Disease Prevention

Disease Prevention is the work that Pitkin County Public Health performs in order to identify and respond to disease outbreaks, provide guidance to community partners about infection prevention, work with individuals to identify sources of certain illnesses, and reduce the amount of disease present within the community overall. This work is done by the county epidemiologist in partnership with the City of Aspen, Town of Snowmass Village, local healthcare providers, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).


Particular attention is paid to diseases that can be easily spread through the community, either by exposure to a common source or from person to person.  These diseases are known as communicable diseases. Illnesses from such diseases can often be prevented through community education and communication. Pitkin County is uniquely vulnerable to certain types of communicable diseases due to the proximity to wilderness areas, as well as, due to the high volume of travelers visiting the county.


The majority of communicable diseases that individuals in Pitkin County come into contact with can be put in to the following categories:

  • Vaccine Preventable Diseases

  • Respiratory Illnesses

  • Food and Water Borne Illnesses

  • Animal Bites or Exposures (Rabies)


If you have any questions, please email our Disease Prevention team at DiseasePrevention@pitkincounty.com


Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD’s)

VPD’s include many highly contagious and deadly pathogens that are easily preventable by staying up to date on routine vaccinations. These pathogens include:

  • Polio

  • Measles

  • Varicella (Chicken Pox)

  • Hepatitis A and B

  • Mumps

  • Whooping Cough

  • Tetanus

  • HPV

Many of these diseases are not only dangerous for the individual, but are of grave public health concern.  Maintaining high rates of vaccination in the community is essential to protecting individuals from suffering potentially severe negative medical outcomes, including death, due to VPD’s.


On-time vaccination throughout childhood is essential because it helps provide immunity before children are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases. Vaccines are tested to ensure that they are safe and effective for children to receive at the recommended ages. Please see the recommended Immunization Schedule from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) using the button below.


To schedule a vaccination appointment you can contact your pediatrician or primary care physician or you can contact Community Health Services.


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