BY FREDA MIKLIN
GOVERNMENTAL REPORTER
On March 4, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Executive Director Jill Hunsaker Ryan announced that the state is no longer recommending any restrictions to regular activities due to the COVID-19 virus for anyone who is fully vaccinated and who isn’t immunocompromised or otherwise at risk.
Ryan shared that although, “the complexities of this virus have made it challenging,” Colorado has had the 10th lowest death rate and the 14th lowest case rate in the U.S per 100,000 population. As well, 81% of eligible Coloradans have received at least one vaccination, 91% of Coloradans are immune to the Omicron infection and severe disease, and our state is 16th in the country for fully vaccinating children aged 5-17. The current statewide positivity rate is 3.6% and the number of hospitalizations as of March 3 was 283 compared to 1,847 in January 2021.
Dr. Eric France, CDPHE chief medical officer, said, “We know that COVID-19 will be with us for the foreseeable future, but we have vaccines and therapeutics. We will continue to monitor COVID-19 and adjust our response if circumstances change.”
Dr. Emily Travanty, director of the state laboratory that was first to identify the Alpha variant in the U.S. and third to identify the Omicron variant, shared that the state lab has analyzed 108,000 samples running 24/7 since the pandemic started.
She added that Colorado has been among the leaders monitoring wastewater, which allows for the discovery of asymptomatic cases. The way that is done, Travanty explained, is, “We started with 21 utilities and now have 41 utilities that cover 55% of the state. Wastewater surveillance is a powerful tool for discovering changes in the virus.” Later, Dr. Travanty said that they are adding more utilities all the time to increase the 55% share of the state that is covered by this important testing.
Scott Bookman, Colorado COVID-19 Incident Commander, pointed to CDPHE’s “Roadmap to Moving Forward.” He said, “We are at another turning point in our response to COVID-19. Disease rates are low and getting lower by the day. We also have a high vaccination rate. We want the public to understand that behind the scenes our team will continue to be ready to respond via:
Establishing hospital readiness standards and normalizing COVID-19 treatment in traditional health care settings. Therapeutics will be part of the regular response.
Public health readiness and surge capacity planning,
Healthcare workforce stabilization and expansion, including sustained staffing levels at long term care facilities and in behavioral health.
Engaging the federal government in national endemic response, pandemic readiness, and needed reforms.
Although those who are fully vaccinated—especially those who have gotten three doses–and who live in a household where everyone is fully vaccinated, should feel comfortable living their lives as they did prior to the pandemic, CDPHE has made it clear that those who have chosen not to get vaccinated remain at high risk for severe illness and possibly even death if they contract the virus. They would like to see everyone who is eligible to be vaccinated choose to do so.
In response to questions, Dr. France advised anyone who tests positive for the virus using a home test to immediately get a PCR test, noting that those results would be reported to the state, confirming the diagnosis and allowing for accurate data collection He also pointed out that for those Coloradoans with compromised immune systems, “Everyone will have to decide what risks they’re comfortable with. Right now, we have six cases/100,000 population. You can always wear a mask and avoid crowded situations.”
Scott Bookman told a reporter who wanted to know about the cost of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic that, “Most of what we’ve spent has come from feds and surge activities have been reimbursed by FEMA, who will continue to do so through June.”
A question about the rate of wasted vaccines that were not used prior to their expiration date brought the response that the waste rate is 10% nationally, but only four percent in Colorado because, explained Dr. France, “In the beginning we vaccinated anyone we could, even if we had to open extra vials that we knew would go to waste. Colorado’s rate is 4% because we’ve been careful, including shipping out those vials that we thought we wouldn’t be able to use on time.”
On the topic of anti-viral treatments, Dr. France said, “We get shipments of the anti-viral therapies every week, but the numbers are small. We are distributing those based on population size around the state. We are looking forward to seeing the immediate “test and treat” program that the federal government talked about at pharmacies for healthy people. People who are sicker should consult with their doctor.”
Although the guidelines from CDPHE are generally applicable, some rules have not changed, e.g., the requirement to wear masks when using public transportation, especially in airports and on airplanes. Most medical facilities still require masks at all times. Also, as of this writing, the Denver Center for Performing Arts still requires that guests for all shows in any of its theatres show proof of vaccination before entering the venue and wear a mask throughout the performance.
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