Stay-at-Home Order Will Help City Prepare to Reopen
Colorado Mayor Micheal B Hannock’s order was put into place May 8 according to a press release sent out on April 24 with hopes to flatten the curve.
“Denver and the State of Colorado’s collective effort has started to flatten the curve. However, there remains no effective treatment or cure for the disease, testing ability has improved but remains constrained and Denver’s health care system remains at ongoing risk of being overwhelmed,” said Robert M McDonald, executive director of Denver Department of Public Health and Environment.
The extension of the stay-at-home order will help the city prepare to reopen the city with more confidence and security. It will also assist in preparing specific regulations for a variety of businesses and facilities.
“Our priority is to keep our residents safe and to save lives,” said Mayor Hancock. “This virus is not going away, and we need to be prepared for the long-term impacts. With the state’s guidance, and by taking extra time to be thoughtful and deliberate, we want to ensure that we will have adequate contact tracing and testing capability, and the time to provide the guidance that our residents and business community need to re-open safely.”
According to the press release, extending the stay-at-home order to May 8 has allowed the city to:
- Identify and cross-train staff to implement COVID-19 case management, including contact tracing and monitoring, complete case investigations and enforce isolation and quarantine orders
- Expand and improve testing with a goal of reaching 1,000 tests per day
- Secure additional and improved personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Increase and enhance communication between the city and businesses regarding guidelines and policies for reopening while maintaining the best public health practices
- Provide businesses the opportunity to prepare for reopening with strategies from the Department of Public Health & Environment as well as their own policies
According to the press release, the Denver City Attorney’s Office has activated its response team to prepare for re-opening in different sectors. If members of the public have questions about the city’s COVID-19 restrictions or resources, please dial 311 or e-mail CAOResponseTeam@denvergov.org.
The pressure to reopen and shorten the stay-at-home order continues, especially as businesses prepare to open their doors once again. Without a known cure for COVID-19, the city of Denver urges residents to take all necessary precautions to stay safe. Governor Jared Polis has provided an updated response issuing a safer-at-home order.
“The Safer-at-Home phase is not a return to normal,” said Governor Jared Polis. “This is merely transitioning to a more sustainable level of social distancing that we are going to have to maintain for the long haul—likely months. We need to wear facial masks when in public and observe the safety guidelines at local businesses. This is difficult for everyone, but we are in this together, and we will get through it together. The next few weeks are even more important than the last few.”
Governor Polis announced that he will be creating an advisory board to assist him along with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment on the policies and regulations in place to maximize social distancing. According to Gov. Polis, The advisory board will focus on how local governments and local public health agencies can coordinate with the State on public education efforts that aim to maximize compliance and enforcement efforts for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is uncertain as to how this will play out once businesses open back up once the stay-at-home order is lifted. The pandemic has proved to be a source of anxiety and surprise for many, and the pressure to practice social distancing is highly encouraged in order to flatten the curve for the health officers who are in the front lines.
