New cases of COVID-19 and hospitalizations continue to fall in Colorado, suggesting that the state could get out of the pandemic without another wave of death if people can maintain precautions for a little longer.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reported that 433 people were hospitalized with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 on Monday afternoon. New cases were at the lowest level since the first week of October, with 6,227 registered in the week that ended on Sunday.
Public health experts compared the situation to an antiquated scale, with vaccinations and precautions like wearing masks on one side and more contagious versions of the virus on the other.
No one is sure how widespread the new variants are in Colorado, but the fact that cases continue to decline suggests that other factors outweigh them, at least for now, said Dr. Jon Samet, dean of the Colorado School of Public Health . The state health department confirmed 86 cases of COVID-19 caused by more contagious variants.
“The good news is that the curve is still falling,” he said. “I think we can probably give a lot of credit to the coloradans.”
The state’s dial structure changed on February 6 and, so far, the increase in capacity at companies has not caused any more broadcast across the state. That could still change, and the virus is spreading more widely in some mountain towns.
“Overall, we continue to do well,” said Samet. “We have to stand firm on the measures that everyone is tired of.”
On Monday afternoon, the state reported that 412,839 people received a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 388,490 received both vaccines. The pace of vaccinations slowed last week, perhaps because some places have closed due to the extreme cold.
The vast majority of doses went to arms at locations along the Front Range, but some small counties are leading after the population adjustment. San Juan County, which had a population of 728 according to the latest census estimates, administered 501 vaccines, or about 69 for every 100 people. It is possible that not all of these people were residents of the county.
At the Front Range, rates seem less impressive. Broomfield County leads, with 26 injections administered for every 100 people, and Jefferson County is not far behind, with around 24 for every 100 people.
Denver administered about 21 injections per 100 people. El Paso and Adams counties are in the rear in Front Range, with about 16 shots per 100 people.
Municipalities with fewer people over 65 are bound to lag behind those with older populations, since fewer people are eligible. Rural areas may also have more residents who are eligible because of their jobs, as hospitals and school districts are often the main employers in small communities.
Since March, 421,294 people in Colorado have tested positive for the virus and 23,183 have been hospitalized. The state reported 5,893 coronavirus-related deaths.
Subscribe to the biweekly newsletter to receive health news directly in your inbox.