DENVER – Colorado officials said Friday that the state is in a fourth wave of pandemic, with more than half of new cases caused by worrying variants and a growing number of cases and hospitalizations among people ages 18 to 50. But the state still plans to hand over control of the marking system and restrictions to local counties within a week.
Gov. Jared Polis said Friday that it is currently “a time of great concern” for Colorado, with multiple factors coming to mind simultaneously.
As of Friday, about 1.2 million people were fully immunized in Colorado and about 2 million have received their first dose. The majority of Colorado residents aged 50 and over have been fully vaccinated and the state has opened admission to the vaccine for all over the age of 16, and more vaccine supply is expected in the coming weeks.
Simultaneously, Colorado reported nearly 2,000 cases of COVID-19 on Friday, including more than 1,500 new cases, 69 new hospitalizations and a seven-day average positivity rate of 5.65%, which continues to rise. There were also 454 hospital beds in use for patients confirmed or suspected of COVID-19.
The state will hand over local control of the COVID-19 marking system and business restrictions to Colorado counties on April 16, as the state also sees its concerns rise.
Police and officials from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment stressed that they believe this will be the fourth and final wave of the pandemic, but said the severity of the pandemic would remain in the hands of Coloradoans and whether or not they could follow a a few more weeks wearing masks in and around others, without meeting many other people and following in the footsteps that have been bored in the minds of residents here for 14 months.
Colorado officials say the state is now in the fourth wave of COVID-19 cases
“It’s a little different,” Polis said of this current wave. He and CDPHE state epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy explained that this wave now affects young Coloradoans ages 18 to 50 who, for the most part, have been unable to register to be vaccinated until recent weeks.
Because people 50 and older, and especially 70, are much more likely to die from complications of COVID-19 and have been vaccinated in greater numbers than younger people, officials expect this wave to include fewer deaths. and hospitalizations.
But they still warned that people of all ages can have deadly or serious long-term results caused by the virus, mostly because more variants that are considered more transmissible and possibly more intense are moving through Colorado.
Herlihy said the state had now identified 12 cases of the P.1 variant that was currently ravaging Brazil in Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield and Denver counties. The CDPHE announced earlier this week that two cases of this variant had been identified in Boulder County.
He said scientists believe there were multiple introductions to the variant in Colorado, including one person who traveled internationally.
Colorado now has about 1,500 cases of variant B.1.1.7 first identified in the United Kingdom, which has been part of what has led to the sharp rise in cases and hospitalizations in Michigan and is now the most common variant in the United States. .
There are two dozen cases of the South African variant B.1.351 and about 500 cases of the California variant, called B.1.427 or B.1.429.
As such, Herlihy said, Coloradoans who contract COVID-19 are now more likely not to be infected with a variant variety.
He presented data showing the effects of the vaccine in larger populations compared to age groups that until recently were less likely to receive the vaccine: cases and hospitalizations of people 50 years or older stagnated. or decreased, while cases and hospitalizations among people aged 18 to 49 have been steadily rising.
“This is the good news here,” Herlihy said, adding that until cases in all age groups begin to decline, people will have to follow COVID-19 protection protocols.
Polis urged everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible and to live as they did in February and March meanwhile to try to reduce the number of cases and hospitalizations, which now include more young people than in previous periods of the pandemic.
But this fourth wave is taking place alongside the April 16 movement to put the marking system in the hands of local governments, which Polis said on Friday are “able to better adapt their resources” and communicate with the local population. He said the state would continue to work closely with local governments to help adapt their plans and urged regional coordination.
Denver officials have said they are working with other counties in the subway area to develop a plan. The three counties Department of Health said Friday it would likely have a new final public health order completed Friday night, while Jefferson County public health said it would have a plan early next week.
The last two health departments said they would maintain some restrictions at least until May.
“We have full confidence that our local public health agencies, cities and counties will continue to be the most effective messengers,” Polis said.
The governor added that he believes the end of the ski season will help reduce the number of Colorado counties with ski areas as the ski season ends the next couple of weeks at many resorts. But he said there was greater concern about rising levels in the Denver and Colorado Springs subway area.
“This wave is different from other waves. We have the most vulnerable Coloradoans successfully protected. This means that the proportion of deaths and incidence of diseases will be lower. It doesn’t mean we won’t lose any more Coloradoans, “Polis said.” … And that’s why it’s important: if you haven’t been vaccinated, it’s important to wear masks, be outdoors if you need to see others until get a chance to get vaccinated. And please get vaccinated in the coming weeks. “