Sign up for the Newsletter to receive the latest News & Events from Aspen Valley Hospital.

  • Hidden
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Aspen Valley Hospital is available 24/7 to provide you with the expert care that you need!

Phone:

970-925-1120

Get In Touch:

Send us a message

Address:

Aspen Valley Hospital
0401 Castle Creek Road
Aspen, CO 81611

Sign up for the Newsletter to receive the latest News & Events from Aspen Valley Hospital.

  • Hidden
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Aspen Valley Hospital is available 24/7 to provide you with the expert care that you need!

Phone:

970-925-1120

Get In Touch:

Send us a message

Address:

Aspen Valley Hospital
0401 Castle Creek Road
Aspen, CO 81611

search locations Our Locations search doctors Find a Doctor search services Our Services search symptoms and conditions Symptoms
The next few weeks are key

Omicron Variant is Upon Us

December 29, 2021

To Our Community: The Next Few Weeks are Key

Omicron is upon us, in full force.

As of this writing, Aspen Valley Hospital’s overall capacity status has been elevated from “comfortable” to “cautious.” This is based on a handful of factors — the greatest pressure being our ability to maintain our services amid the alarming spike in the COVID incidence rate due to Omicron. Like all employers, we are worried about how our staff are being impacted by this explosive increase locally. Our current number of essential healthcare workers out with COVID and COVID-like symptoms has pushed us into the “concerning” or “red” status on our capacity matrix. We’re also seeing a precipitous rise in the number of COVID-positive patients in our emergency department, which has pushed us into the “cautious” level there. And because the number of ICU beds across the state of Colorado continues to hover at the 90% or greater occupancy level, we are “cautious” with regards to our transfer capacity, too.

What we don’t know at this time is how many hospitalizations we may see because of this dramatic rate of climb and the trajectory of cases. Omicron is different than Delta and previous versions of COVID. We can’t afford to allow AVH to be overwhelmed by hospitalized patients. We need to maintain capacity to care for our COVID patients, as well as everyone else who needs care.

You, the community, are counting on us. We are counting on you.

This is a critical time to come together once again for our collective health and safety and to protect our ability to keep our community open. Omicron is more transmissible than any other virus except measles. Here’s how you can help protect yourself, your family and our community. You’ve heard it before, and as much as it bears repeating, we know it works:

 

  • Get vaccinated/boosted.
  • Wear your mask!
  • Stay home if you have COVID symptoms:
    »Cough
    »Headache
    »Fever
    »Sore throat
    »Congestion
    »Shortness of breath
    »Body aches/chills
    »Nausea/vomiting
    »Diarrhea
  • Get tested if you have moderate to severe symptoms. 

Call the Pitkin County COVID Helpline for information at 970-429-3363.

Call The Helpline

  • Social distance. Avoid large groups of any kind where masks are not being worn and you don’t know if everyone is vaccinated.

Our actions speak louder than words. Please make smart choices as we head into New Year’s celebrations and double down on your efforts to adhere to these precautions. Aspen Valley Hospital will continue to be there for all who need us.