COLORADO, USA — Governor Polis extended several executive orders addressing a number of things impacted by the pandemic.
The orders cover things including evictions, foreclosures, unemployment claims, funding for nursing homes, and petition signature gathering.
That is among the coronavirus updates for the state on Friday. More details are below, and we'll continue to post information as it comes in throughout the day.
WHAT TO KNOW RIGHT NOW
- 25,613 cases, up from 25,121 the day prior.
- 4,307 hospitalized, up from 4,254 the day prior.
- 1,436 deaths among those who tested positive for COVID-19, up from 1,421 the day prior.
- 1,181 deaths due to COVID-19, up from 1,168 the day prior.
- Get the latest data from the Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE).
- Polis said restaurants can reopen to in-person dining on Wednesday, with strict regulations in place. Day camps and youth sports camps can reopen June 1.
- Denver, Jefferson County Public Health and Tri-County Public Health confirmed they will follow Polis' statewide guidelines.
- Polis extended the state's safer-at-home order to June 1.
Governor Polis extends several executive orders in response to pandemic
Governor Polis extended several executive orders in response to the pandemic, according to a release.
The release said Polis extended an executive order limiting evictions, foreclosures and public utility disconnections and expediting unemployment insurance claim processing for 15 days.
He also signed an extension directing the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to provide additional funds to nursing homes and other congregate care facilities that care for vulnerable older and disabled populations, according to the release. That executive order is intended to ensure that Coloradans have access to a safe environment and adequate health care facilities and that facilities serving the elderly and disabled have the resources necessary to protect their residents from COVID-19, the release said.
Polis also extended and amended an executive order temporarily suspending certain regulatory statutes, the release said, and extended executive orders concerning petition collection for unaffiliated and independent candidates, temporarily suspending the personal appearance requirement for notarizations, suspending certain statutes preventing the issuance of marriage licenses when county clerk and recorder offices are closed and expanding telehealth services.
Buckley Air Force Base begins phased reopening of base services
Buckley Air Force Base announced in a release Friday that it would transition into the first phase of recovery actions and start reopening base services.
The release said the reopening comes amid a continuing decease in cases of COVID-19 in the local area.
A number of base services will be reopening on or shortly after June 1, according to the release, including the barber shop, child care, combat arms training and the fitness center.
No more than 25% of non-mission-essential personnel can return to duty, and maximum use of telework will still be emphasized, according to the release, and all personnel will continue to be required to practice social distancing, good hygiene and appropriate mask wear.
City of Arvada cancels Fourth of July fireworks show
The City of Arvada canceled its Fourth of July fireworks display, according to a release, due to public health concerns.
Instead, the city is encouraging residents to take part in a "porch festival." The release said the city is inviting Arvadans to decorate their front porches, balconies or driveways in red, white and blue and to share their photos on social media. Posts tagged with #ArvadaPorchFest will be eligible for a special prize, according to the release.
State labor department: 500,000 unemployment claims filed
CDLE said Friday that nearly 500,000 claims for unemployment insurance have been filed since March 15 and that CDLE has paid out about $1.5 billion in benefits.
Those were the latest numbers shared during a virtual town hall Friday morning. State labor department officials answered questions and covered topics, such as how to apply for unemployment benefits and receive payments.
CDLE has added a series of videos and chatbot functionality to its website at coloradoui.gov to answer many of the most frequently asked questions.
The labor department will reopen soon to in-person appointments at its downtown location, 251 E. 12th Ave. Appointments will be limited to 40 to 50 per day. The application to schedule an employment will be available on the CDLE website starting June 1, for appointments starting June 8.
Colorado allocating up to $275 million to local governments from the Coronavirus Relief Fund
The Colorado Department of Local Affairs will allocate up to $275 million to local governments across the state from the Coronavirus Relief Fund, a federal fund under the CARES Act.
Local governments will receive reimbursements for expenditures incurred as of March 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic that were not accounted for in the most recent local budgets.
“We understand that local governments in Colorado have been challenged like never before due to this pandemic,” said DOLA Executive Director Rick M. Garcia. “We are resolved to provide this crucial assistance in a quick and efficient manner to those who need it.”
Coronavirus cases in Colorado
CDPHE on May 15 changed the way it was reporting data in two ways:
- The number of deaths among people with COVID-19. This represents the total number of deaths reported among people who have COVID-19, but COVID-19 may not have been the cause of death listed on the death certificate. This information is required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is crucial for public health surveillance, as it provides more information about disease transmission and can help identify risk factors among all deaths across populations.
- The number of deaths among people who died from COVID-19: This represents the total number of people whose death was attributed to COVID-19 as indicated on a death certificate. This number is determined by the CDC and is updated daily for dates through the previous Saturday.
In Colorado, CDPHE reports 25,125,613 21 people have tested positive for the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, up from 25,121 the day prior.
Fatalities
CDPHE reports:
- 1,436 deaths among people with COVID-19
- 1,181 deaths due to COVID-19
The day prior, 1,421 people had died, 1,168 from COVID-19.
The majority of deaths — 54% — are among people over age 80; 23% of deaths occurred in people between ages 70-79 and 13% were in people ages 60-69.
The graph below shows the total number of people in Colorado who have died after a COVID-19 diagnosis, since the first death happened on March 13.
Hospitalizations
Of those who tested positive for the disease, a total of 4,307 hospitalizations have been reported, up from 4,254 the day prior.
As of 2:52 p.m. on May 28, 321 patients were hospitalized with the disease, according to the most recent data from the Colorado Hospital Association. Within the last 24 hours, 55 patients have been transferred or discharged.
Note: 93% of facilities reported data on May 26.
This graph below shows the number of people currently hospitalized with a COVID-19 diagnosis and the number of people who have been discharged within 24 hours. This is a key metric because it can be an indicator of whether or not Colorado’s hospital system is being overwhelmed by the virus.
Testing
According to CDPHE, 173,300 people have been tested, up from 166,596 the day prior, and 60 counties are reporting cases, the same number as the day before.
This graph below shows the number of tests the state processed in a day. This is another key metric because the state’s ability to reopen will depend on the number of tests Colorado can run each day. As testing improves, the number of cases will rise because the more tests that are conducted, the more cases will be found.
Positivity is the number of tests that come back with a COVID-19 result. Above 10% could be an indicator that not enough testing is being done and that only people likely to have COVID are getting tested.
Please note that there may be a lull or spike in reported case data due to how it's reported. CDPHE data changes as labs, hospitals, facilities and local agencies report their own data. For example, a spike in the number of deaths does not necessarily mean that many more people died within 24 hours, but rather is indicative of when the data is entered into the system. New data is released daily at 4 p.m.
COVID-19 is a disease caused by a virus that first appeared in Wuhan, China, in late 2019. Symptoms of COVID-19 can include fever, cough and breathing trouble. Most patients develop only mild symptoms. But some people, usually those with other medical complications, develop more severe symptoms, including pneumonia, which can be fatal.
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