More than 740,000 people in Colorado have tested positive for COVID-19 and more than 42,000 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:
Friday, Nov. 5
7:30 p.m. | Metro Denver public health officials issue advisory amid surge in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations
The Metro Denver Partnership for Health has issued a statewide public health advisory due to a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
As of Thursday, Colorado’s daily case rate was 49 per 100,000, which was the fifth highest in the country and one of the fastest growing, according to public health officials.
On Friday, state data showed 3,306 cases of COVID-19 were reported in Colorado and there were 1,383 beds in use by patients with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19, a number not seen since December 2020. On Oct. 30, the metro region had 581 hospitalizations due to COVID-19, a number which has been increasing over the past weeks.
About 80% of recent COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to be among the unvaccinated.
According to the Colorado Hospital Association there were only 100 ICU beds available on Friday. Metro Denver hospitals are full or nearing capacity due to both COVID-19, non-COVID-19 emergencies and other routine visits, with less than 10% of staffed beds available, the MDPH said.
The CHA just this week made the decision to move to Tier 3, the highest tier available, for the Combined Hospital Transfer Center, which allows hospitals to transfer patients without their consent but requires hospitals with space to accept new ICU patients.
Nearly 40% of hospitals report current or anticipated staff shortages within the next week, according to the MDPH.
Read the full story that includes recommendations here.
4:45 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 data
Here are the latest coronavirus numbers for Colorado.
760,453 caes (+3,306)
43,509 hospitalized (+196)
64 counties (+0)
3,948,798 people tested (+8,187)
12,292,094 test encounters (+41,561)
8,407 deaths among cases (+48)
8,653 deaths due to COVID-19 (+25)
6,559 outbreaks (+15)
The latest hospital data showed 1,383 beds in use by patients with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19, 10 more than Thursday. Colorado's seven-day average positivity rate was 9.06%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Thursday, 3,894,095 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine in Colorado, and 3,577,636 people have been fully vaccinated.
1:30 p.m. | COVID-19 booster clinics in Montrose County
Montrose County Public Health and Peak Professionals are partnering to temporarily open a mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic. The clinic will be open on Friday, Nov. 12 and Sat., Nov. 13 offering both booster doses and first-doses of Moderna and Johnson and Johnson.
The clinic will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day and appointments are required. Appointments are now available at montrosecountyjic.com/vaccination or you can call 970-252-4545 and press option 1 to schedule over the phone.
1 p.m. | CDPHE: Delayed care a factor in unprecedented strain on Colorado’s hospitals
Colorado’s health department on Friday reported less than 100 ICU beds available statewide as the strain on its hospitals continues amid a fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
CDPHE’s COVID-19 Incident Commander Scott Bookman said 1,296 Coloradans were in the hospital with coronavirus.
Approximately 80% of those patients are unvaccinated. And while that’s nowhere near the peak of over 1,800 COVID hospitalizations last December, our state’s ICU bed capacity is the lowest it’s been at any point during the pandemic. A big reason for that, Bookman says, is Coloradans delaying care for non-COVID ailments over the last 20 months.
“What we really heard from our hospitals is that the impact of delayed care over the course of this pandemic has been significant. As you know, procedures were cancelled early on in the pandemic,” he said. “And so the impact of that delayed care, combined with the, you know, general return of normalcy to most people's lives has increased the amount of trauma cases that we see out there.”
Bookman added that “burnout” among healthcare workers adds just another layer to the burden on our health care system.“
It's not just an empty bed, it comes with a nurse and a doctor and a respiratory therapist and all of the support services that ensure that care can be delivered,” he said. “That is really all coming together right now to create this challenge.”
Earlier this week, we went in-depth on our state’s hospital needs on Denver7+, including a move to the “tier 3” transfer phase – in which patients can be transferred to any hospital across the state – and the toll of non-coronavirus trauma.
You can watch that video below.
1 p.m. | Upcoming partnerships between CDPHE and pedatric care for COVID-19 vaccines
The CDPHE announced on Friday that it will partner with a long list of groups in November, December and beyond to help get children 5-11 years old vaccinated.
You can watch the full press conference below:
10:50 a.m. | CDPHE provides COVID-19 update
The CDPHE will provide an update on COVID-19 in the state at 12:40 p.m.
Speakers will include:
- Scott Bookman, COVID-19 Incident Commander
- Russell Castagnaro, Director of Digital Transformation for the Office of Information Technology
- Heather Roth, Immunization Branch Chief of Division of Disease Control and Public Health Response with the CDPHE
Watch the press conference below:
10:32 a.m. | Vietnamese Virtual Town Hall on COVID-19 vaccinations
This town hall, scheduled for Nov. 10 from 8-9 p.m., will include Vietnamese language interpretation and feature guest speakers addressing a variety of topics including COVID-19 updates, COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots, pediatric COVID-19 vaccinations, and flu vaccinations. Watch live on Facebook here
Thursday, Nov. 4
6:17 p.m. | DPS offering vaccination clinics
Now that the COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for children as young as 5, Denver Public Schools is offering opportunities for parents to get their kids vaccinated.
DPS' Denver Health School-Based Health Centers are now offering vaccinations for free at 18 locations across the city.
DPS will also host several vaccination clinics. The first opportunity will be Nov. 16 at the Evie Garrett Dennis Campus. A full list of the clinics is available in both English and Spanish.
For the convenience of our students and families, DPS will be hosting vaccination clinics
5:37 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 data
Here are the latest coronavirus numbers for Colorado.
757,147 cases (+4,149)
43,313 hospitalized (+423)
64 counties (+0)
3,940,611 people tested (+9,496)
12,250,533 test encounters (+41,769)
8,359 deaths among cases (+51)
8,628 deaths due to COVID-19 (+24)
6,544 outbreaks (+4)
The latest hospital data showed 1,373 beds in use by patients with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19, 15 more than Wednesday. Colorado's seven-day average positivity rate was 8.87%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Thursday, 3,889,889 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine in Colorado, and 3,577,266 people have been fully vaccinated.
12:37 p.m. | Pediatric vaccines through Larimer County Department of Health and Environment
Dr. Paul Mayer, Medical Officer with the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment (LCDHE), is encouraging parents and guardians to talk with their child’s healthcare provider and make a plan for getting their child vaccinated against COVID-19.
LCDHE nurses are preparing to offer COVID-19 vaccines to 5- through 11-year-olds at their locations in Loveland and Fort Collins during special hours dedicated to vaccinating this age group. Starting later this week, parents and guardians will be able to make an appointment at www.larimer.org/covidvaccine for their child to get their first shot. LCDHE will begin vaccinating those ages 5-11 on Nov. 8.
9:14 a.m. | Aurora Public Schools vaccine information
Aurora Public Schools has four school-based health clinics that will administer vaccines to children ages 5 and up located at:
- Crawford Elementary (Call 303-326-2090)
- Laredo Elementary (Call 303-326-1953)
- Aurora Central High School (Call 303-326-1570)
- Gateway High School (Call 303-326-2088)
Parents are encouraged to register in advance for a location and date. Walk-ins can register on site.
5 a.m. | Child COVID-19 vaccinations in Boulder, Broomfield counties
The Boulder Valley School District will work with its partners in Broomfield County, Boulder County, and Boulder Community Health about hosting COVID-19 vaccination clinics for children as young as 5 years old. Currently, the district is finalizing plans for five regional clinics — in Boulder, North Boulder, Broomfield, Lafayette and Nederland — on Nov. 13. More details will come on Friday.
Wednesday, Nov. 3
10:09 p.m. | Summit County issues information on vaccines for kids ages 5-11
Summit County parents can begin scheduling COVID-19 vaccinations for kids ages 5 to 11.
Following final federal approval, Summit County Public Health is announcing that it’s public health clinics will be offering vaccinations for kids ages 5-11 beginning Nov. 5. Summit County Public Health already placed orders for the pediatric dose, which is one-third the adult dose, ahead of final approval, but initial supply may be limited.
City Market Dillon and Walmart will offer pediatric Pfizer doses, and Summit County Care Clinic and Ebert Family Clinic will vaccinate kids by appointment only.
Summit County Public Health Director Amy Wineland recommended parents contact their local health care provider or local pharmacy to schedule appointments for their children.
“We have seen an increase in cases among children under 12,” Wineland said. “We highly encourage all children 5-18 to get vaccinated to help stop the spread of the virus, keep schools in-person and protect those community and family members that are most vulnerable as holiday breaks are upon us.
For more information on scheduling a vaccination in Summit County, click here.
4:09 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 data
Here are the latest coronavirus numbers for Colorado.
752,998 cases (+2,747)
42,890 hospitalized (+115)
64 counties (+0)
3,931,115 people tested (+5,372)
12,208,764 test encounters (+29,090)
8,308 deaths among cases (+16)
8,604 deaths due to COVID-19 (+27)
6,540 outbreaks (+38)
The latest hospital data showed 1,358 beds in use by patients with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19. Colorado's seven-day average positivity rate was 8.48%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Wednesday, 3,887,485 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine in Colorado, and 3,575,340 people have been fully vaccinated.
1:41 p.m. | COVID-19 vaccines for children in El Paso County
El Paso County Public Health and numerous partners will offer clinics this weekend for parents who choose to vaccinate their children between the ages of 5-11 with the COVID-19 vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine for this age group received final authorization from the CDC yesterday and will be available starting Nov. 5 at El Paso County Public Health South and at other locations in El Paso County.
9:35 a.m. | CVS Health, Walgreens COVID-19 vaccines for children
CVS Health announced that 1,700 CVS Pharmacy locations nationwide, including seven in Colorado, are now accepting appointments for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 pediatric vaccine to children ages five to 11 years of age.
The appointments begin Nov. 7. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Parents can schedule an appointment online at CVS.com or through the CVS Pharmacy app.
In addition, Walgreens is allowing parents to make vaccination appointments for children under the age of 12.
9:33 a.m. | National Jewish Health rolling out kids vaccines for COVID-19
National Jewish Health in Denver is rolling out their kids vaccines today between 3-6 p.m., through its National Jewish Health for Kids department on its main campus at 1400 Jackson Street.
Tuesday, Nov. 2
5:11 p.m. | Denver inmates offered incentives for vaccination
The Denver Sheriff Department has implemented a new vaccine incentive program that allows people in custody who get vaccinated to receive Ramen noodles and coffee.
Beginning Tuesday, individuals who take the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine can receive either 10 Ramen noodle soups or a combination of one coffee and five Ramen noodle soups, which are commissary items, for each dose.
Any inmates in DSD custody already vaccinated for COVID-19 will also be offered the incentive for each dose they received.
“In jails across America, vaccine incentive programs for individuals in custody are working and we decided to move forward with implementing one as well,” Sheriff Elias Diggins said. “We will evaluate the program monthly and hope that it will make a difference as we all continue to combat COVID.”
4:30 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 data
Here are the latest coronavirus numbers for Colorado.
750,251 cases (+2,396)
42,775 hospitalized (+240)
64 counties (+0)
3,925,743 people tested (+5,257)
12,179,674 test encounters (+24,213)
8,292 deaths among cases (+34)
8,577 deaths due to COVID-19 (+23)
6,502 outbreaks (+25)
The latest hospital data showed 1,345 beds in use by patients with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19, 19 more than Monday. Colorado's seven-day average positivity rate was 8.65%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Tuesday, 3,883,740 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine in Colorado, and 3,572,399 people have been fully vaccinated.
Monday, Nov. 1
4:27 p.m. | Latest COVID-19 data
Here are the latest coronavirus numbers for Colorado — a reminder that today's state data is an aggregate from the weekend as well as Monday's.
747,855 cases (+7,394)
42,535 hospitalized (+210)
64 counties (+0)
3,920,486 people tested (+21,255)
12,155,461 test encounters (+102,146)
8,258 deaths among cases (+72)
8,554 deaths due to COVID-19 (+96)
6,477 outbreaks (+14)
The latest hospital data showed 1,326 beds in use by patients with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19, 45 more than Sunday. Colorado's seven-day average positivity rate was 8.69%. The state's goal is to remain below 5%.
As of Monday, 3,881,150 people have received at least one dose of the vaccine in Colorado, and 3,569,960 people have been fully vaccinated.
5 a.m. | Colorado releases new, updated public health orders
On Sunday evening, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced amendments and extensions to the state's public health orders. It also issued one new order. This move comes in the wake of an increase in cases across the state.
According to the state, these are the amendments and new order:
- Public Health Order 20-38 (extended): The order includes limited requirements to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Colorado. It requires face coverings in some settings. The Order also includes hospital reporting requirements to provide the state with critical information to assess the statewide capacity to provide necessary medical care and services to Coloradans.
- Public Health Order 21-01 (amended and extended): The order now includes a provision requiring providers to administer second shots and any additional or booster shots regardless of where the individual received prior vaccinations. It also requires providers to administer vaccines to any individual who self-attests that they meet the criteria approved by the FDA and recommended by CDC. Finally, it requires vaccine administrators to submit vaccination and demographic data to CDPHE within 48 hours of administration.
- Public Health Order 21-02 aims to give hospitals greater capacity to serve Coloradans during the pandemic. It requires hospitals, hospital-owned Ambulatory Surgical Centers, and outpatient surgery centers to delay cosmetic procedures for up to six months if the delay would not cause harm to life, limb or function.
Click here for the COVID-19 live blog for Oct. 25-Oct. 31, 2021.
