JACKSON, Wyo. — Today the Teton County Board of County Commissioners released an open letter to the community urging residents in the county to “acknowledge and embrace our individual responsibility to combat COVID-19.”

The letter follows after Teton County and the rest of the state has seen a record number of new cases and hospitalizations throughout October and November. The latest information on COVID-19 cases in Teton County and Wyoming can be found here.

Please see the letter from the Teton County Board of County Commissioners below:

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November 17, 2020

Open Letter to the Teton County Community:

Teton County is facing a truly unprecedented time in history. The global coronavirus pandemic is impacting our families, our businesses, our way of life. It is unlike anything we have seen before in our community.

As COVID-19 spreads in Teton County, the one thing that has remained constant since the first case in our small mountain community, is that we are truly all in this together. COVID-19 does not discriminate. It can affect anyone at any time, any business at any time, any community at any time.

As the seasons change, shifting toward the winter flow of shorter days, cooler air, spending more time indoors as well as a seemingly endless playground of snow – the time of year that brings so many of us joy through winter sports – winter also brings with it an added challenge for our community to combat this infectious disease.

Now, it is more important than ever to acknowledge and embrace our individual responsibility to combat COVID-19. Ask yourself the tough questions. How do I keep my family safe? How can I protect my friends and co-workers? How can we keep our businesses running so that they are functional, productive, and safe for employees, residents, and visitors.

The depths of individual responsibility may vary from person to person, business to business – but the mantra is the same: I will do my part.

Resist the urge to gather in large groups when you think it is unsafe. Wear a mask if you can. Wash your hands for twenty-seconds. Try to keep your physical distance from others but reach out when you need support.

COVID-19 is relentless. But so is Teton County. We are all in this together.

Teton County Board of County Commissioners

Natalia D. Macker
Greg Epstein
Mark Barron
Mark Newcomb
Luther Propst

Jacob Gore was born and raised in Cheyenne, the capital city of Wyoming. As a proud Wyomingite, he loves to share his home with visitors from around the world. Spending years in Jackson and Alaska as an interpretive nature guide, he remains a photographer, traveler, storyteller, and avid hobbyist of all-things outdoors. Jacob enjoys bridging the connection between Jackson and the rest of the state.