More than 390,000 people in Colorado have tested positive for COVID-19 and 21,200 have been hospitalized as of Sunday afternoon, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
READ MORE: COVID-19 vaccine FAQs | List of Colorado businesses that are open
Click here for the latest update on the number of cases, the age, gender and location of presumptive positive, indeterminate and confirmed cases from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Below, we're updating this blog with the latest information regarding COVID-19 in Colorado.
Latest updates:
Sunday, Jan. 31
4:21 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers from Colorado
Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
396,179 cases (+1,163)
21,833 hospitalized (+21)
64 counties
2,400,563 people tested (+6,813)
5,452,050 test encounters (+25,991)
5,637 deaths among cases (+21)
4,928 deaths due to COVID-19 (+0)
3,502 outbreaks (+3)
The latest hospital data showed 611 beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients. Colorado's seven-day positivity rate Saturday was 4.91%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Sunday, 455,285 Coloradans had been vaccinated with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 124,686 had received two doses.
Saturday, Jan. 30
4:26 p.m. | Gov. Polis extends protections from rent late fees
Gov. Jared Polis extended an executive order Saturday preventing late fees for residential and commercial tenants. The Governor also amended the COVID-19 disaster declaration executive order, reallocating funds among certain state agencies for COVID-19 response activities and transferring $100 million to the Controlled Maintenance Trust Fund to repay a cash advance provided under SB20B-004.
4 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers from Colorado
Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
395,016 cases (+1,595)
21,812 hospitalized (+68)
64 counties
2,393,750 people tested (+7,921)
5,426,059 test encounters (+32,325)
5,616 deaths among cases (+22)
4,928 deaths due to COVID-19 (+0)
3,499 outbreaks (+3)
The latest hospital data showed 648 beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients. Colorado's seven-day positivity rate Friday was 5.03%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Saturday, 440,445 Coloradans had been vaccinated with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 124,686 had received two doses.
Friday, Jan. 29
4 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers from Colorado
Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
393,421 cases (+1,722)
21,744 hospitalized (+31)
64 counties (+0)
2,385,829 people tested (+10,053)
5,393,734 test encounters (+50,870)
5,594 deaths among cases (+25)
4,928 deaths due to COVID-19 (+36)
3,496 outbreaks (+13)
The latest hospital data showed 652 beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients, 50 fewer than Thursday. Colorado's seven-day positivity rate Wednesday was 5.16%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Friday, 424,036 Coloradans had been vaccinated with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 118,397 had received two doses.
3:15 p.m. | Eagle County opens COVID-19 vaccine preregistration following governor's announcement
Following Gov. Jared Polis' announcement teachers and Coloradans ages 65-69 would be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine beginning in February, Eagle County announced preregistration availability for the new group.
Those who wish to preregister should verify their eligibility and then sign up. Eagle County said vaccine supply is still very limited, so if the number of sign-ups exceeds the available amount of vaccine doses, appointments will be issued based on a random drawing among those who are eligible. Those who are selected to receive a vaccination will be contacted using text messaging or the email address they provided to schedule an appointment.
Eagle County estimates the new group that will be eligible on Feb. 8 includes 2,600 residents aged 65 to 69 and 1,800 educators and child care providers. So far, approximately 8,300 doses have been administered in the county to health care providers, first responders and residents 70 years and older.
1 p.m. | Colorado aims to vaccinate all teachers over 2-3 weeks in February, Polis announces
Colorado aims to vaccinate all teachers and other classroom workers over 2-3 weeks in February, Gov. Jared Polis announced Friday, outlining the state's updated vaccine distribution plan.
The expanded access will begin Feb. 8 and will also include all Coloradans ages 65-69.
The state is still working to vaccine at least 70% of 70-and-up residents by the end of February but decided to incorporate teachers and 65-69 residents as soon as possible.
While there was not a timetable given for vaccinating those ages 65-69, Polis said the state aims to vaccinate all teachers in February and will re-allocate the state's vaccine supply to make that happen.
Colorado is also expanding weekly COVID-19 tests to all teachers next week.
The expanded vaccination for educators will include teachers, as well as child care workers, paraprofessionals and anyone else who works in a classroom with children, Polis said. The eligibility applies to all Colorado schools — public, private, parochial and charter. Administrators — or anyone who is not in a primarily student-facing role — will likely receive the vaccine at a later date, Polis said.
School districts will provide information about vaccinations and coordinate vaccinations directly with employees.
Amie Baca-Oehlert, president of the Colorado Education Association teachers union, thanked Polis for expanding vaccine access to educators.
"For the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has and continues to take a tremendous toll on educators, students, and their families," Baca-Oehlert said in a statement. "While we believe that ALL essential workers should be a priority for the COVID-19 vaccine, this is a gigantic step toward our longstanding goal of getting our students back into classrooms, where the best learning takes place."
For the general 65-69 population, the signup process will be similar to the process for 70-and-up vaccinations: Signing up through healthcare providers and local public health agencies. While those 65-and-up can begin signing up now, they still won't be prioritized until Feb. 8, and Polis asked 65-69 residents to hold off on signing up until then.
Brigadier Gen. Scott Sherman on Friday outlined Colorado's expected vaccine allocation over the next month.
The state expects to receive about 452,000 doses by the end of February and remains confident that all Coloradans 70-and-up — part of group 1B.1 in the state's distribution plan — will be able to receive the vaccine during that timeframe.
Scott Bookman, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment incident commander, said Colorado plans to vaccinate at least 55% of group 1B.2 — Coloradans ages 65-69 and educators — by March 5, though all educators will receive the vaccine within three weeks.
Polis' announcement about teachers getting the vaccine came several days after educators criticized the governor for telling CNN that Colorado teachers are getting two tests per week. Some teachers pointed out that they haven't been receiving two tests per week, and Polis' office had to clarify that at-home tests were being shipped to educators' homes this week.
Polis also announced a coming expansion of vaccine access to essential frontline workers, such as grocery store employees. Those workers will be in group 1B.3 and the state aims to begin vaccinating them through their employers on March 5.
Click here to read the full story.
Thursday, Jan. 28
4 p.m. | Latest coronavirus numbers for Colorado
Here are the latest coronavirus numbers for Colorado, as of 4 p.m. Thursday, with the change from Wednesday in parentheses:
391,699 cases (+1,441)
21,713 hospitalized (+103)
64 counties (+0)
2,375,776 people tested (+7,535)
5,342,864 test encounters (+32,548)
5,569 deaths among cases (+17)
4,892 deaths due to COVID-19 (+11)
3,483 outbreaks (+9)
The latest hospital data showed 702 beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients, 22 fewer than Wednesday. Colorado's seven-day positivity rate Wednesday was 4.98%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Thursday, 410,050 Coloradans had been vaccinated with at least one dose, and 109,208 had received two doses.
2:33 p.m. | Colorado opening special health insurance enrollment period Feb. 8 - May 15 after Biden order
Colorado is reopening its Connect for Health Colorado health care exchange on Feb. 8 so people will be able to enroll for a health care plan into mid-May following an executive order from President Joe Biden.
The Biden administration’s executive order reopened enrollment on the federal exchanges for the Affordable Care Act. Colorado, which uses its own exchange, decided to mirror the order and follow suit, with some small differences.
From Feb. 8 to May 15, uninsured Coloradans will be able to enroll in a health insurance plan at any time through Connect for Health Colorado. The exchange will open back up a week earlier than the special enrollment period on the federal exchanges.
For people who buy health insurance during the special period, coverage will kick in on the first day of the month following the date the insurance was selected – meaning someone who buys insurance in February will see the coverage kick in on March 1.
Nearly 180,000 people enrolled in a coverage plan through Connect for Health Colorado during the open enrollment period that ended Jan. 15 – an 8% increase from the year prior. And thousands signed up during a special enrollment period last April at the onset of the pandemic and business restrictions.
The state said they welcomed the new administration’s actions and believe the special enrollment period in Colorado will help people who have lost their employer-based health insurance during the pandemic because they became unemployed.
“I am encouraged to see President Biden and his administration take action on this front, acknowledging the fact that so many remain without health insurance due to the continued impact of COVID-19,” said Colorado Insurance Commissioner Michael Conway in a statement. “The Division of Insurance will work with Connect for Health Colorado to make sure this additional enrollment period works to help Coloradans get covered.”
Coloradans are also able to sign up for a plan at any point in time if they lose their employer-based insurance, Health First Colorado Coverage, or meet any other Qualified Life Event parameters.
For more information on signing up for a plan during the special enrollment period, click here or call 855-752-6749.
Click here to read the full story.
12:13 p.m. | Denver officials detail application process for 5 Star program, reopening of Emergency Operations Center
On Thursday, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said Denver is focusing on two important aspects of recovery from the pandemic: getting the economy moving again and ensuring vaccinations for all Denver residents.
During a press conference Thursday morning, Hancock and other leaders in Denver outlined next steps for the 5 Star Program in Denver, reactivation of the city's Emergency Operations Center and an update on the vaccination process across the city and county.
"We can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel," Hancock said. "The president's announcement that states will see a 16% increase in vaccine doses starting next week, that the U.S. is buying 200 million more doses, and that we will start to get three-week look-ahead reports — all of this really means we are at the beginning of the end. But we have a lot, a lot, I mean a lot, of work to do over the next few months."
Applying for the 5 Star Program in Denver
On Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 10 a.m., local businesses can fill out and submit applications for the state's 5 Star Certification Program in Denver.
The city received conditional approval from the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment to implement this program, which will allow businesses and restaurants to increase capacity limits if they meet health and safety requirements. Denver County must maintain one week of stable or declining Level Orange metrics in order for the program to be fully implemented. If that occurs, the businesses who were pre-certified will be notified and issued their certification, Hancock said.
Starting Feb. 2, local businesses can apply to become pre-certified for the program. Hancock said processes are in place to ensure all businesses have the opportunity to participate in the program, nodding to the city's commitment to equity. The process is first-come, first-served basis and applications are available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. A scheduled on-site audit will follow to earn the pre-certification approval. Hiraga said the inspectors will look for a variety of things during the audit and while it varies industry to industry, it may include reservations, ventilation, notification procedures in case of exposure and more. The state lists 30 to 40 points in its guidance and the city has a few additional aspects, he said.
This first round of applicants will have a "soft cap" at 500 applicants — to determine industries that are underrepresented and neighborhoods left behind, Hiraga said — and the second round is expected to open in two weeks. Because the process includes on-site inspections, it's a lot of ground to cover, he said.
Hancock added that it's important to roll out the program in an equitable manner.
"This is what great cities do if they want to really take care of their people and recognize there are neighborhoods and businesses, quite frankly, that don't have the same means in which to move as nimble and as fast as some have the ability to do so," he said.
Looking at the city's industry codes, as many as 7,000 businesses may be eligible in this first round, Hiraga said, but it's not clear how many of those will apply for the program.
Businesses can prepare to apply by watching a video and completing a pre-certification checklist, both of which are available at www.Denver5Star.org on the homepage and under the "Before You Apply" tab. This page and information is available to businesses now.
To help business prepare for the program, the city is holding three town halls:
· Monday, Feb. 1, 6 p.m. (Spanish, hosted by Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce)
· Tuesday, Feb. 2, 9 a.m. (English, hosted by Denver Economic Development & Opportunity)
· Tuesday, Feb. 2, 5 p.m. (English, hosted by Denver Economic Development & Opportunity)
· Note: Invitation and links to join will be shared shortly on the city's social media.
Denver Economic Development & Opportunity Executive Director Eric Hiraga said they are excited to implement this program as it's a safe and effective way to reopen businesses that have been struggling to make ends meet throughout the pandemic.
"We think this could be a real game changer here in Denver," he said. "The launch of this program could not have come at a better time as more urgent relief is needed for businesses."
Last week, Denver received its leanest unemployment numbers: the city's rate increased from 7.2% in November to 9.3% in December, he said. .
Getting this program underway in Denver could be the difference between local businesses keeping their doors open or closing for good, and laying off people or getting them back to work, Hiraga said.
Department of Public Health & Environment Executive Director Bob McDonald said right now, Colorado's two-week cumulative incidence rate per 100,000 people in Denver County is under 350 and if the county can maintain that for seven days, it can start implementing the 5 Star program and businesses can move to Level Yellow capacity limits. The rate is determined by the total number of cases from the last 14 days and divided by 7.2 to get the case rate per 100,000 people in Denver. Anything above 350 is considered Level Red.
The high level of compliance to public health recommendations is what's continuing to drive that incidence rate down, he said.
Visit www.Denver5Star.org for more information.
Reopening Denver's Emergency Operations Center to help with vaccination efforts
On Thursday, Hancock said he has ordered the reactivation of the city's Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to ensure all city agencies are mobilized to respond to the pandemic. The center will be reactivated next week.
"As distribution ramps up more and more and more of our residents become eligible to receive the vaccine, the emergency operations center will focus our current efforts and infrastructure so we can be as effective and efficient as possible during this critical time."
This includes expanding access to the vaccine across more of the city and its neighborhoods, plus addressing equity challenges in coordination with the state and local partners, Hancock said.
Office of Emergency Management Executive Director Matt Mueller said by activating the EOC, the city can leverage all of the city's agencies to ensure efficiency in the collaborative efforts.
"The EOC's mission will be to provide clear and consistent public information about vaccinations, ensure equity in vaccine allocation and access, mobilize resources and ensure operational coordination of the vaccination effort between the city, the state and our community and health care partners," Mueller said.
Click here to read the full story.
9:15 a.m. | Update on Denver's response to COVID-19
At 10 a.m., Mayor Michael B. Hancock, officials from the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment, the Denver Office of Emergency Management, and the Office of Economic Development and Opportunity will provide an update on the city's response to COVID-19. This will include current data and trends, city planning and preparation for vaccine distribution and implementation of the state’s 5 Star Program in Denver, the city said.
Denver7 will stream this press conference live on our website, our Facebook page, and through our mobile, Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire apps.
7:30 a.m. | Colorado unemployment numbers
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment reported today that an estimated 11,432 regular initial unemployment claims were filed the week ending Jan. 23. The week prior, an estimated 12,881 regular initial claims were filed. The latter number was not available last week.
Since mid-March, an estimated total of 780,847 regular initial unemployment claims have been filed and an estimated grand total of 1,032,471 claims, including federal PUA benefits, were filed.
For the week ending Jan. 16, a total of 85,305 continued claims were filed from the regular UI program. The week prior there were 88,949 regular UI continued claims. There are no Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) or Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) continued claims to report until both programs have been incorporated into MyUI+ to reflect guidance from the Continued Assistance Act and eligible claimants are able to request payment, the CDLE said.
Wednesday, Jan. 27
4 p.m. | Latest coronavirus numbers
Here are the latest coronavirus numbers for Colorado, with the change from Tuesday in parentheses:
390,258 cases (+1,638)
21,610 hospitalized (+48)
64 counties (+0)
2,368,241 people tested (+7,050)
5,310,316 test encounters (+30,453)
5,552 deaths among cases (+35)
4,881 deaths due to COVID-19 (+64)
3,474 outbreaks (+46)
The latest hospital data showed 724 beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients, 16 fewer than Tuesday. Colorado's seven-day average positivity rate Tuesday was 5.01%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Wednesday, Colorado had vaccinated 393,626 people with at least one dose and 98,301 people with two doses.
Tuesday, Jan. 26
4 p.m. | New COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations in Colorado continue on downward trend
The latest numbers from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CPDHE) show the state continues to see a downward trend in the number of new positive cases of COVID-19. Hospitalizations are also seeing decreases, though the state reported 34 new hospitalizations for suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday.
388,620 cases (+1,158)
21,562 hospitalized (+299)
64 counties (+0)
2,361,191 people tested (+5,060)
5,279,863 test encounters (+16,390)
5,517 deaths among cases (+5)
4,817 deaths due to COVID-19 (+42)
3,428 outbreaks (+12)
The latest hospital data showed 740 beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients – 34 more than Monday, with 101 patients discharged or transferred from hospitals over the past 24 hours and 77% of hospitals reporting. Monday's seven-day average positivity rate in Colorado was 5.10%. Colorado's goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Monday, 381,402 people have been immunized with one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 89,881 people have been immunized with two doses. There are 603 vaccine providers.
Monday, Jan. 25
4 p.m. | Colorado's positivity rate for COVID-19 remains above 5% as hospitalizations continue to trend downward
The latest data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment show the state's positivity rate sits just above 5% - more than what is recommended by federal, state and local health officials as the benchmark to curb the spread of the disease.
387,462 cases (+1,177)
21,263 hospitalized (+26)
64 counties (+0)
2,356,131 people tested (+5,981)
5,263,473 test encounters (+16,562)
5,512 deaths among cases (+7)
4,775 deaths due to COVID-19 (+66)
3,416 outbreaks (+14)
The latest hospital data showed 706 beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients – 31 fewer than Sunday with 101 patients discharged or transferred from hospitals over the past 24 hours and 77% of hospitals reporting. Sunday's seven- and three-day average positivity rates in Colorado were 5.17% and 5.58%, respectively. Colorado's goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Monday, 372,200 people have been immunized with one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 82,659 people have been immunized with two doses. There are 588 vaccine providers.
1:35 p.m. | Colorado launches new vaccine hotline; call center to be staffed 24/7 starting Feb. 1
DENVER – Colorado has launched a new vaccine hotline that will be staffed by 50 people and which will be operating on a 24/7 schedule starting Feb. 1 to help better direct people aged 70 and up and others to where they can sign up to get inoculated against COVID-19.
Colorado COVID-19 Incident Commander Scott Bookman said the toll-free hotline — 1-877 CO VAX CO or 1-877-268-2926 — would be operating from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Friday over this final week of January and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. this weekend before turning into an all-hours operation next week.
The state had been directing people to a different hotline or the state’s website previously, but many people – especially those without good internet access or a computer – complained about not being able to get through or not having their questions answered.
MORE: When and where can you get the COVID-19 vaccine? Here are answers to your vaccine-related questions
Bookman said the new hotline would be “an additional tool in our toolbox” as the state continues to roll out its vaccine distribution plan, which the governor, officials with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the state’s vaccine distribution team have said has been hampered by a slow supply of vaccine from the federal government.
“By providing this centralized hotline and then also, our expectation that all COVID vaccine providers will have a phone number and a web portal that’s open to the public for registration, we believe are important next steps in providing access to all,” Bookman said Monday in a call with reporters.
“I think the challenge here is there just isn’t enough vaccine and it is incredibly difficult for all of our providers to create waitlists for what is literally several million people. We understand that frustration,” Bookman added. “We’re doing all that we can to continue providing all these different points of access, and our providers are providing these signups. And many of them are then using a lottery system. When it is your time, you’ll get that notification So, you know, it’s going to require some patience.”
Bookman said the new hotline would give callers information on providers in their zip code who have the vaccine available, connect them with those providers’ phone numbers and web sites to try to narrow down vaccine access points for Coloradans.
The state last week put out a full list of health care providers offering vaccine signups for people age 70 and up. More information can be found on our Vaccine FAQ page.
Teachers to be vaccinated after 70+ group
Colorado National Guard Brigadier General Scott Sherman, the lead of the state’s vaccine task force, said the state is still on track to get 70% of people age 70 and up vaccinated by the end of February. Bookman said that goal was “wildly important” to meet and added that as the state works to maintain equity in its distribution schedule, it hopes to get community-based clinics in 50% of the state’s 50 most populous Census tracts.
Sherman said Colorado was 9th in the U.S. in the number of per capita doses administered and that the state had administered 99.7% of its first doses and was now awaiting the new weekly shipments from Operation Warp Speed.
Ninety-eight percent of 209 skilled nursing facilities have already received their first doses through the federal partnership, Sherman said, and about 85% of frontline health care workers eligible in Phase 1A have received their second doses of vaccine.
Sherman also said that Pre-K through 12th grade teachers and child care workers would be the first Phase 1B group “below the dotted line” to receive vaccines after the 70+ and first responder group gets vaccinated and that the state would likely be releasing more information this week about those plans.
They will come as several large districts have started to move back to some in-person learning but have already seen thousands of students and staff quarantined because of outbreaks.
CDPHE State Epidemiologist noted a downward trend in case counts and rates seen over the past two weeks following a small post-holidays spike but said cases were still notably higher than they were in the spring. There are 10 cases in Colorado of the B.1.1.7 variation, which Herlihy said officials continue to test for at the state lab and monitor closely, along with the latest research regarding its spread and deadliness.
She said that the latest modeling data shows that even as more people get vaccinated – and hopefully even higher numbers will be soon – it’s likely that mask-wearing, social distancing and the other common pandemic measures will stay in place into the summer at least, saying those efforts “continue to be critically important for months to come.”
Click here to read the full story.
6:15 a.m. | More than 1,200 DPS students in quarantine
As of Monday morning, 1,279 students in Denver Public Schools were in quarantine and there were 79 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 within the student body.
One hundred and eighty-five DPS staff are in quarantine and 41 have tested positive for COVID-19.
Click here to read more.
5 a.m. | US surpasses 25 million COVID-19 cases, but rate of spread is falling
Johns Hopkins University reports that the U.S. surpassed 25 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 over the weekend, a figure that continues to dwarf the case totals of every other country around the world. But while case rates in the U.S. remain high, there does appear to be some light at the end of the tunnel. The spread of the virus is on the decline after peaking earlier this month, and the number of Americans who have received a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine should surpass the number of Americans infected by the end of the week. Read more here.
Here are the latest coronavirus numbers for Colorado, as of 4 p.m. Sunday, with the change from Saturday in parentheses:
- 386,285 cases (+1,319)
- 21,237 hospitalized (+18)64 counties
- 2,350,150 people tested (+7,053)
- 5,246,911 test encounters (+25,746)
- 5,505 deaths among cases (+23)
- 4,709 deaths due to COVID-19 (+0)
- 3,402 outbreaks (+2)
The latest hospital data showed 737 beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients. Colorado's three-day average positivity rate for COVID-19 tests Saturday was 4.66%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.
Click here for the COVID-19 live blog from Jan. 18-Jan. 24, 2021.
