coronavirus
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Boulder likely has ‘low level’ omicron community transmission, state official says
Boulder County likely has a low level of community transmission of the omicron variant, a state health official said Tuesday, despite having a confirmed case last week. Wastewater testing, part of the state’s overall detection and surveillance system, identified possible spread of the new variant, said Rachel Herlihy, the state’s epidemiologist. But she said wastewater…
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Polis says he is not ‘terribly alarmed’ by omicron variant during ABC appearance
Gov. Jared Polis brushed off concerns about the omicron variant’s presence in Colorado during an appearance Sunday on ABC’s national news program “This Week.” Two omicron cases have been identified in Colorado, according to the state health department. The first case was confirmed Thursday in an Arapahoe County woman, followed by a Boulder County man…
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At least three metro counties to vote on mask orders Monday; Denver still ‘having conversations’
Boards of health representing Adams, Arapahoe and Jefferson counties will vote Monday on whether to require masks in indoor settings, as officials in Denver continue to discuss whether to implement their own orders. Public health officials in those three counties – including the board that will vote on the order in Jefferson County – have all called…
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As Colorado’s COVID-related hospitalizations climb, insurers’ forbearance on costs decline
As COVID-19-related hospitalizations in Colorado continue to climb toward record levels, a system that has helped patients avoid the brunt of medical costs is fading. Many private health insurers have stopped alleviating the patients’ portion of expenses for COVID-related care, as was the practice after the novel coronavirus first made its devastating impact known. Colorado…
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State requires full vaccination for large indoor events in Denver metro area
Individuals need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to attend large indoor, unseated events in the Denver metro area starting Friday, according to a public health order published Sunday. The vaccine requirement will apply to all public, unseated indoor events of 500 attendees or more in Denver, Arapahoe, Adams, Boulder, Broomfield and Jefferson counties.…
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Gov. Jared Polis avoids questions about mask mandate in appearance on ‘Face the Nation’
Gov. Jared Polis doubled down on his plea for residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine and his refusal to issue a mask mandate Sunday during an appearance on the national CBS news program “Face the Nation.” Though Colorado is nearing its worst peak of the pandemic, Polis said the state’s high vaccination rate protects it…
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Colorado surpasses 7,000 COVID-19 deaths
Colorado surpassed 7,000 COVID-19 deaths Tuesday, according to federal data published by the state. Seven thousand and nine Coloradans have died because of COVID-19, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention figures that are updated each afternoon by the state. In a statement, Gov. Jared Polis’s spokesman called the deaths “heartbreaking.” “We now have…
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As minority vaccination rates lag, Denver prepares messaging campaign targeting immigrants, refugees
Last week, Denver passed a significant threshold: 70% of its eligible population had been vaccinated, a nearly a month ahead of the goal set by President Joe Biden. But that rate is buoyed by significant uptake among white residents: Nearly 80% of white Denverites have been vaccinated, said Tony Diaz, the vaccination branch director for…
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76% of Colorado businesses offer vaccination incentives, survey shows
Most Colorado employers implemented policies to encourage employees to get vaccinated, 76% in fact, according to a recent survey by the Colorado Chamber of Commerce. The survey included 40 businesses “of all sizes” from 17 different industries across Colorado, according to the chamber. “With the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine and loosening restrictions across the…
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As Polis looks to next phase of vaccine distribution, state taps doctors to assuage the hesitant
The state has signaled two significant changes to its coronavirus vaccine strategy recently. The first was Colorado Comeback Cash, $5 million worth of cash prizes that’ll be split between five vaccinated residents over the next six weeks. Gov. Jared Polis said similar efforts elsewhere led to double-digit percentage increases in the number of people inoculated.…