COVID-19 General Colorado Thread (Denver, Pueblo: roaches, registered, location)

[BarryK123]

Originally Posted by cowboyxjon

From what I've heard from the health department, they are attributing this rise in cases mostly to gatherings in private spaces, like parties at private homes, etc. If that's the case, what difference does it make to not allow spectators at high school sporting events, for instance? If sporting events have not been identified as places where there is significant spread of the virus, why bother placing restrictions on them?

One thing I haven't seen addressed is are we getting close to herd immunity among stupid people? That is, people who don't wear masks or follow basic hygiene recommendations, etc., attend these spreading events such as private gatherings and Trump rallies? Once they are all infected and have immunity, those of us who follow health guidelines are less likely to be compromised.

Originally Posted by cowboyxjon

I am taking the virus seriously, but, like others, I'm getting tired of some of the restrictions that seem arbitrary. We should have months' worth of data from contact tracing efforts now, so I would think (hope?) that guidelines and recommendations would become more targeted and not quite as broad and (seemingly) arbitrary.

Do diabetics get tired of following their diets and taking their insulin?

[cowboyxjon]

Originally Posted by BarryK123

One thing I haven't seen addressed is are we getting close to herd immunity among stupid people? That is, people who don't wear masks or follow basic hygiene recommendations, etc., attend these spreading events such as private gatherings and Trump rallies? Once they are all infected and have immunity, those of us who follow health guidelines are less likely to be compromised.


Do diabetics get tired of following their diets and taking their insulin?

Oh please! My thoughts were in no way related to politics and for what it’s worth, I follow the guidelines, even when I may question the effectiveness of them, and feel that some are arbitrary in the sense that the Jefferson County Health Department wants to show that they are “doing something” even if the “something” that they are doing is not really based on any type of data or evidence.

I would love more insight into the decision-making that goes on behind the scenes, just to get a feel for what types of factors are considered, especially in the context of what Jefferson County recently announced. As I said, if private parties are a major reason, why are there now restrictions on spectators at sporting events, many of which require masks and distancing anyway? If data shows that this has been a problem in Jefferson County, why not say so?

I’m sure some of what I’m asking about is happening, too, like an example being revised guidelines for gyms. Previously under the Safer at Home Level 3 guidelines at the state level, gyms were not allowed to operate, and the state recently changed that guideline to enable gyms to remain open, although with additional restrictions. I’m GUESSING that was a decision informed by data (perhaps with restrictions in place, most gyms have not been identified through contact tracing as a significant source of spread), but as far as I know, it hasn’t been said explicitly.

[sammy87]

On my next-door page there is a thread about the rise in cases. An ICU nurse said theres only like 3 cover patients in their hospital. 1 just tested positive but was there for other reasons. The others were doing fine. IDK what to believe with all this. Nobody I know really knows anyone with it.

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by sammy87

On my next-door page there is a thread about the rise in cases. An ICU nurse said theres only like 3 cover patients in their hospital. 1 just tested positive but was there for other reasons. The others were doing fine. IDK what to believe with all this. Nobody I know really knows anyone with it.

I know 4 people who've had it. Two of them currently have it, and one spent a week in a coma on a ventilator. I also know someone whose 90-something grandmother died of it and another person's brother (who's in his early 40s) had one leg amputated above the knee and the other leg amputated above the foot because of COVID-caused blood clots.

Not saying this is you, but the fact that there are egocentric people out there who think COVID (which is a worldwide pandemic) is some big conspiracy theory to take down Sweet Potato Hitler is just stupid. If Trump had been a leader from the get go instead of a feckless, science-denying idiot we'd be a lot better off right now.

[2bindenver]

Three colleagues currently have tested positive. One has “underlying conditions” and will be hospitalized shortly, if not already.

[Vision67]

Report: COVID-19 hospitalizations headed for all-time high, straining healthcare system in CO

https://gazette.com/news/local/repor...9bba02b4a.html

"COVID-19 hospitalizations in Colorado are on pace to hit an all-time high by Nov. 10, potentially leading to thousands of new deaths and overwhelming the state's capacity to provide critical care by the end of the year, a new report found.

A recent modeling report, issued by the state health department and the Colorado School of Public Health, found that the current rate of increase in hospitalizations could push the state beyond its ICU capacity as early as December, if social-distancing decreases due to holiday gatherings.

Even if social-distancing remains steady through the holidays, the state could run out of ICU beds by January.

The state could see 7,600 total deaths due to the virus by the end of the year if the current trajectory is not changed, according to the report. As of Thursday, the state had seen 2,105 deaths due to COVID-19, and 2,278 deaths among cases.

If Coloradans decrease social-distancing by 10% due to holiday gatherings, deaths could rise to 10,000. A 20% decrease in social distancing would result in 13,400 deaths, according to the report.

“There is a small window to improve transmission control over the next few weeks,” Jonathan Samet, dean of the Colorado School of Public Health, said in a written statement. “To limit increasing infections and avoid peaks that could strain health care capacity over the next three months, a substantial increase in transmission control is needed.”

State officials have been sounding alarms over Colorado's hospital capacity, warning that surge capacity, which could create several thousand extra hospital beds throughout the state, could take weeks to fully stand up.

One in every 219 Coloradans is currently infectious, and each infectious person gives the disease to another 1.57 people, on average, the new modeling found.

The seven-day average of diagnoses in the state continues to rise. On Thursday, it sat at 1,676 cases, nearly triple the spring peak of 624 cases on April 29.

As of Friday 82% of Colorado ICU beds were in use, and nearly 40% of ventilators. The percentage of people tested whose tests came back positive was nearing 8%, with the World Health Organization recommending levels under 5% for communities to reopen.

On Thursday the state set a new record for new diagnoses reported to the state: 2,171."

[BarryK123]

I know one person, in his 30s, who had it. No hospitalization, but he had severe fatigue and was sleeping about 18 hours/day for several weeks. 8 weeks later he developed breathing problems which was diagnosed as pericarditis, a known Covid complication. Was treated for that, for about a month, and now better.

[cowboyxjon]

I don’t know anyone in Colorado who has had the virus, but I know about 5 people total who have had it.

A co-worker who works out of a different office (East Coast) had it back in February or so. He was sick for quite awhile but didn’t require hospitalization, and, at the time, wasn’t diagnosed with COVID at the time as there wasn’t a test specifically for it at that point (or at least I don’t think so?) but later on had the antibody test, which detected antibodies in his system. He would fall into the higher risk category for sure and at this point I’m not sure if there have been any long term effects from having the virus.

More recently, a close friend of mine (also East Coast) and her family had it, via one of her daughters. This friend happens to work for her local county health department, too, so this isn’t a case of like a “COVID denier” or anything. Although this friend and her family follow the guidelines, it still happened (which, of course I understand that the masks and distancing are just meant to reduce risk). Her children had mild symptoms and she and her husband were a bit sicker, but did not require any time in the hospital. Everyone seems fine now, although obviously a bit early to know if there are any long term effects from having the virus.

[Vision67]

Not looking good for Colorado:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graph...emic-guide-box

[Vision67]

‘Clearly, Coloradans have lapsed’: New virus cases are setting records in Colorado.

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/11...gtype=Homepage

"Colorado once looked like it had gotten a grip on the coronavirus. Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, is a zealous mask wearer who imposed a statewide mandate. Hospitalization levels stayed low for much of the summer and fall. The state even began dismantling two emergency field hospitals it set up early in the pandemic.

But that grip has slipped. Daily reports of new cases are soaring to record heights, and the number of patients hospitalized with Covid-19 has tripled since early September.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is now warning that hospitalizations in the state are likely to blast through the peaks of last April and could overwhelm the state’s intensive care units by January.

“It’s really a very scary rise,” Dr. Jonathan Samet, the dean of the Colorado School of Public Health, said in an interview. “Clearly, Coloradans have lapsed.”

Health officials said there was no single reason or particular hot spot fueling the increase in the state this time, unlike earlier spikes that were driven by outbreaks in long-term care homes and meatpacking plants or by students partying at the University of Colorado.

The state health department estimated that one in every 219 people in Colorado is infectious, making it likelier now than it was in the summer for uninfected people to catch the virus.

Colder weather and early snowstorms are starting to drive people back indoors. Mountain towns that rely on winter tourists are now torn: Do they accept the pain of shutting down the restaurants and bars that bring in the après-ski dollars, or do they let their communities become hubs of coronavirus transmission?

Denver, which reported a record 461 cases one day last week, has imposed tighter limits on retailers, offices and public gatherings and ordered people to wear face masks outdoors. A dozen counties across the state have also ratcheted restrictions back up.


Dr. Samet said pandemic fatigue and people’s yearning for normalcy after months of lockdown and mask wearing may be playing a part in the recent surge.

“Everybody’s impatient,” he said. “People want to have their lives back. But it’s too early to do that.”"