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'This virus is here to stay': Omicron subvariant causing COVID-19 wave in Colorado

Sady Swanson, Fort Collins Coloradoan
·7 min read

Coronavirus cases in Colorado are rising again due to a new subvariant of the omicron variant, public health officials said this week.

In Larimer County and statewide, daily case rates and the percentage of tests returning positive have been increasing in the past few weeks. The presence of COVID-19 in the county's wastewater detection system has also been rising, Larimer County Public Health Director Tom Gonzales said.

"(It) is a concern," Gonzales said. "It means that the community prevalence of COVID-19 is increasing."

The increase places Larimer County in level medium under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, which means people who are at high risk for severe illness are advised to speak with their provider about precautions they should be taking, and everyone is advised to stay up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccines and get tested if they have symptoms, according to the CDC website.

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Gonzales said models predict about 1 in 109 Coloradans have COVID-19 right now, and Larimer County's case rate is similar to what the county saw in February.

This wave is being caused by a new omicron subvariant — BA.2.12.1 — detected in the last few weeks that now makes up about 40% of COVID-19 cases in the state and nearly 50% of cases in Northeast Colorado, Gonzales said.

Boosters: Kids 5-11 could start receiving 3rd doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine within days

The new subvariant appears to be about more 25% transmissible, though early data shows it isn't any more likely to cause severe illness than other subvariants or the original omicron variant, state epidemiologist Rachel Herlihy said during a Thursday morning news conference.

"The prevalence is high enough again that the chances of you getting COVID-19 are fairly high," Gonzales said.

Hospitalizations have also been increasing, but not as quickly, Gonzales said. Public health officials expect this wave to cause some strain on the state's hospital system, but nothing like the issues experienced in the winter, Gonzales said.

This wave is expected to peak in mid-June with anywhere from 500-800 people hospitalized with COVID-19, Herlihy said.

After the peak, Gonzales said cases will likely slowly come down, unlike the steep drop in cases seen after the winter omicron peak.

Gonzales said county health leaders aren't considering implementing any public health orders during this wave, with hospitals unlikely to be overwhelmed and the community now having much higher immunity.

This wave is most concerning for those who are at higher risk for severe illness or hospitalization, including older and immunocompromised people, Gonzales said. Treatment is key for those individuals, he said, and it's best to make a plan with a health care provider early so treatment can be started early after symptoms start, he said.

People who don't have a health care provider can visit covid19.colorado.gov/getting-covid-19-treatment to find a treatment provider in their area.

"It's so important that no one is left behind," Gonzales said. "That someone doesn't get COVID and we could have prevented them from going to the hospital with the therapeutics."

Herlihy also advised those who are at higher risk may want to consider wearing masks when in public indoor spaces and taking at-home COVID-19 tests before gathering with others.

"It's been a long two-plus years at this point, and we know people are getting tired of the virus, but unfortunately that doesn't stop the virus from doing what it will do," Colorado COVID-19 Incident Commander Scott Bookman said during Thursday's news conference. "This virus is here to stay and this is how we're going to live with it."

Fort Collins resident Esther Worman receives her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021, at the Longs Peak Student Center at Front Range Community College in Fort Collins. Coloradoan file photo
Fort Collins resident Esther Worman receives her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021, at the Longs Peak Student Center at Front Range Community College in Fort Collins. Coloradoan file photo

Where can I get a COVID-19 test or vaccine?

In-person, drive-thru COVID-19 testing is still available for free at Mako Medical sites at these locations in Larimer County:

  • Foundations Church, 1380 N. Denver Ave., Loveland; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday-Friday

  • Estes Park Events Complex, 1125 Rooftop Way, Estes Park, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday

Hospitals and pharmacies also provide COVID-19 testing. For more locations, visit larimer.org/health/communicable-disease/coronavirus-covid-19/covid-19-testing.

At-home tests are available for free through the federal government. People can order eight at-home tests to be delivered to their homes by filling out the form at covid.gov/tests.

Report results of your at-home COVID-19 test online at covidrapidtests.colorado.gov/login.

Vaccines are also available at hospitals and pharmacies throughout Larimer County, and people ages 5 and up are eligible for a vaccine. Visit larimer.org/health/communicable-disease/coronavirus-covid-19/covid-19-vaccine or call 970-498-6700 for help in scheduling a vaccine appointment.

What should I do if I test positive for or am exposed to COVID-19?

If you test positive for COVID-19, you need to isolate, but the duration depends on how you're feeling, according to the state health department. You should isolate for at least five full days, followed by five days of precautions.

You can stop isolating after five days if:

  • You tested positive but don't have symptoms

  • You had mild symptoms, you are starting to feel better and you don't have a fever

Your first full day in isolation is the first day after you started feeling symptoms or tested positive. If you tested positive and started feeling symptoms after, your first day is when your symptoms started.

In the five days following your isolation, you should:

  • Wear a well-fitted mask around others, in your home and in public

  • Avoid eating and drinking around others

  • Avoid contact with people who are at high risk for severe illness from COVID-19

  • Avoid traveling

If you can't wear a mask, you should isolate for the full 10 days, according to the state health department. You don't need to take another test to leave isolation.

If you still have a fever after five days in isolation, continue isolating until your fever has been gone for at least 24 hours and other symptoms have improved.

If you were exposed to someone who had COVID-19, you may have to quarantine. People who don't have to quarantine under current public health guidance include:

  • People who are up to date on all recommended vaccine doses

  • People who have tested positive for COVID-19 (not counting antibody tests) in the previous 90 days

People who are unvaccinated or who are not up to date with all recommended COVID-19 vaccines do have to quarantine for five days after exposure and wear a well-fitting mask around others for five more days following quarantine.

If you can't quarantine, public health officials recommend wearing a well-fitted mask around others for 10 days after exposure.

What COVID-19 precautions should I take right now?

Larimer County meets the CDC's criteria for medium risk level under its COVID-19 community levels. The CDC recommends people in those communities:

  • Stay up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines

  • Get tested if you have symptoms

  • If you are at high risk for severe illness, talk to your health care provider about other precautions you should be taking, like wearing a mask.

Herlihy recommended people who are at higher risk for severe illness wear masks in public indoor spaces, take an at-home test prior to gathering in large groups and maintain social distancing from others.

More: Here's where Larimer County stands with COVID case rates and vaccine rates

Larimer County to provide COVID-19 update Friday

What: The Larimer County health department will provide a virtual COVID-19 update, discussing local COVID-19 conditions, updated information on vaccines and boosters and share information on treatment options.

When: 11:30 a.m. to noon Friday

Where: 

Who: Public Health Director Tom Gonzales, county epidemiologist Jared Olson and Larimer County Medical Director Paul Mayer will speak.

Sady Swanson covers public safety, criminal justice, Larimer County government and more throughout Northern Colorado. You can send your story ideas to her at sswanson@coloradoan.com or on Twitter at @sadyswan. Support her work and that of other Coloradoan journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Highly transmissible omicron subvariant causing COVID-19 wave in Colorado