Deadly week as COVID spreads through Sublette

Brady Oltmans, boltmans@pinedaleroundup.com
Posted 10/6/21

Staff at Sublette County Public Health has been stretched thin since the Delta variant started moving through the county. Now, along with a shortage of nurses, active COVID-19 cases and patients needing additional hospital care have hit unprecedented numbers.

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Deadly week as COVID spreads through Sublette

Posted

SUBLETTE COUNTY – Staff at Sublette County Public Health has been stretched thin since the Delta variant started moving through the county. Now, along with a shortage of nurses, active COVID-19 cases and patients needing additional hospital care have hit unprecedented numbers.

The Wyoming Department of Health reported 82 new cases of COVID-19 in Sublette County from Sept. 25 to Oct. 1. As of last week’s update issued on Oct. 1, Public Health confirmed 85 active cases in the county with people isolating or quarantining in every part of the county.

Sublette County Emergency Medical Services at the time was transporting two to three people every day via ambulance or flight to regional hospitals for additional levels of care.

Public Health confirmed in its update that it was notified of three more deaths in the county that has not been reported in the Wyoming Department of Health state numbers. That raised the county’s death toll by 20 percent.

Public Health officials said they are tired and struggling with the current surge.

Because of the unchecked spread of the novel coronavirus, Sublette County is now in the very high transmission zone for community spread in the latest calculations with a positivity rate surpassing 25 percent.

Testing can be done by calling the Pinedale Medical Clinic (307-367-4133) or the Marbleton Medical Clinic (307-276-3306). Altitude Drug and Ridley’s Pharmacy also offers COVID-19 testing.

Last week’s Public Health video update included guest Dr. David Kappenman joining Public Health nurse Janna Lee to discuss the virus variants, testing and vaccinations. That is available on the Public Health Facebook page.

As of Sept. 27, 2,480 people have been fully vaccinated in Sublette County. That included 85 individuals countywide last week. About 28.89 percent of the county population is vaccinated.

Public Health continues to offer weekly vaccinations in both Marbleton and Pinedale. Altitude Drug and Ridley’s have also begun offering vaccinations.

This week is also the Public Health flu and COVID-19 vaccine drive-through clinics. Public Health will be at the Sublette County Fairgrounds from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Oct. 5, to offer senior flu shots. Community flu and COVID-19 vaccines are offered 2 to 5 p.m. The same is being offered at the Museum of the Mountain Man in Pinedale on Thursday, Oct. 7, with senior flu shots from 10 a.m. to noon and community flu and COVID-19 vaccines administered 2 to 6 p.m.

Payment for flu vaccines is due at service. Those hoping to signup can do so at www.sublettewycovid.com/vaccines.