Top 5 most-read stories last week: COVID-19 antibodies, rental regulations and construction fatality – Summit Daily

Editors note: Stories in this list received the most page views on SummitDaily.com in the past week.

Public health officials have said the treatment is becoming a key to limiting hospitalizations at a time when just 6% of Colorados intensive-care beds are available.

The treatment which essentially gives patients antibodies that vaccinated people are already making on their own is proving to be effective: Out of 276 treatments on COVID-19 patients at UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center in Steamboat Springs, officials say just a handful have ended up in the hospital.

The hospitals nurse manager Sanaya Sturm said vaccination is still the best way to protect from contracting the virus. Still, for those who are not vaccinated or people with weak immune systems, hospital officials said antibodies have had really good results when given within 10 days of the first symptoms. The treatment is also given to those who have been vaccinated but still contracted the virus.

Steamboat Pilot & Today

At a Summit Board of County Commissioners meeting Nov. 23, the board passed new short-term rental licensing regulations on first reading. The new regulations divide unincorporated Summit County into resort zones which include areas such as the Peaks 7 and 8 neighborhoods, Copper Mountain and Keystone and neighborhood zones, which include areas such as Dillon Valley, Wildernest and Summit Cove.

Summit County Senior Planner Jessica Potter, who helped spearhead the countys new regulations, explained at the meeting that home sales in the first half of 2021 that resulted in short-term rental license applications increased 21% compared with the first half of 2020.

Summit County leaders believe these changes will indirectly stop the bleed, or slow the pace of short-term rental unit conversions.

Jenna deJong

Its finally here: The Pad hotel and hostel officially opened the week of Thanksgiving, and with it, A-Bar, a new watering hole that offers both guests and visitors a place to stop and relax on the north side of town.

The Pad has generated buzz as a boutique hostel-hotel hybrid that offers a combination of shared- and private-room options to accommodate the needs and interests of different types of travelers. The development was built with 18 upcycled shipping containers and features 36 rooms and 101 beds.

According to a news release, co-owners Lynne and Rob Baer built the boutique hostel as a new social lodging concept. Part of that social concept extends to A-Bar, the new bar situated near the lobbys front desk that welcomes visitors and locals.

Jenna deJong

The Colorado Department of Transportation has entered a winter hiatus on construction to replace a failing emergency access structure beneath Interstate 70 west of the Eisenhower Johnson Memorial Tunnels, according to a news release.

The release said that from the end of November until April, 2022, no lane closures or construction work are expected for the I-70 structure replacement project. The far-right westbound lane west of the tunnel has also been reopened.

A separate repaving project on I-70 will continue between Silverthorne and Frisco during work hours Mondays through Thursdays, according to the release.

Lindsey Toomer

Its been over three weeks since a trench collapse along Sallie Barber Road killed 20-year-old Marlon Diaz and partially buried another individual. Details about the incident remain scarce as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration takes on the investigation.

But one thing is clear: A steel box meant to protect workers from a trench collapse was not in use when emergency responders arrived at the scene Nov. 16.

Drew Hoehn, deputy chief of operations for the Red, White & Blue Fire Protection District, reported that when the district arrived at around 4:15 p.m., the steel trench box used to support trench walls was not in the trench but was sitting nearby the site. Hoehn said it appeared members of the crew were working in an unprotected hole during the time of the incident.

Jenna deJong

More here:

Top 5 most-read stories last week: COVID-19 antibodies, rental regulations and construction fatality - Summit Daily