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Six months after Colorado’s first coronavirus case, here’s how we compare to other states

Colorado health officials say they have learned a lot about fighting COVID-19 — and have a lot more to learn

John Ingold
The Colorado Sun

Saturday marks six months of the coronavirus pandemic in Colorado, half a year since Gov. Jared Polis announced the first two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state.

That’s six months of closings and reopenings and, in some cases, re-closings. Six months of social distancing. Six months of mask wearing and protests against mandatory mask wearing.

But, as tumultuous as it has been, state health officials say it has also been six months of learning. Today, they say they have a better understanding of the coronavirus, how it behaves and how to thwart its spread.



“In a lot of ways, from a pandemic perspective, the virus is becoming more predictable,” said Dr. Eric France, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s chief medical officer. “And we’re kind of understanding what it takes to try to keep it under control.”

At first, France said, the state had a policy toolbox full of largely untested gear. State law gave health authorities the ability to order quarantines, tell businesses to close, restrict movement and seize needed medications. But these interventions hadn’t really been used against a pandemic, at least not in modern times. Every new public health order that was issued struck a path into the unknown.



Read the full story at The Colorado Sun.


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