It’s been an exhausting and heartbreaking time to be a doctor. Many patients have suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and with cases skyrocketing again, it’s hard not to feel hopeless. But with Colorado’s new earned paid sick leave policy now fully in effect – which guarantees that every working person in Colorado can take days off if they are sick and thus avoid spreading illnesses to their coworkers and customers – there’s reason to feel hopeful about the direction Colorado is headed.

Thanks to Gov. Jared Polis and a hardworking group of Colorado lawmakers, every working Coloradan became eligible to earn paid sick days on Jan. 1. Working people are now able to earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to a total of 48 hours a year – or 80 hours of COVID-19 leave to care for themselves or a sick family member. This is one of the most comprehensive paid sick leave policies in the US.

Prior to this policy taking effect, nearly half of Colorado’s workforce did not receive this important benefit. Many frontline essential workers have been putting their lives on the line to take care of others and keep the economy running throughout the pandemic. Frontline workers are disproportionately people of color who already face systemic injustice in our health care system. When sick workers cannot stay home, they infect others and the cycle continues.

Too often, working people are forced to ignore the advice of medical professionals and public health experts because they simply cannot afford to miss out on wages. When deciding between staying home because of an illness or putting food on the table, the choice for most families is pretty clear. This is especially true for families with little to no financial reserves. My patients deserve to be able to care for their health and help keep their communities safe.

By allowing working people time to care for themselves when they get sick, we can reduce the spread of disease and the length and severity of illness. In addition, families that do not have paid sick days are more likely to send their kids to school sick, putting countless other families at risk. The Healthy Families and Workplaces Act is a commonsense policy that keeps us all healthier.

Medical professionals have long been aware of the need for better paid sick leave policies, but the COVID-19 pandemic added a layer of urgency to this issue. Now, Colorado has another tool in its toolbox for fighting COVID-19. As our health care system is once again overwhelmed by a surge in cases due to the highly contagious omicron variant, it is critical that we take this virus seriously and stop the spread wherever we can.

I applaud Gov. Polis and the Colorado lawmakers who worked hard to pass this bill and prioritize the health of our communities. Their leadership has made Colorado a healthier place to live and work.

Kristen Nordenholz, MD, MSc, is an emergency physician and professor in the Denver area. She is the state lead for the Colorado Chapter of the Committee to Protect Health Care.