Where Weld County stands with COVID-19 numbers more than half a year into the pandemic
By Kelly Ragan
The weather is getting colder. School’s back in session. And we’ve survived a pandemic for the better part of a year.
We’ve found our groove in this weird new world, but where is Weld County with COVID-19?
According to data from the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment, Weld has seen a total of 98 deaths because of COVID-19. Since September 1, four people have died.
According to data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Weld has seen a total of 151 deaths with COVID-19.
The state is measuring both deaths caused directly by the virus and deaths where the virus was present but wasn’t ruled to be the main cause.
As of Wednesday, Weld’s two-week average positivity rate ticked up to 4.2%, according to the county data. That means that of the tests given in the last two weeks, 4.2% of them tested positive.
That’s still well below the 10% threshold Greeley-Evans School District 6 presented as being cause for schools to go fully remote.
Which K-12 schools are dealing with COVID-19 related quarantines?
According to the Greeley-Evans School District 6 website, these schools are dealing with quarantines among cohorts:
Jackson Elementary School: third grade cohort, quarantined from Sept. 16-30
Winograd K-8 School: third grade cohort, quarantined Sept. 17-Oct. 1
University Schools: first grade cohort, quarantined Sept. 17-Oct. 1
University Schools: first grade cohort: quarantined Sept. 18-Oct. 1
Winograd K-8 School: fifth grade cohort: quarantined Sept. 21-Sept. 29
Franklin Middle School: seventh grade cohort, quarantined Sept. 21-Oct 5
Transportation: Mixed cohort, quarantined Sept. 22-Oct. 6
University Schools: all seventh-grade cohorts, quarantined Sept. 19, Oct. 5
Franklin Middle School: eighth grade cohort, quarantined Sept. 24-Oct. 8
Franklin Middle School, eighth grade cohort, quarantined Sept. 24-Oct. 8
Jackson Elementary School: fifth grade cohort, quarantined Sept. 25-Oct. 2
Frontier High School: mixed cohort, quarantined Sept. 24- Oct. 8
University Schools: seventh grade cohort, quarantined Sept. 24-Oct. 8
Prairie Heights Middle School: eighth grade cohort, quarantined Sept. 28-Oct. 7
Franklin Middle School, sixth grade cohort, quarantined Sept. 28-Oct. 8
Dos Rios Elementary School: fifth grade cohort, quarantined Sept. 29-Oct. 8
Martinez Elementary School: second grade cohort, quarantined Sept. 30-Oct. 13
Switched to remote learning
Franklin Middle School moving to remote between Oct. 1-13
Frontier High School moving to remote learning Oct. 1-12
(*Any University School parents out there who’d like to share their experience, please reach out to us at TheNoCoOptimist@gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you.)
What about higher ed students?
As of Wednesday, the University of Northern Colorado reported 28 cases in September. Of those cases, two were tied to university employees. The rest have been students, according to the university.
Since UNC began tracking numbers and posting them on its website in July, it’s reported a total of 44 cases, with 28 in September, seven in August and nine in July.
That’s a far cry from what’s happening at other nearby universities.
The University of Colorado in Boulder is in the throes of a major outbreak.
According to state data, within the last week, at least 1,198 students tested positive and 12 university employees tested positive. Another 104 students were marked as “probable” COVID-19 cases but weren’t confirmed via lab tests.
About 900 students at Colorado State University in Fort Collins were quarantined after wastewater monitoring showed high levels of the virus coming from campus residents, according to a report by The Denver Post.
As of Wednesday, CSU reported 365 positive cases since June.
Where are the other outbreaks?
Schools aren’t the only places people congregate. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has a running list of outbreaks its deemed active in Weld County. Here’s what’s on the list:
Faith Tabernacle Church
Date started: 9/8
Attendees who tested positive: 10
Farmer’s Insurance
Date started: 9/18
Number of staff positive: 3
Little Angels Christian Pre-K
Date started: 9/14
Number of staff positive: 2
Number of attendees with probable but not tested COVID-19: 1
Pelicans Lake Golf Club
Date started: 9/22
Number of staff with confirmed COVID: 3
Number of attendees with confirmed COVID: 13
Number of attendees with probable but not COVID-19: 3
Vestas Blades America in Windsor
Date started: 8/11
Number of staff positive for COVID: 10
Way to Go Merchandising and Staffing
Date started: 9/14
Number of staff with confirmed COVID-19: 3
Weld County Jail
Date started: 4/1
Number of residents confirmed positive: 55
Number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths: 1
Number of staff who tested positive: 22