The Yuma County COVID Task Force was initiated in early 2020 with the express purpose of accomplishing three very specific and very important goals. These goals are:
- To keep our local businesses open and operating at the highest capacity possible.
- To return our students to in-person learning and keep them safely there.
- To ensure that our local healthcare resources are not overrun.
The Task Force continues to meet at least weekly and work tirelessly on accomplishing these goals. The Task Force is composed of the County Commissioners, County administration, City Managers, City officials, Northeast Colorado Health Department officials, and Administrators and clinical staff from both local hospitals. The group works closely together to ensure consistency and efficient, effective response to public health situations as well as to realistically interpret public health orders and guidance.
This team has seen continued success in supporting local businesses, local schools, and local healthcare resources by utilizing the resources that are available and working in the best interest of our local communities. The resource that we are now needing to tap into is the very community we are working for. The extent and variety of information being provided to the public is astounding. We recognize the wide-ranging opinions on the validity, applicability, and helpfulness of the information and we’re with you in our efforts to make heads or tails of it.
What we do know for certain is that the actions we take as a community will have a very real impact on the goals in front of us. Whether we agree or not; whether we approve or not; whether we like it or not, our businesses and schools are depending upon us as a community to keep local case counts low. Our friends and neighbors operating local businesses and our kids going to class and participating in sports and activities need us to pull together and fight for their ability to continue doing so.
The Task Force has always believed strongly in the individual ability to make choices. We ask you now, as we face an increase in the number of cases reported locally, to consider your local businesses and schools when making those choices. Wash your hands one more time. Take one more step back from the next person in line. Scale that guest list back. Help us retain local control. Help us keep our businesses open, keep our kids in school, and keep our hospitals functioning.