Events, Gatherings & Guidance

Events Guidance during the COVID-19 Pandemic

(Updated January 26th, 2022)
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gunnison County Health and Human Services convened the Events Review Team and developed a process for events and gatherings to keep our Valley healthy, safe, and open. While the process of reviewing event plan submissions is no longer active, we encourage all persons planning or hosting events to incorporate COVID-19 prevention practices.

Guidance for Events  & Gatherings: The layers of COVID-19 Prevention Practices

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to shift and call for further vigilance and adaptation, we are here to help in connecting the community with the current guidance available as well as offering our own assistance. Incorporating layers of preventing practices into events and gatherings, no matter the size, will help you guests, staff, volunteers and community by adding in some protection from the virus and its variants.

Quick Links

For Attendees/Staff/Volunteers:

  • Vaccinations: Get your COVID-19 vaccination(s) and booster and help slow the spread of the virus.
  • Masks: Wear a well-fitting mask when attending indoor events as well as outdoor events that are crowded. CDC Guidance on types of masks can assist on determining the best level of protection needed and provides other helpful details. During times of high-transmission and when dealing with more contagious variants (like Omicron (B. 1.1.529)), medical grade and KN95/N95 masks offer better protection compared to cloth masks.
  • Preventing Further Transmission:
    • Stay home if you are sick or if someone you live with is in isolation due to the virus. Please get tested as soon as possible if you develop symptoms of COVID-19.
    • Practicing proper hand hygiene is always important to incorporate in public settings/events and helps protect those close to you.
    • Using an at-home rapid antigen test on yourself before attending can be a big help, especially if you have COVID-19 and have not developed symptoms or are experiencing very minor symptoms, as it will indicate that you should start isolating and will have helped keep the virus from getting to other attendees, staff, or volunteers. Currently, tests can be ordered through programs provided by the Colorado Department of Health & Environment and the United States government.
    • Distancing yourself form others and group still also helps to slow the spread.
  • Ventilation: Enhancements are still important in reducing any airborne illness risk at any time of the year, and should be considered when attending an event.
  • For those that are immunocompromised or considered high-risk for severe illness, we encourage you to evaluate an event or gathering for incorporating COVID-19 prevention practices.

Additional Considerations for those involved with planning

  • Ventilation: Enhancements that promote cleaning and refreshing of the air are still critical in slowing the spread of the virus are should be considered for all venues/space. Some examples of enhancements are adding HEPA units into indoor space with poor ventilation, opening windows/doors when possible, and, using fans to exhaust air outside.
  • Remote Attendance Opportunities: Especially during times of high transmission in a community, offering this option will help allow access to those who cannot risk attendance or are otherwise unable to attend in person.
  • The CHC has a website that hosts several frequently asked questions regarding events and gatherings; CDC FAQ's for Event Planners.

Along with the previously listed practices in the last two sections, additional resources from the CDC can be found by clicking here for the CDC's event and gathering guidance website. Also developed by the CDC is a very helpful checklist for those planning events that wish to incorporate COVID-19 prevention practices, and can be found by clicking here (PDF).

Assistance

If consultation or assistance with planning any event is desired, email the Events Guidance Team to ask about scheduling a consultation. Scheduling consultations ahead of time is advised for at least a week or more before the event.

When events or gatherings involve a mixture of vaccinated, partially vaccinated, and unvaccinated persons. incorporating prevention practices to reduce risks of COVID-19 transmission is never a bad idea!

Events Guidance Team

If you have a question or want to schedule a phone call, please reach out to the Events Guidance Team using the below information.

Nicole Stone (Team Lead)
P: (970) 642-4666
E: Events Guidance Email