Ouray County Public Health Agency

Ouray County Public Health Agency Find out about projects, initiatives and programs happening at Public Health! Social Media User Rules for Ouray County Sites:
i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. Defamation;
d.

We appreciate your interest in Ouray County government. We aim to be as transparent as possible and we encourage engagement with our community. You participate at your own risk, taking personal responsibility for your comments, your username and any information provided. Ouray County does not necessarily endorse, support, sanction, encourage, verify, or agree with third party comments, messages, posts, opinions, advertisements, videos, promoted content, external hyperlinks, linked websites (or the information, products or services contained therein), statements, and commercial products, processes or services posted on any social media site. Ouray County social media sites, while such sites are publicly maintained and operated for responsive/interactive posting, serve as a limited public forum and all content published is subject to preservation and disclosure in accordance with the Colorado Open Records Act and other applicable law. Ouray County appreciates comments and posts from viewers, whether you agree with our post or not. We are committed to responding as quickly as we can to posts, comments and questions - and we aim to clarify any details or specifics as best as we can. Please be advised though, that our social media page is not monitored 24/7 and responses will not be immediate. If there is an emergency, contact 911. We understand that there will be times that you don't agree with what we have posted, and you have a right to express your disagreement. However, user generated posts may be rejected or removed (and repeat user-generated posts may result in an administrative-level user block) when the posting content includes any of the following:
a. Incitement of violence or violent behavior;
b. Information that may compromise the safety or security of the public, public employees, public systems, or criminal or civil investigations;
c. Infringement or unauthorized use of copyrighted, trademarked, or proprietary material;
e. Commercial material including solicitations;
f. Fraudulent material or accusations;
g. Comments or content that promotes, fosters, or perpetuates; discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, age, religion, gender, marital status, genetics, status with regard to public assistance, national origin, physical or
intellectual disability or sexual orientation;
h. Obscene or illegal material, including comments that advocate for illegal activity;
i. Protected personal information including, but not limited to, identification numbers, phone numbers, emails, home addresses, and personally identifiable medical information; and
j. Hyperlinks to any material prohibited under the above guidelines. You can view our entire County Social Media Policy here: https://ouraycountyco.gov/DocumentCenter/View/16467/2022-015-Social-Media-Policy

At our recent BOCC meeting, community champion Carolyn Dressler brought in two full jars of cigarette butts collected by...
10/09/2025

At our recent BOCC meeting, community champion Carolyn Dressler brought in two full jars of cigarette butts collected by Ridgway-Ouray Community Council (ROCC) during a 1-mile highway cleanup. 🚯

πŸ’¨ Cigarette butts are more than just litter β€” they’re toxic to wildlife, slow to decompose, and can even spark wildfires in our dry climate.

πŸ”₯ One small ember is all it takes.
πŸ¦… One discarded butt can poison birds and small animals.
🌎 One piece of trash can take up to 10 years to break down.

Let’s follow Carolyn’s lead β€”
βœ… Don’t litter.
βœ… Educate others.
βœ… Get involved in local cleanups!

πŸ“Έ: Thank you Carolyn & ROCC for showing us what community care looks like!

Hello Ouray County!Ouray County Public Health is partnering with Southwest Colorado Opioid Regional Council (SWCORC) and...
10/08/2025

Hello Ouray County!
Ouray County Public Health is partnering with Southwest Colorado Opioid Regional Council (SWCORC) and we are seeking community input and putting together a focus group to find out how best to spend Substance Use Recovery funding from those that have been directly or indirectly affected by Substance Use Disorder in Ouray County.
❓ Want to Participate? πŸ“± Scan the QR Code or email πŸ“§ Cole Cooper at cole.cooper@western.edu

Hello, Ouray County! As a reminder, our office moved to Ridgway. Please remind your friends and family if they are needi...
09/29/2025

Hello, Ouray County! As a reminder, our office moved to Ridgway. Please remind your friends and family if they are needing to visit us.
πŸ“ Stop by and see us at 177 Sherman St. Unit 103, Ridgway
☎ Give us a call with any questions! 970-325-4670

As we begin the 2025–2026 COVID-19 and Flu vaccination season, Ouray County Public Health would like to update our community on vaccine availability, eligibility, and insurance coverage:

Vaccine Availability:
We currently have limited quantities of both the COVID-19 vaccine and the high-dose flu vaccine for individuals 65 and older. We expect to begin receiving these vaccines more regularly moving forward.

To ensure fair access, we are creating a call-back list to schedule appointments based on our supply. If you are interested, please call us at (970) 325-4670 ext. #3 and leave your name, phone number, and which vaccine(s) you would like. We will reach out to schedule you as soon as supply allows.

In the meantime, we have plenty of regular-dose flu vaccine available and are actively scheduling appointments for these. If you would like a regular flu shot, please leave your name and phone number, and we will contact you to schedule an appointment.

We appreciate your patience and will continue to keep the community informed as our supply status changes.

πŸ’» https://ouraycountyco.gov/149/Public-Health

The flu virus doesn't stop at the county line and care for all people who live in our region doesn't either. Ouray Count...
09/21/2025

The flu virus doesn't stop at the county line and care for all people who live in our region doesn't either. Ouray County Public Health is excited to support Montrose County Public Health in promoting their FREE flu vaccine clinic for anyone needing a flu vaccine on October 15th. Let's all join together in staying healthy!
πŸ“† Wednesday, October 15 - 3:00PM to 7:00PM
πŸ“ Montrose County Fairgrounds & Event Center

Do you, or anyone you know, have questions about Medicare? Join Neighbor to Neighbor and Region 10 for a presentation co...
09/19/2025

Do you, or anyone you know, have questions about Medicare? Join Neighbor to Neighbor and Region 10 for a presentation covering:
β€’ An overview of Medicare
β€’ Information about Supplemental Policies
β€’ Medicare Advantage
β€’ How to understand Medicare literature
πŸ“† Thursday, Oct 2 from 6:30PM-8:00PM
πŸ“United Church of the San Juans - 295 N. Lena, Ridgway
☎️ If you or your loved one is in need of help, be sure to give Neighbor to Neighbor a call! 970-325-4586
πŸ“§ Or email them at ouray.neighbor@gmail.com

Breastmilk is the gold standard when it comes to infant feeding, but it’s not always as easy as we think. Check out our ...
09/15/2025

Breastmilk is the gold standard when it comes to infant feeding, but it’s not always as easy as we think. Check out our Family Wellness Program of the San Juans https://www.sanjuanfamilywellness.com/breastfeeding and learn about your local breastfeeding resources!

The Family Wellness Program is here to support you in meeting your goals and offering compassionate guidance whether or not you are able to meet them.
❓ What is offered?
πŸ‘Ά Support from Certified Lactation Counselors
πŸ‘Ά Counseling, with follow up sessions
πŸ‘Ά Home visits as needed
πŸ‘Ά Breast pumps and accessories

Hello Ouray County! I wanted to give you all some background information for this week's wastewater dashboard since it i...
09/11/2025

Hello Ouray County!
I wanted to give you all some background information for this week's wastewater dashboard since it is a bit different this week. Now that we are collecting samples weekly from both the Town of Ridgway, Colo. and the City of Ouray, we are in the process of transitioning to a local wastewater dashboard which will hopefully show the results from both the Town of Ridgway and from the City of Ouray. As we work through the details of putting the data together, our latest Wastewater Dashboard shown below is an average of the Ridgway and Ouray data for the week of 9/1/25.
πŸ’» View the Wastewater Dashboard webpage: https://ouraycountyco.gov/479/Ouray-County-Wastewater-Dashboard

Individual location detections for the week of 9/1/25 are:
Town of Ridgway:
Sars-Cov-2 (Covid) - Detected
RSV - Not Detected
Flu - Not Detected

City of Ouray:
Sars-Cov-2 (Covid) - Detected
RSV - Not Detected
Flu - Not Detected

Thanks for your continued interest and support!
Kristin

πŸ“£ Beep Beep 🚐 the CDPHE mobile vaccine clinic is joining us and Ouray County Emergency Medical Services at Survival Game...
09/10/2025

πŸ“£ Beep Beep 🚐 the CDPHE mobile vaccine clinic is joining us and Ouray County Emergency Medical Services at Survival Games: Fun Ways NOT to Die safety fair!
πŸ“† Date: Saturday, September 20, 2025
πŸ“ Address: Ouray County Fairgrounds & Event Center (22739 US-550, Ridgway)
⏰Times: Clinic hours from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
πŸ’» Registration is recommended for vaccine clinic (details below)

***Please bring your shot records and insurance card to the clinic***

***We always recommend that folks call their insurance company ahead of time to make sure that the vaccine is covered under their plan and find out what the cost will be (if any)***

Available Vaccines: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, HPV, Meningitis, MMR, MPOX, Pneumonia, Polio, Shingles, Tdap, RSV, and Varicella vaccines for adults. The team will also plan to bring a limited amount of pediatric vaccines and seasonal vaccines if they are available. Listed vaccines are available while supplies last and are subject to change.

Registration Information: Patients can pre-register or come as a walk-in. CDPHE highly encourages pre-registration to ensure a smooth clinic flow and to limit patient waiting time. The clinic name in their registration portal is "Survival Games: Fun Ways Not to Die Clinic.”

Patients can view the Mobile Public Health Clinic Program Website for a detailed list of vaccines or ask questions prior to the clinic.
πŸ’» mobilepublichealth.com

Upcoming Sexual Health Clinic with River Valley Family Health Center, Western Colorado Health Network, and Access Point ...
09/09/2025

Upcoming Sexual Health Clinic with River Valley Family Health Center, Western Colorado Health Network, and Access Point Western Slope
πŸ“† Saturday, Sept. 13 from 12PM-4PM
πŸ“ Ouray County Public Health - 177 Sherman St. Suit 103, Ridgway

Sexual Health is for everyone!
This is a walk-in clinic and appointments are available for anyone with privacy concerns.

Please call for an appointment or with questions:
πŸ“± Camille at Western Colorado Health Network (970) 243-2437
πŸ“± Kristin at Ouray County Public Health (970) 325-4670

Ridgway wastewater collected on 8/29/25. We have COVID-19 and Flu viral particles detected in our wastewater. πŸ€’ If you n...
09/02/2025

Ridgway wastewater collected on 8/29/25. We have COVID-19 and Flu viral particles detected in our wastewater.
πŸ€’ If you need a COVID-19 home test kit, please stop by our office in Ridgway. Or if you're sick, please call ahead and we'd be happy to bring one out to your car.
☎ 970-325-4670
πŸ’» Learn more about wastewater data collection on our website: https://ouraycountyco.gov/479/Ouray-County-Wastewater-Dashboard

πŸ“£ Register now to join Tri-County Health Network for their Talk Saves Lives - An Introduction to Su***de PreventionπŸ“† Wed...
08/29/2025

πŸ“£ Register now to join Tri-County Health Network for their Talk Saves Lives - An Introduction to Su***de Prevention
πŸ“† Wednesday, Sept. 10 from 5:30PM-6:30PM (virtual via Zoom)
πŸ“± Scan the QR code or
πŸ’» Register online: tchnetwork.org/events-and-classes/

Sad news from Montrose County. A resident of the county has gotten sick and died from West Nile virus. Please reach out ...
08/27/2025

Sad news from Montrose County. A resident of the county has gotten sick and died from West Nile virus. Please reach out to Montrose County Public Health for more details on this case.

Protect yourself and your family by preventing mosquito bites:
βœ… Use EPA-registered insect repellent.
βœ… Wear long, loose-fitting shirts and pants.
βœ… Avoid outdoor activities from dusk to dawn.
βœ… Use screens on windows and doors or air conditioning.

Learn more about how to protect yourself with these official resources:
Fight The Bite Colorado - http://www.fightthebitecolorado.com/
CDC - West Nile Virus: https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Montrose County Marks First West Nile Virus Death of the Season
---
Montrose, CO - Montrose County Public Health has confirmed the first West Nile Virus-related death of the year. The individual, a man in his early 80s, is believed to have contracted the virus earlier this month. At this time, there are two confirmed cases of West Nile Virus in the county. The virus is most commonly transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito.

β€œMontrose County Public Health is encouraging everyone to take precautions against West Nile Virus,” said Lisa Gallegos, Communicable Disease Coordinator for the county.

Most people infected with West Nile Virus experience no symptoms. Around 20% may develop flu-like symptoms, while less than 1% can develop a serious, potentially life-threatening illness. Adults over 60 and individuals with certain underlying health conditions are at higher risk for severe complications. If you experience intense headaches or confusion, seek medical attention promptly.

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, along with Montrose County Public Health, strongly encourages residents to take steps to protect themselves. Below are recommended precautions to follow this summer when spending time outdoors, especially in areas where mosquitoes are active.

To protect yourself:
β€’ Use insect repellents when you go outdoors. Repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, and some oil of lemon eucalyptus, and para-menthane-diol products provide the best protection. Follow label instructions. Free mosquito repellent wipes are available at Montrose County Public Health (1845 S. Townsend Ave in Montrose).
β€’ Limit outdoor activities at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus are most active.
β€’ Wear protective clothing (long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and socks) in areas where mosquitoes are active. Spray clothes with insect repellent for extra protection.

To mosquito-proof your home:
β€’ Drain standing water around your house at least once every week. Empty water from tires, cans, flowerpots, clogged gutters, rain barrels, birdbaths, toys, and puddles.
β€’ Install or repair screens on windows and doors.
β€’ Replace outdoor lights with yellow β€œbug lights”. These attract fewer mosquitos. These do not repel mosquitos, just limit the amount.
β€’ Pickup a free mosquito dunk at Montrose County Public Health (1845 S. Townsend Ave in Montrose) to help control larvae in ponds or other standing water around your home.
β€’ For more information and West Nile virus data, visit CDPHE’s West Nile virus web page https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/west-nile-virus

Address

177 Sherman Street Suite 103
Ouray, CO
81432

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+19703254670

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ouray County Public Health Agency posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram