Gov. Jared Polis, joined by state epidemiologist Rachel Herlihy with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, provided an update on the state's response to COVID-19 Friday afternoon and showed the state's new data dashboard.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has unveiled a new data dashboard for COVID-19. Herlihy presented the new dashboard with more opportunity to view detailed data.
Herlihy said the updated dashboard was created to help give Coloradans a better visualization of the COVID-19 data across the state. She said the data Coloradans are still going to see data that was on their website previously, but it might be presented in a different way with the updated site.
Variances are being considered once again by the state health department now that Colorado's COVID-19 case numbers are back down.
He reiterated that if cases spike again, then variances would be on the back burner again and that masks have been helping to lower case numbers compared to last month.
The last call for bars will now be at 11 p.m. versus 10 p.m. starting Saturday after Polis changed the last call time last month, citing drinking as a way of limiting social distancing in public environments.
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Polis addressed the start of the school year and the course of action the state would take in the event of an outbreak, whether it's isolating the cohort or remote learning for two weeks.
He said the opening of schools is important for some kids where school is a safe place for them or for children who live in a single-parent home.
"There's no easy decision in all this...there are no easy decisions and we want to make sure that everyone's empowered to make the best choice for themselves," Polis said on the various back-to-school plans being offered across the state. He reiterated that if children are showing symptoms for COVID-19, parents should make a plan and be sure to keep them at home for the 14-day period.
This update comes after Polis issued an executive order Wednesday that bans open fires statewide starting at 9 a.m. Thursday.
The purpose of the order is to help limit fire activity as four wildfires rage in the state, including the Pine Gulch Firethat is now the second-largest fire in Colorado history.
