With the respiratory-illness season under way, local employers have simple, cost-effective ways to keep their workforce healthy and resilient this fall.

Statewide data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment shows flu activity increasing across the state early this year. CDPHE reports Colorado hospitals are already reporting a growing number of positive flu tests and flu-related hospitalizations.

In Mesa County, respiratory illness activity typically increases from October through March with peak activity between December and February.

A single flu case in a workplace can spread quickly through shared spaces, break ooms, and customer-facing teams. Beyond office safety, workplace disruptions can happen when employees need to stay home to care for sick children or relatives.

To help business leaders stay informed, Mesa County Public Health tracks trends and publishes regular updates.

“Instead of tracking every positive case, we focus specifically on hospitalizations. This approach gives us the clearest picture of disease severity and overall impact on the local health-care system in Mesa County,” Mesa County Public Health Epidemiologist Supervisor Kathleen Satterfield said.

Through March 2027, the Mesa County Public Health Disease Surveillance Team will publish hospitalization updates every other week for COVID-19, influenza (flu), and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) on our website and social media channels.

New for this year, Mesa County Public Health will publish data on respiratory illness outbreaks impacting local facilities, such as schools, childcare centers and long-term care settings. Mesa County Public Health works directly with staff at these sites to put plans in place to reduce the spread of illness during an outbreak.

“Prevention is our best defense during the respiratory-illness season, especially when it comes to protecting our most vulnerable neighbors, including infants, young children and older adults,” Satterfield said.

Employers can encourage these essential habits to protect yourself and your staff from the worst outcomes of these viral respiratory diseases:

• Stay home when you are sick.
• Wash your hands frequently.
• Disinfect surfaces you frequently touch at work and home, such as door knobs and light switches.
• Stay up to date on vaccines.

There are safe and effective vaccines available to protect against flu, COVID-19 and RSV. Talk to your health-care provider or pharmacist to discuss recommendations. The Mesa County Public Health Clinic currently offers:

• Standard influenza vaccine for anyone six months and older.
• Enhanced influenza vaccine for adults 65 and older.
• COVID-19 vaccine for individuals 12 years and older.

Call 970-248-6906 to schedule an appointment. You can also explore the most recent respiratory-illness data on our website at mesacounty.us/public-health under local disease and illness.

By staying informed and promoting preventive measures, Mesa County businesses can reduce sick leave, protect productivity and strengthen the community during respiratory illness season.

Sarah Gray is a communication specialist with Mesa County Public Health. For additional information, call (970) 248-6900 or visit mesacounty.us/public-health.