Coronavirus Update
Public Health References
CDC * Colorado * Jefferson County * City of Golden
Jefferson County’s case count page says that as of 3PM yesterday, there were 644 (up from 589) “confirmed, probable, suspected, or under investigation” cases in Jefferson County. There have been 24 deaths (up from 23) and 158 are hospitalized (up from 146). There are 56 known cases in Golden (up from 50).
The State-Wide Stay-at-Home Order is in effect through April 26, 2020. Everyone is asked to wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth when leaving the house. City and County fire restrictions are in place.
Virtual Golden
Community Center
8-8:55AM Zumba Virtual Class
Golden United – Virtually Golden
12PM Tyler Noeth, Golden Backpack Program and the BGoldN Fund
Jefferson County Public Health
5:30PM Coping with COVID-19 –
To join, call 855-695-3486 at 5:30.
Recorded Yesterday:
Live from the Director’s Kitchen: Salzstangerl
Mayor and City Manager’s Coronavirus Update
Recorded Tuesday:
Ward 4 Candidates Forum
Golden History Moment
We rarely hear about in-home quarantines anymore: if someone is sick enough to be quarantined, we put them in a hospital. One reason for that is that we have a lot more hospitals than we did 100 years ago. Even more importantly–we rarely have the kind of epidemics (or the diseases) that were commonplace a century ago.
Dr. Perry Kelly has two or three cases of small pox in the country east of us, all of which came into the county from Denver, where the loathsome disease is quite prevalent, although the press and the people of that city continue to persistently deny the fact.
Colorado Transcript, March 13, 1889
Our of curiosity, I searched the Colorado Transcript for the word “quarantine,” and found it used most often in the 1900-1930s period. These are the incidences I found:
Quarantine for Scarlet Fever
1893, 1895, 1898, 1900, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1935
Quarantine for Diphtheria
1893, 1897, 1898, 1923, 1931, 1932, 1933
Quarantine for Smallpox
1889, 1899, 1900, 1901,1908, 1920, 1933
The years listed above are certainly not the only times those diseases were occurring. As mentioned, quarantine was a common practice, and wouldn’t usually have warranted mention in the newspaper.
Ed Throckmorton reported for duty again Monday morning after seven weeks quarantine, owing to the sickness of his wife with smallpox. We are glad to know that she is now convalescent and the quarantine has been removed.
Colorado Transcript, February 6, 1901
Entire households had to stay in their houses for weeks, or sometimes months. If someone broke quarantine to go to work, the Transcript would publicly shame them.
Once more we call attention of the health committee to open violation of the quarantine laws. In several homes where one or more little ones are down with scarlet fever, and a strict quarantine should be maintained, heads of the family come and go, and attend to their business as usual. Germs of the dread scarlet fever may easily be carried in the clothes, hair or beard of these men, and distributed to passing children. The laws of the land and of humanity are thus set at defiance. Let the authorities do something to put an end to this criminal carelessness.
Colorado Transcript, January 23, 1900
The Industrial School (now the Lookout Mountain Youth Services Center) had several epidemics due to the crowded living conditions and quarantines were imposed frequently at the school.
Smallpox Scare: Twelve Cases in Mild Form at the Industrial School A quarantine was established at our hospital by our physician eighteen days ago…they thought it advisable to extend the same to embrace the entire institution.
Colorado Transcript, September 5, 1900
Scarlet fever, diphtheria, and smallpox were the big three, though I also found references to quarantines for chickenpox (1918), influenza (1918), spinal meningitis (1937), and polio (1953).
We now immunize babies against diphtheria, so it’s far rarer than it used to be. We vaccinated so aggressively for smallpox that the disease has been eradicated. There is no vaccine for scarlet fever, but it’s treatable with antibiotics.
Our current stay-at-home order is different from a quarantine, in that it’s designed to protect us from illness, rather than protecting others from an illness we already have. Unfortunately, one of the side effects is still a definite possibility:
Dan Williams is again officiating at his place of business, after spending a month at home under quarantine orders. He took on considerable fat during his enforced confinement.
Colorado Transcript, January 16, 1901
Thanks to the Golden History Museum for providing the online cache of historic Transcripts, and many thanks to the Golden Transcript for documenting our history since 1866!
