Pitkin County COVID-19 Status
Pitkin County Public Health is currently monitoring and making decisions about mitigation strategies based on two things:
- Current CDC Risk Level – As indicated by the CDC COVID-19 Data Tracker community transmission metric to guide healthy best practices and mask recommendations for Pitkin County residents, businesses, and visitors.
- Regional and Local Data – Measuring hospital capacity and key indicators based on Pitkin County Public Health and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) data.
See below for more information.
Current CDC Risk Level
For Pitkin County
Low
Moderate
Substantial
High
Our current risk level is based on the CDC COVID-19 Data Tracker community transmission estimates for Pitkin County. The current level is displayed on COVID-19 Data Tracker map or through the COVID-19 County Check Tool. This metric uses the total number of new cases per 100,000 persons within the last 7 days (7-day incidence per 100K residents) and the percentage of positive diagnostic and screening Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests (7-day % positivity). If the two indicators suggest different transmission levels, the higher level determines Pitkin County’s Risk Level. For more on how CDC determines community transmission levels, visit the CDC’s Understanding Community Transmission Levels in Your County webpage.
CDC compiles this data from CDPHE and the thresholds are displayed on the COVID-19 Hospital Capacity and Key Metrics dashboard alongside local data. The CDPHE COVID-19 Dial Dashboard continues to be available to view transmission across Colorado.
Low Transmission
Control is achieved largely through individual prevention behaviors and the public health response to identify and isolate cases or clusters. Threshold: Counties with fewer than 10 cumulative cases per 100,000 population in the past 7 days, AND a cumulative PCR percent test positivity result below 5% in the past 7 days.
Moderate Transmission
Adherence to individual and selected community level prevention strategies are needed. Threshold: Counties with 10-49 cumulative cases per 100,000 population OR a cumulative PCR test positivity result between 5.0-7.9% in the past 7 days.
Sustantial Transmission
Everyday activities should be limited to reduce spread and protect the health care system. Threshold: Counties with 50-99 cumulative cases per 100,000 population OR a cumulative PCR test positivity result between 8.0-9.9% in the past 7 days.
High Transmission
Significant measures are needed to limit contact between persons, with priority given to maintaining essential community activities and services (e.g., health care, transportation, food and agriculture, schools). Threshold: Counties with cumulative cases =100 per 100,000 population OR a cumulative PCR test positivity result =10.0% in the past 7 days.
Regional and Local Data
COVID-19 Risk Level & Hospital Status
**UPDATE – Aspen Valley Hospital changed its Inpatient Hospitalization and Transfer Capacity indicator in the hospital’s capacity matrix to Cautious starting on November 4th. This change is directly related to a reduced transfer capacity to hospitals with higher levels of care, and not based on hospitalizations at AVH, which remain comfortable. See “AVH Status” tab for more details. The best mitigation remains increasing vaccination rates and adhering to indoor masking and other measures to reduce transmission.
Key Indicators of hospital capacity at Aspen Valley Hospital (AVH) are displayed on the “AVH Status” tab in the middle panel of the dashboard. If AVH inpatient hospitalization and/or transfer capacity reaches a “concerning” level, capacity limits and public health requirements may be reinstated for the community. Visit the AVH website for more information on units and departments.
In addition, CDPHE will continue to monitor each county’s COVID-19 status, as well as regional hospital ICU and Acute Care bed capacity displayed in the bottom panel of this dashboard.
Key metrics that determine COVID-19 recommendations for communities and businesses are displayed in the middle panel of the dashboard. Seven-day incidence rates and 7-day average % positivity are displayed alongside CDC community transmission thresholds (see above). The three metrics inside the dashboard are based on Pitkin County data which include presumed positives from case investigation, positive PCR and positive antigen test results. Note that CDC incidence rates and percent positivity estimates are only based on PCR test results. Also, CDC data may lag Pitkin County data by 1-2 days.
