Another Coloradan Tests Positive For Omicron Variant

BOULDER COUNTY, CO — Boulder County's first case of the omicron variant was reported Friday.

Boulder County Public Health was notified of a patient who had recently traveled to South Africa, and who had tested positive for COVID-19, officials said. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment then discovered through sequencing that the case was the omicron variant.

The patient is isolating and working with officials to notify close contacts, the agency said.

“It’s not unexpected that we would eventually identify another variant of SARS-CoV2," said Michelle Haas, chief medical officer with Boulder County Public Health, in a statement.

"All viruses generate random changes as they replicate. Some changes cause the virus to adapt and become more efficient in passing from person to person. As long as we see ongoing transmission, we will continue to see emergence of new variants. When we have such high rates of COVID-19 in our community, vaccination is critically important, as well as other measures to limit transmission such as wearing a mask inside.”

Vaccination is the best way people can protect themselves and their community, Haas said.

"Vaccination greatly reduces the chances of infection, which limits transmission and reduces the chances of being hospitalized and dying from COVID-19," Haas said.

"Because the omicron variant is new, we are still gathering information about whether it is more contagious and whether it will cause people to have more severe disease. However, what little we do know would indicate there is still some protection from vaccines, and that masking and other mitigation strategies are still highly effective.”

A woman from Arapahoe County tested positive for the omicron variant after she traveled to Southern Africa, state public health officials announced Thursday.

Boulder County's mask mandate requires everyone ages 2 and older to wear a mask while indoors in a public space. Public health officials strongly recommend wearing a mask when around people from other households indoors and while outdoors in crowds or large groups where social distancing is not possible.

The county also posted the following recommendations:

• Practice good hygiene by washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub that contains 60% alcohol.
• Whenever possible, move any events or gatherings outdoors. If you must be indoors with other households, be diligent about wearing your mask, improve ventilation and increase air filtration.
• If you feel sick or have any symptoms like fever, cough, difficulty breathing, fatigue, body aches, headache, loss of taste or smell or sore throat, stay home, get tested and isolate or quarantine if necessary.
• In alignment with CDPHE, BCPH recommends that people who have recently traveled internationally should be tested 3-5 days after their return with a molecular or PCR test, regardless of symptoms or vaccination history. Anyone, regardless of vaccination status, who develops symptoms should get tested immediately and isolate.