COVID-19 loosens its grip in Sweetwater County

“We are trending in the right direction,” Sweetwater County Health Officer Dr. Jean Stachon said Monday.

While the positivity percentage based on COVID-19 tests done in the last few weeks, at 7.3%, is still nearly double the 4% goal the county’s health department has, there is a lot of good news in the ongoing battle against the novel coronavirus. As of Monday, only one person is in Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County’s intensive care unit and now more people have been vaccinated than have contracted COVID-19. Variations of the novel coronavirus reported elsewhere have also not been detected in Sweetwater County and every dose of the COVID-19 vaccines shipped to the county have been used. Not a single dose has gone to waste Dr. Stachon said.

“Our numbers look the best of any county in the state as far as getting the vaccine out,” Dr. Stachon said.

Sweetwater County Public Health has distributed more than 4,500 does of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, with Castle Rock Hospital District distributing another 1,800 vaccines.

Kim Lionberger, director of Sweetwater County Public Health, said the 60% of the county’s population aged 70 and older have received a vaccine and more than 2,000 people aged 65-69 have also been vaccinated.

Additional vaccination opportunities may also be opening up at Wal-Mart in Rock Springs Dr. Stachon said. She said the retailer is preparing to provide vaccines, though an exact number is unavailable at this time.

Dr. Stachon also said anyone with a pre-existing condition that could lead to increased chances of complications from COVID-19, which include heart disease, diabetes and having a body-mass index of 30 or higher, can be scheduled to receive a vaccine dose regardless of their age. People in the 1A category, who are emergency and healthcare workers, will be given priority, as well as older people in the 1B category, but the challenge for the health department now is to ensure it continues to vaccinate people in those priority groups to ensure it receives the same amount of vaccines.

Dr. Stachon said 500 vaccines originally earmarked for distribution in Sweetwater County will be sent to Teton County next week as that county continues focusing on older residents with underlying health conditions.

This has resulted in Sweetwater County Public Health to start working through the VA and private providers to identify people who are eligible for the vaccine, but may have been missed in the initial outreach effort. She said they’re also attempting to reach people who travel outside the county for their healthcare. a

People who have underlying health concerns who want to schedule a vaccination appointment can call Castle Rock Medical Center at 872-4500 or Sweetwater County Public Health at 307-922-5390.