Four more COVID-19 deaths confirmed

Vaccines available for those 18 or older with health issues

The number of Sweetwater County COVID-19 deaths now number 34, according the Sweetwater County District Board of Health.

Sweetwater County Public Health Director Kim Lionberger said the Wyoming Department of Health recently confirmed four recent COVID-19 deaths. They include:

• A Sweetwater County woman, age 61-75, who died out of state the week of Jan. 31-Feb. 6.
• A Sweetwater County man, age 76 or older, who died the week of Jan. 17-22.
• A Rock Springs man, age 45-60, who died the week of Jan. 10-16.
• A Green River woman, age 76 or older, who died the week of Jan. 3-9.

The county’s COVID-19 positivity rate is going down, with the most recent 14-day rolling average at a 7.3% positivity rate. Health officials say the target positivity rate is below 4%. They ask residents to continue to take precautions such as washing hands, maintaining a distance and wearing a mask.

Sweetwater County Public Health is now offering vaccinations to anyone in groups 1a and 1b, which recently was expanded. It includes anyone 65 and older.

Group 1b also includes anyone 18 or older with health issues including cancer, chronic kidney disease, obesity (BMI over 30), diabetes, heart conditions, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, solid organ transplant, sickle cell disease, Down syndrome, immunocompromised state, severe neurologic conditions (stroke or dementia) or pregnancy (pregnant women should first discuss the vaccine with their provider).

To schedule an appointment to receive a vaccine, call Public Health at 307-922-5390 or call Castle Rock Medical Center at 307-872-4590.

The vaccines are offered to those in groups established by the Wyoming Department of Health. To find out more about those listed in each group, go to sweetwatermemorial.com and click on the Coronavirus Update Page listed at the top.

Deaths among Wyoming residents are added to the state’s coronavirus-related death total based on official death certificate information and the location of the person’s permanent residence, according to the Wyoming Department of Health. Deaths among Wyoming residents who pass away in other states are not counted in both states. If death certificates do not describe COVID-19 as either causing or contributing to a person’s death, those deaths are not included in Wyoming’s count of coronavirus-related deaths.

More health and community updates can be found on the Public Health, Sweetwater Memorial and Sweetwater Cares Coalition Facebook pages, or go to sweetwatermemorial.com, sweetwatercares.com, covid19.wyo.gov, and cdc.gov.