More than 513,000 people in Colorado have tested positive for COVID-19 and more than 28,000 have been hospitalized as of Sunday, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
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, May 9
4 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers
Here are the latest coronavirus numbers for Colorado, as of 4 p.m. Sunday, with the change from Saturday in parentheses:
523,309 cases (+927)
28,638 hospitalized (+19)
64 counties (+0)
2,957,454 people tested (+4,209)
8,049,062 test encounters (+21,965)
6,357 deaths among cases (+2)
6,508 deaths due to COVID-19 (+0)
5,119 outbreaks (+0)
The latest hospital data showed 713 beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients, 18 fewer than Saturday. Colorado's seven-day average positivity rate is 5.22%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Sunday, 2,716,848 people in Colorado had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 2,158,209 people had been fully immunized.
Saturday, May 8
4 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers
Here are the latest coronavirus numbers for Colorado, as of 4 p.m. Saturday, with the change from Friday in parentheses:
522,382 cases (+1,566)
28,619 hospitalized (+117)
64 counties (+0)
2,953,245 people tested (+6,666)
8,027,097 test encounters (+31,152)
6,355 deaths among cases (+3)
6,508 deaths due to COVID-19 (+0)
5,119 outbreaks (+7)
The latest hospital data showed 731 beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients, nine more than Friday. Colorado's seven-day average positivity rate is 5.16%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Saturday, 2,700,426 people in Colorado had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 2,113,956 people had been fully immunized.
Friday, May 7
9:30 p.m. | A-Basin offering vaccines Sunday, free bloody mary, beer or soda
Arapahoe Basin will host a ski-in, ski-out COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Sunday.
In conjunction with the Summit County Health Department, 200 free Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be available on a first-come, first-served basis located down on the Beach in Beach Spot #1 from 12 - 4 p.m.
Anyone vaccinated Sunday at A-Basin will receive a free bacon bloody mary, draft beer or soda from the 6th Alley Bar and Grill.
This week Summit County took a huge step moving to Level Green. Getting our vaccination rate above 70% is one of our last major hurdles,” said Alan Henceroth, Arapahoe Basin chief operating officer, in a blog post.
4:12 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers
Here are the latest coronavirus numbers for Colorado, as of 4 p.m. Friday, with the change from Thursday in parentheses:
520,816 cases (+1,402)
28,502 hospitalized (+49)
64 counties (+0)
2,946,579 people tested (+5,310)
7,995,945 test encounters (+26,180)
6,352 deaths among cases (+7)
6,508 deaths due to COVID-19 (+8)
5,112 outbreaks (+24)
The latest hospital data showed 722 beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients, nine more than Thursday. Colorado's seven-day average positivity rate is 5.35%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Friday, 2,688,042 people in Colorado had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 2,075,059 people had been fully immunized.
1:02 p.m. | Denver's Joint Information Center ends COVID-19 activation
After six months of service, Denver's Joint Information Center will shut down operations today.
Since November, the JIC has worked to provide coordinated, clear and factual citywide communications to Denver residents in support of local and State vaccination efforts. Going forward, JIC duties will transition to Denver’s Department of Public Health & Environment, including public information related to testing, vaccinations and public health orders, a city official said in a statement.
5:20 a.m. | Pfizer seeking full FDA approval
Pfizer and BioNTech have taken the first steps with the FDA to seek full approval of their COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. for people 16 and older. Currently, the Pfizer vaccine — and all other COVID-19 vaccines — are only being administered under emergency use authorization. Pfizer is the first company to seek full approval from the FDA. Read the full story here.
Thursday, May 6
6:20 p.m. | FEMA provides additional $1.8 million in funding for COVID-19 response in Thornton
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided an additional $1.8 million in Public Assistance funding for COVID-19 response in Thornton.
President Joe Biden approved a cost share increase from 75% to 100% for projects related to the pandemic response. It includes work completed between Jan. 20, 2020 and Sept. 30, 2021. The assistance was originally made available under a major disaster declaration issued March 28, 2020.
The money will go towards emergency protective measures for the City of Thornton, including funding to cover three community-based testing site locations and four locations for COVID-19 vaccine distribution. The funding also covers medical and testing supplies, drive-thru testing and vaccination facilities, rental trailers and buildings, personal protective supplies, generators, food, water, transportation and test processing.
The funding approval allowed FEMA to reimburse states, tribes, cities and other partners for 100% of eligible costs.
To date, FEMA has disbursed $831 million for Colorado’s COVID-19 response.
4:32 p.m. | Denver's indoor mask rules adjusted to be closer to state's; city pushing for more to be vaccinated
The city of Denver is adjusting some indoor mask requirements to be closer in line with the state’s public health order despite a continuing rise in hospitalizations and as officials push for more people to be vaccinated in the weeks ahead.
If 80% of people inside most public indoor spaces are fully vaccinated and can prove so, they would not be required to wear masks indoors, said Denver Department of Public Health Executive Director Bob McDonald during a news conference Wednesday. The changes to the mask order take effect on Thursday.
And if 85% of workers at a restaurant can prove they are fully vaccinated, they should not have to wear masks while inside. McDonald said that business managers are allowed to ask to see people’s vaccination cards, but people would not be mandated to show them, though those same managers would also be responsible for proving that enough people are fully vaccinated to go mask-free.
Similar to the state’s public health order, indoor spaces with nine or fewer people inside would not require masks to be worn. Masks will still be required in schools, child care centers, personal services facilities, hospitals, nursing homes and jails under the updated order.
McDonald said that some larger spaces that see lots of people moving through will still require face coverings indoors, like grocery stores, large retail stores and government buildings.
Colorado is currently second in the nation to Michigan in terms of COVID-19 case rates, but McDonald said Denver’s positivity rate is below 5% and cases have been dropping. Hospitalizations are still increasing among younger people because of the new variants seen in the state, McDonald said.
Hancock said 63% of Denver residents age 16 and up have now received at least one vaccine dose and 45% are fully vaccinated, but there remains hesitancy around the vaccine among communities of color, younger people, and older white men.
Click here to read the full story.
4 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers
Here are the latest coronavirus numbers for Colorado, as of 4 p.m. Thursday, with the change from Wednesday in parentheses:
519,414 cases (+1,563)
28,453 hospitalized (+62)
64 counties (+0)
2,941,269 people tested (+6,533)
7,969,765 test encounters (+36,867)
6,345 deaths among cases (+8)
6,500 deaths due to COVID-19 (+22)
5,088 outbreaks (+16)
The latest hospital data showed 713 beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients, seven more than Wednesday. Colorado's seven-day average positivity rate is 5.46%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Thursday, 2,674,623 people in Colorado had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 2,037,137 people had been fully immunized.
11:25 a.m. | More than 2 million Coloradans fully vaccinated
The state announced Thursday that 2 million Coloradans are now fully vaccinated. Another 2.67 million Coloradans have received one dose of a vaccine.
The state considers people to be “fully vaccinated” 15 days after receiving their second Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or 15 days after receiving their one and only Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Click here for more information on where to get a vaccine.
The state says 4.7 million Coloradans age 16+ are currently eligible to be vaccinated – a number which could expand if the government grants emergency use authorization for the Pfizer vaccine to be used on children ages 12-15.
“I want to congratulate every Coloradan who has received their vaccine. Not only are you protecting yourself, but you’re powering the Colorado comeback and energizing our economy,” said Governor Jared Polis. “And for everyone who is still unvaccinated, I want you to know that getting the vaccine is free, quick and easy. Make a plan today, and take the first step toward ending this pandemic and protecting your family. Vaccinated Coloradans are experiencing the joy of safely seeing their grandparents again, or finally getting together with friends for dinner without the fear or guilt of endangering their lives. There are even brighter days ahead Colorado, and this lifesaving vaccine is going to get us there.”
11:11 a.m. | Five cases of Indian variant found in Colorado; CDPHE continues to see ‘concerning, increasing trends’ among kids
The first five cases of the B.1.617.2 coronavirus variant – first identified in India – have been found in Mesa County, state epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy said during a virtual news conference late Thursday morning.
Those five cases did not have a recent history of travel - but that an investigation was still ongoing at this point, Herlihy said. It’s not clear at this point what this will mean for case transmission and vaccine efficacy, since information about this variant is limited, she added.
During the news conference, Herlihy also said the state continues to see “concerning, increasing trends” of the novel coronavirus among children.
ABC News reported Wednesday children make up 26% of new COVID-19 cases in the state due to new variants, the fact that vaccines haven’t been approved for kids, the return to in-person learning and a relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions.
Providing some more data on cases and trends, Herlihy said the state was seeing higher rates of infection among kids between 11–17 years old (those in middle and high school), with the next higher rate of infection among those 18 years or older.
Kate McIntire, the deputy director of the Colorado Vaccine Task Force, was also present during the news conference, and said that over 2 million Coloradans are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, though the state continues to see a downward trend in daily doses of the vaccine being administered.
“The most important thing is that vaccines are our ticket out of this pandemic,” McIntire reiterated as she called on Coloradans to continue to get inoculated.
Dr. Laura Klein, the medical director of maternal-fetal medicine at UCHealth Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs – who was invited to participate in Thursday’s news conference – encouraged pregnant women to get vaccinated.
There’s been no higher risk of complications for the approximately 30,000 pregnant women who’ve gotten the COVID-19 vaccine, she said, adding that while large-scale studies still need to be done in this respect, current data points to the safety and efficacy of the vaccines.
“We do know that pregnant women who get infected with COVID-19 are at higher-risk for complications than women who are not vaccinated,” Klein said. “There are no biological reasons I would be concerned of women having negative influences on the baby” when getting a COVID-19 vaccine, she added.
State data presented during the news conference showed that those who are fully vaccinated are about 92% protected from infection, Herlihy said, as she broke down those numbers for the unvaccinated and the partially vaccinated (those who’ve only received one dose). The state found that there were 30.2 cases per 100,000 people who were vaccinated, 10.7 cases for the partially vaccinated, and 2.3 cases per 100,000 people for those who’ve are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose.
7:35 a.m. | Colorado unemployment numbers
Today, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) reported that an estimated 4,472 regular initial unemployment claims were filed during the week ending May 1.
There were also 618 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) initial claims filed for the same week.
Since mid-March 2020, an estimated total of 926,676 regular initial unemployment claims have been filed and a grand total of 1,195,287 claims, when the PUA program is included.
For the week ending April 24, the number of continued weeks requested totaled 196,607. That includes the following totals by UI program: regular UI (61,105), PUA (52,898), and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) (82,604). CDLE estimates those continued claims were filed by about 163,895 individuals (55,826 for regular UI; 40,898 for PUA, and 67,171 for PEUC).
The department also adopted a new emergency rule that was designed to strengthen claimants’ work search activities.
"The rule allows CDLE to disqualify claimants from receiving continued unemployment benefits for failing to show up to a scheduled interview, failing to show up for a scheduled exam, failing to report for the first scheduled day of new work, and failing to complete required pre-employment activities unless the claimant can verify reasonable justification for the specific failure," the CDLE explained in a press release. "The new rule also allows for a disqualification if false or incorrect information is knowingly provided during the course of the interview that would result in the applicant to be considered unqualified for the job."
Wednesday, May 5
4:52 p.m. | Vaccine mobile clinics at Cinco de Mayo celebrations
The Colorado mobile vaccination clinics are out at several Cinco de Mayo celebrations this week to try to get more people vaccinated.
A mobile clinic was held at the Cinco de Mayor Cultural Celebration in Monte Vista and in Pueblo on Wednesday.
There will be a third mobile clinic on Friday on Friday at the Arkansas Valley Fairgrounds in Rocky Ford from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Click here for more information.
“Since we began distributing vaccines to communities across our state, we have made a concerted effort to do so in a way that is equitable, saves the most lives, and ends the immediate public health crisis as quickly as possible,” said Governor Jared Polis. “With each vaccine administered we take another step toward getting back to life as we knew it. I want to thank community organizations across our state for their partnership in ensuring that every person who wants a vaccine, can get one.”
4 p.m. | Latest Colorado COVID-19 data
Colorado records another day of 1,500+ new cases of COVID-19 in a single day, but state's positivity rate appears to be on a downward trend.
517,851 cases (+1,611)
28,391 hospitalized (+126)
64 counties (+0)
2,934,736 people tested (+6,169)
7,932,898 test encounters (+31,432)
6,337 deaths among cases (+16)
6,478 deaths due to COVID-19 (+0)
5,072 outbreaks (+57)
The latest hospital data showed 706 beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients, 13 more than Tuesday. Colorado's seven-day average positivity rate was 5.60 %. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Wednesday, 2,654,257 people had received at least one dose of the vaccine and 1,992,916 people have been fully vaccinated.
Tuesday, May 4
4 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers
Here are the latest coronavirus numbers for Colorado, as of 4 p.m. Tuesday, with the change from Monday in parentheses:
516,240 cases (+1,519)
28,265 cases (+167)
64 counties (+0)
2,928,567 people tested (+4,808)
7,901,466 test encounters (+20,546)
6,321 deaths among cases (+15)
6,478 deaths due to COVID-19 (+4)
5,015 outbreaks (+48)
The latest hospital data showed 693 beds in use by confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients, 14 more than Monday. Colorado's seven-day average positivity rate is 5.66%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Tuesday, 2,638,346 people in Colorado had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 1,960,179 people had been fully immunized.
10:14 a.m. | University of Northern Colorado offering walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations on Wednesday
The University of Northern Colorado will be offering walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations tomorrow, May 5, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (or until vaccines run out) for UNC students in the lower level of the University Center's atrium food court area. Vaccinations will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.
More info. here: https://t.e2ma.net/message/99eaae/pamob2
8:39 a.m. | CU Boulder community can get the COVID-19 vaccine today through 4 p.m.
CU Boulder students, faculty and staff who want to get a COVID-19 vaccine can do so today at a walk-up vaccine clinic in Williams Village. The clinic will open at 10 a.m. and run through 4 p.m. No appointment is needed.
More info. here: bit.ly/33bMSz1.
Monday, May 3
4 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 numbers
Here are the latest coronavirus numbers for Colorado, as of 4 p.m. Monday, with the change from Sunday in parentheses:
514,721 cases (+956)
28,098 hospitalized (+15)
64 counties (+0)
2,923,759 tested (+3,489)
7,880,920 test encounters (+14,797)
6,306 deaths among cases (+2)
6,474 deaths due to COVID-19 (+25)
4,967 outbreaks (+11)
The latest hospital data showed 679 beds in use by COVID-19 patients, five more than Sunday. Colorado's seven-day average positivity rate of COVID-19 tests is 5.93%. Colorado's goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Monday, 2,624,736 people in Colorado have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 1,929,703 people have been fully immunized.
2:03 p.m. | More Colorado polling finds political, geographic splits in COVID vaccine hesitancy
As Colorado reaches its saturation point of having enough COVID-19 vaccines for people who want them, new Colorado polling continues to show a political divide in who wants to get them.
Gov. Jared Polis on Sunday extended and amended the statewide mask order to include new provisions for people to go mask-free inside indoor public spaces if 80% of the people in the room can prove they are fully vaccinated.
The move comes as 1.9 million Coloradans have been fully immunized against COVID-19 and with 2.6 million Coloradans already having received their first dose. Colorado has received more than 4 million vaccine doses to date.
And Polis and State Epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy last week showed how counties with the highest vaccination rates – including Boulder, Denver and Jefferson – had much lower COVID-19 case rates than counties where a smaller share of the population has been vaccinated.
Herlihy said those data showed “the first promising indication [that] we’re seeing community level protection” because of the vaccine, but also the importance of the push to get the groups of people who have been waiting for the initial rush to die down, or who may have some hesitancy to get vaccinated, their shots.
The number of Coloradans vaccinated daily has dipped each week since around 80,000 people were vaccinated on April 9, with at least 59,000 doses administered each day of that week. Last week, the greatest number of doses administered on any day of the week was 45,000.
The state has now opened five of the six state mass vaccination clinics up to walk-up and drive-up availability as well in an effort to get more people vaccinated in areas with lower rates to try to reach herd immunity levels as quickly as possible.
New polling released Monday by Keating Research, OnSight Public Affairs and Mike Melanson (KOM Colorado Poll), a Democratic-leaning consortium, backs up some of the data state officials shared last week with respect to where the most people were getting vaccinated in different areas of Colorado.
The online poll surveyed 528 active Colorado voters across the state between April 20-26 and has a ±4.3% margin of error. It surveyed Coloradans based on party and demographic trends. Thirty percent of respondents were registered Democrats; 42% were unaffiliated; and 27% were Republicans.
The poll found that 63% of people surveyed had already received at least one vaccine dose, another 10% who said they planned on getting vaccinated but had not yet, 12% who said they were not sure if they would get vaccinated, and 15% who said they don’t plan to get vaccinated.
But as a Magellan Strategies poll did in February, the KOM Poll still found political splits on vaccines two months later and with a much greater share of the overall population already vaccinated. Analysis of government data around vaccine hesitancy done by the New York Times in mid-April also found a nexus between political affiliation and whether or not a person was planning to get vaccinated or already had been.
Eighty percent of Democrats said they had already received one dose, compared to 61% of unaffiliated voters and 46% of Republican respondents to the KOM Poll. Ten percent of all three groups, respectively, said they planned on getting a vaccine but had not yet.
But the splits were apparent when it came down to those who were unsure whether they would get vaccinated and those who said they will not get vaccinated at all.
Six percent of Democrats said they were not sure if they would get inoculated, compared to 15% of unaffiliated voters and 16% of Republican voters.
But 27% of Republican respondents said they don’t plan on getting the vaccine, compared to 15% of unaffiliated voters who said they do not plan to and 4% of Democrats.
Republican women (29%) were slightly more likely than Republican men (26%) to say they would not get the vaccine, according to the poll. Unaffiliated women (19%) were also more likely than unaffiliated men (10%) to say they wouldn’t get vaccinated among those polled.
Among those who said they were not sure they would get vaccinated, their top concerns were believing vaccines were “developed too quickly” (63%) and worries over the short-term side effects from the vaccine (52%), which can widely vary.
Among those who said they did not plan on getting vaccinated, 50% of people said “the threat of COVID-19 is overstated,” while 49% said they don’t believe the vaccines are safe. Forty-seven percent of that group said they believe the vaccines were developed “too quickly.”
The poll also showed some correlation to the data shared by state officials last week showing how vaccine rates were higher in Denver and Boulder compared to more rural counties. The poll results showed 79% of respondents in Denver and Boulder had already received at least one vaccine dose and only 4% said they don’t plan on getting vaccinated.
Click here to read the full story.
Click here for the COVID-19 live blog for April 26-May 2, 2021.
