COLORADO SPRINGS — Gov. Jared Polis provided an update on the state's response to COVID-19 Friday afternoon.
Polis began this press conference by addressing the increase of cases statewide and pointed out the rapid increase in Colorado.
"These are our darkest days as a nation. These are our darkest days as a state," he said.
He praised the state for breaking the record of number of people who have been tested for the virus. He said there have been 6,439 new cases in the last day. The governor said there is about one in 110 people with COVID-19 in the state. He is encouraging Coloradans who are planning to see family members or one other household for Thanksgiving to self-quarantine before.
Polis said there is a corresponding increase with hospitalizations as cases continue to increase with 1,159 Coloradans currently hospitalized. He said the state is prepared to activate alternative care sites as hospitalizations continue to increase, with St. Mary-Corwin in Pueblo as one of three locations. It would open initially with 25 beds. He said hospitals need to use all resources before the move to alternative care sites can take place.
"We should all focus on reducing or stopping our interactions with people outside our own household through this month," he said.
When asked about the possibility of another stay-at-home order, Polis said it isn't as necessary now as it was in the beginning of the pandemic. He said that back in March and April, there was a concern for loss of life and lack of PPE which led to the decision being made for the stay-at-home order.
This follows his press conference Monday where Polis announced plans to extend the statewide mask mandate for an additional 30 days and continued to look to local governments in Colorado to turn around their worsening COVID-19 rates in lieu of further statewide restrictions.
"It's not about enforcement... the Grim Reaper is the ultimate enforcer. More Coloradans will die if Coloradans don't simply cancel their social plans and wear masks in public and I know that we can do it," Polis said.
He also doubled down on his call to Coloradans to cancel all social interactions outside of their own households for the next few weeks and continue to wear masks and physically distance from others.
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