The closure of Colorado’s restaurants and bars appears to have slowed the spread of the novel coronavirus in the state, Gov. Jared Polis announced Monday during a mid-day press conference.
The state’s cumulative case counts show that the spread of the virus — which had been doubling every two days — is now doubling every four days, and approaching every five, Polis said. He believes that slowdown is a result of the March 16 order closing the state’s restaurants and bars to dine-in service and shuttering other gathering spaces like theaters and gyms.
“That’s a lot better than doubling every two days,” Polis said, adding that seeing cases doubling every five days still shows that the virus is very contagious.
“That shows why just closing the bars and restaurants wasn’t enough,” he said, adding that the state hopes to see an additional slowdown in the pace of infections in the coming days as the testing data starts to reflect the impact of the statewide stay-at-home order.
“We fully expect these additional separation measures, as long as people are following them, will slow the spread in Colorado,” he said.
But, he said, it will take several more days before the state begins to see what impact the full stay-at-home order will have.
Though Polis announced Monday that the first person in Colorado under the age of 40 had died from the novel coronavirus, a spokeswoman later said the governor “misspoke,” and that no one under 40 has died. Rather, the spokeswoman said, two people in their 40s have died.
Polis also announced new statewide numbers — a partial count, since full data is usually made public around 4 p.m. each day — and said 51 people now have died in Colorado from complications of the new coronavirus. There are now 2,627 total confirmed cases of the virus in 47 of Colorado’s 64 counties, with 414 people having been hospitalized. A total of 15,364 people have now been tested.
Polis also said he spoke with President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence on Monday morning about the ongoing crisis and thanked them for the efforts of the National Guard, who have helped with testing in Colorado.
The 2,627 confirmed cases are believed to be just a portion of the total people who are actually infected in Colorado, with testing shortages limiting the official confirmed tally. Health care facilities are bracing for a surge in patients that could strain resources in the coming days and weeks.
“I’ve never seen anything like this in my career,” added Dr. Marc Moss, head of pulmonology at UCHealth Hospital at the University Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus, who joined Polis Monday. “There are intensive care units filled with people who look like you and me. And they were healthy a week and a half ago.”
Bars, restaurants, hair salons and a slew of other businesses have shuttered, sending unemployment soaring in Colorado. Schools and colleges have moved classes online and law enforcement across the state has strategized on how to enforce the state’s stay-home order without inciting unnecessary fear.
COVID-19 is mild in many people who are infected with the novel coronavirus, but older patients and those with underlying health conditions can face serious symptoms that can be fatal. In Colorado, the majority — nearly 80% — of patients who have died were over the age of 70, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Additionally, two people in their 40s have died, as well as three people in their 50s and five in their 60s.
“Again showing the severity of this virus for people of all ages,” Polis said, before emphasizing that about 80% of COVID-19 of cases do not require hospitalization and will self-resolve.
Authorities believe that the stay-at-home order and social distancing will reduce the number of people who come in contact with each other — the novel coronavirus spreads most easily from person to person in close proximity — and will eventually reduce the number of overall infections and deaths, though Polis has warned he does not expect to see any results from the stay-home order for at least another week.
“We cannot risk overwhelming our healthcare system,” Dr. Moss said. “These social measures may seem onerous, but they’re absolutely necessary for the time being.”
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