by Mark CraddockOUR WORLD — In Huerfano County, COVID vaccinations are up, case counts are down, and public mask wearing is now largely optional. But new COVID variants are lurking in the shadows. On April 2, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis announced a new executive order allowing people in level-green counties – including Huerfano County — to
by Sharon NiedermanRATON — “We’re coming out of the COVID surge,” Chief Medical Officer Dr. Loretta Conder announced to the Miners Colfax Medical Center at the March 15 board meeting. “With fewer people in the ER, we’re switching back to outpatient services, catching up on stress tests, pulmonary function and sleep studies,” she said. Dr. Donald
by Todd BrogowskiLAS ANIMAS — The year was 1918. US military involvement in conflicts overseas overshadowed news of the disease burning through civilian and military populations alike. Eight months passed from the start of the pandemic to its first mention in Trinidad newspapers. Instead, headlines focused on a joint US naval victory over the Austro-Hungarian
by Mark Craddock OUR WORLD — During the COVID-19 surge late last year, registered nurse Tara Luckner of Castle Rock spent a grim three months administering care to the sickest patients on the COVID ward of a Utah hospital. On Tuesday, she was seated at a table at Walsenburg’s community center, mixing and diluting doses of
Las Animas County moves from yellow to blue by Mark Craddock and E.E. Mullens OUR WORLD — One year ago today, Gov. Jared Polis issued his first “stay at home” executive order which, among other things, launched a long dry spell for the state’s liquor establishments. Tonight, many of those bars may reopen. Their patrons
One year into Colorado’s pandemic, CDC offers hope with its latest guidelines by Mark CraddockOUR WORLD — Exactly one year ago today (March 11, 2020), the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a worldwide pandemic. That same day, Gov. Jared Polis issued an executive order declaring a disaster emergency because of COVID-19, the first in a long
by Sharon NiedermanNEW MEXICO — New Mexico Department of Health has added a higher ranking in its “Red to Green “ COVID-safe county assessment. If a county has been rated “green” for two consecutive bi-weekly map updates, it will be allowed to move to “turquoise” level, the highest level of business, dining, and lodging openness. A
by Mark CraddockOUR WORLD — During a week in which President Joe Biden announced there would be enough COVID-19 vaccine for every adult in America by the end of May, and Colorado announced it would receive its first shipment of the new Johnson and Johnson vaccine as early as tomorrow, an outbreak at the La Veta
New Mexico has highest percentage of vaccine received by Sharon NiedermanCOLFAX — According to Colfax County Emergency Services Manager Tom Vigil, “Forty-five percent of the county is in some stage of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.” With Friday clinics at Miners Colfax Medical Center reaching 600-700 people and this week’s completion of round two distribution of the
by Mark CraddockOUR WORLD — Flags are flying at half-staff this week as the nation marks a grim milestone – more than a half-million Americans have died of COVID-19 in the nearly year-long pandemic. As of Wednesday morning, Johns Hopkins University put the number of dead at 502,698. In that time, more than 5,800 Coloradans have
