Colorado health officials on Thursday expressed confidence that it was time for provinces to impose their own COVID-19 restrictions, even though coronavirus hospitalizations and new infections were still wrong.
Scott Bookman, the COVID-19 incident leader of the state, did not rule out any kind of action across the country if the hospital’s capacity is threatened by the increasing spread of the virus. Still, he said, the best way is to shift decisions about restrictions to the local level in the number of cases around the state and the impact of increasing vaccinations.
“The timing is right,” he said during a press conference.
The Department of Public Health in Colorado on Friday will lift nearly all restrictions nationwide that are chosen by the color code and allow local health authorities to set their own restrictions – or not at all.
Denver and most other metro counties hold on to the slide for another month, but move down to Level Blue, which enables restaurants and gyms to function at 100% capacity with 6-foot social footing, and non-food bars served, may reopen for the first time since last summer.
A few weeks ago, the possibility that hospitals could be exceeded again was unthinkable, with more people being vaccinated and the consequences of a higher level. But the scenario was back on the table in the state’s latest COVID-19 model report when it was released on April 7.
The model projected that if people make significant behavioral changes after the state has made its framework advisory, hospitalizations could rise to 1,562. If that happened, it would not be as bad as during the autumn wave, when nearly 2,000 people were admitted to hospital on the peak day in December, but it would again exceed the previous peak in April 2020. beds in the autumn wave, but staff reported being overwhelmed and exhausted.
As of Thursday afternoon, 541 people across the country have been hospitalized with a confirmed or suspected COVID-19, the highest level since early February. The average of seven days decreased to 1,429 per day, but the percentage of tests that returned positive was still high.
According to the model, approximately 368 people would die from COVID-19 between April 1 and July 1 if trends continued at the end of March. In the scenario where the knob is no longer in effect and people make major behavioral changes, deaths could rise to 1,399.
Dr Eric France, chief medical officer for the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment, said the overall compliance with masked wear and other restrictions was high, giving him confidence that the state could safely loosen restrictions. It is important to continue wearing masks, staying 6 feet away from people you do not live with and isolating yourself at home if you feel ill, he said.
“I feel that the people of Colorado have done well to do what is right,” he said.
Bookman urged people experiencing COVID-19 symptoms to be tested, and those without symptoms to remain in quarantine if they are near someone who has tested positive. The number of tests has dropped as more people have been vaccinated, he said. The positivity is increasing, which indicates that people who are not yet immune are also not being tested.
“If in doubt, go do a COVID test,” he said.
Vaccination Incident Investigation
The state will begin to increase visits to vaccine providers in the near future to ensure that they handle the doses properly after taking dr. Moma Health and Wellness Clinic in El Paso County suspended from the vaccination program.
People vaccinated at the site were told to get a chance again, as the doses may have been stored at the wrong temperature, making it ineffective.
Bookman did not answer whether the state conducted a required inspection of the Moma Clinic before sending doses, citing an ongoing investigation. Potential sites should have a doctor or other medical provider with a license that is good, and should testify that they can meet all requirements, he said.
“We are, of course, incredibly disappointed that this happened,” he said. “It’s an incredibly isolated incident.”
Despite some bumps, the rate of vaccinations continues to rise in Colorado, with 75,000 shots fired twice last week, Colorado National Guard Brig said. Gen. Scott Sherman.
Government Jared Police said on Friday that the state would share information on ‘breakthrough’ cases this week – when someone is infected despite vaccination. Bookman said Thursday that the state is still preparing the data.
Johnson & Johnson break continues
France gave a brief update on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine during Thursday’s press conference.
A committee advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extended a break next week on the new vaccinations with the Johnson & Johnson to find out more about whether rare blood clots are in fact more common after the vaccination.
With ‘first blush’ it looks like it could be, France said, but deciding on that basis is like estimating the eleventh population in Colorado based on how much you see driving from Denver to Durango.
‘The first glance indicates that we have more elk, but that may be coincidental. You need to do more research, ”he said.
After further investigation into the clotting issue, the committee may recommend continuing with the Johnson & Johnson vaccination, stopping it altogether, or recommending that certain groups avoid it, France said. The six cases announced this week all involved women under 50.
The break shows that systems designed to identify rare potential complications have worked, he said.
“Everything is working as expected,” he said.