorporated town of Silverton, is a popular destination spot. It’s also one of the top 10 most-vaccinated counties in the nation. 99.9% of its eligible population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But despite high vaccination rates, the pandemic is still impacting the day to day for many in this southwestern Colorado county. And recent spikes in cases and outbreaks over the summer have demonstrated that health measures beyond just getting the vaccine are critical in the battle against COVID-19.
Rae Ellen Bichell, a reporter with Kaiser Health News, recently reported on San Juan County and the strategies public health officials there are employing to keep its highly vaccinated population safe. She joined us to talk about what's going in San Juan County now that its approaching the end of a bump in tourism, and what lessons the rest of the state can take away from their experience.
