Berthoud Weekly Surveyor | Covering all the angles in the Garden Spot

News Bites – January 28, 2021

By: Amber McIver-Traywick | The Surveyor | February 01, 2021 | Local News

A crash on U.S. Highway 287  Tuesday, Jan. 26  resulted in the death of  34-year-old George Carter of Berthoud. A part of Highway 66 in Longmont in front of Walmart was closed for five hours after the crash police say likely resulted from the winter weather conditions.

According to police a sedan being driven by Carter was heading south on U.S. Highway 287 when it lost control on the icy roads and began to spinout sideways into the northbound oncoming traffic.

The sedan was hit broadside on the driver’s side of the vehicle by an SUV that was traveling north.

Five people were in the SUV and were taken to the hospital with various injuries. Police report that those victims were all from Fort Collins and are expected to recover.

Investigators believe speed and icy roads were contributing factors. It is not suspected drugs or alcohol were involved.

Carter leaves behind a wife and two children.

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The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) launched a new call center this week for the public to ask questions specifically about the COVID-19 vaccine. Now through the end of January, the vaccine call center is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Beginning Feb. 1, hours will extend to 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The new toll-free number is 1-877-CO VAX CO (1-877-268-2926).

Vaccine call center staff are trained to answer COVID-19 vaccine-related questions, provide information about vaccine providers across the state, and give general information about COVID-19. Fifty operators are available to answer calls and can provide information in multiple languages. Staffing will expand as call volume requires.

According to the CDPHE, hospital demand and the number of reported cases of the COVID-19 virus continue to decline from the December peak, and the effective reproductive number is at 0.83. With this number below one, the epidemic is declining in Colorado; however, infections remain widespread. The estimated number of infectious people has declined to approximately 1 in 115 – approximately the same as the April peak, but still almost 1% of Coloradans.

The ColoradoSPH modeling team has updated the model to examine the possible spread of the new variant (B.1.1.7) and also the consequences of vaccination. Based on the modeling results, the ColoradoSPH modeling team warns that “if the B.1.1.7 variant spreads as rapidly in Colorado as in the United Kingdom, high levels of transmission control and/or vaccination will be critical to avoiding another large surge in hospital demand.”

State Epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy speaking at a news conference Tuesday about the new variant said, “The take-home message is if we are able to keep up transmission control at least through June 1 we can contain COVID-19,” referring to social distancing, mask-wearing, hand-washing and avoiding groups of people.

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