Colorado Gov. Jared Polis Gives Coronavirus Update

DENVER, CO—The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reported nine new coronavirus deaths Monday, bringing the state's total to 851. It also reported that 272 new people were infected with the virus, bring the state's total to 16,907. Despite the increase, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said during a news conference the daily growth rate continues to decline.

“As of yesterday, the growth rate was down to 1.4 percent in new coronavirus cases, and we’re continuing to see similar results in the hospitalization rate. The growth rate was .1 percent in hospitalization," he said.

While he said those numbers are a step in the right direction, he reminded Coloradans that the state isn't out of the woods yet and urged residents to continue practicing caution in their daily lives and when around loved ones.

“We know Coloradans can't be asked or expected to stay at home indefinitely. Nobody can. People have to earn a living. People have to have psychological and social fulfillment. So, too, we have to make sure Coloradans aren’t going back to the way we lived in January or February, or we could be on the same tragic trajectory that we successfully stopped," Gov. Polis said during the news conference.

Monday was the first day many Coloradans were allowed to go back work. Business offices have been allowed to reopen at 50 percent capacity. The governor, however, said he still encourages employers to allow workers to telecommute if possible.

"I also want to remind folks that no vulnerable individuals, folks over 65, people with underlying health conditions, can be compelled to go back to a workplace where they are performing work in close proximity of others," the governor said.

Polis said he wasn't sure when restaurants would reopen yet for dine-in. In March, he ordered restaurant closures statewide. Currently, he said he is seeking guidance from the restaurant industry on safety guidelines for reopening.

"We don’t have that date yet [for reopening] because we need the data of the next couple of weeks," he said. "Restaurants are already open in Mesa County. There might be other counties working on countywide plans. In the meantime, whether that date in Colorado is late May or June 1, we want to make sure we can get the guidelines right, so they are able to be implemented successfully, so restaurants are a safe place to go."

To date, 2,838 people have been hospitalized due to the coronavirus and 83,266 have been tested. For people who may experience flu-like symptoms, Polis urged them to remain at home and self-isolate until four or five days after the last symptom subsides.

“If you do have the coronavirus, the good news is nine in ten people can recover at home without any medical intervention, but the bad news is one in ten will need that hospital bed to have a fighting chance of their life," he said. “We’re going to get through this together as a state.”

During his news conference, Polis unveiled a new interactive map of community-based testing sites that local public health departments have set up across the state. The state has been providing guidance and supplies to help local public health agencies stand up these testing sites, which are especially important in rural areas of the state where private providers are limited in number and capacity.

There are currently 20 sites listed, and this tool will be updated as more are brought online, the governor said. The community-based testing sites are filling in the gap for underserved communities outside the main metro regions, but they are not the only way to get tested, he stressed. There are many private providers that are doing testing, particularly at hospitals and clinics along the Front Range. The state is working to compile and verify information on these private testing sites to add to the map.

During the news conference, Gov. Polis also announced the membership of the Governor’s Advisory Committee for Cooperation and Implementation, which he announced last week. This committee will advise the governor and CDPHE on policies and regulations that are designed to maximize social distancing at the local level. It will also be focused on how local governments, and local public health can coordinate with the state on educating the public about these regulations, and maximizing compliance and enforcement efforts during the COVID-19 crisis.

The governor also took time to thank the state's more than 50,000 teachers who've had to adapt to work outside the classroom.

"I know, teachers, when you started the year, just like your students, you didn’t think it would end this way. Our teachers have risen to the occasion to do the online education from home," he said. "They had to learn a whole new way of teaching students to make sure there is no learning gap and those students can master their grade level confidently."

Watch Monday's news conference featuring Gov. Polis:

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