New analysis: Colorado receives “trending poorly” marks for COVID-19 containment measures

CoPIRG provides fact sheet based on metrics from coronavirus watchdog

CoPIRG

With America as a whole continuing to struggle in containing the COVID-19 virus, CoPIRG released a new fact sheet today calling on Colorado to maintain all current restrictions and consider implementing additional containment measures. 

This finding is based on analysis by CovidExitStrategy.org a nonpartisan group of public health and crisis experts, which ranked Colorado as “trending poorly” based on its analysis of the state’s performance on four Centers for Disease Control-recommended benchmarks. 

“From early on in this pandemic, it’s been clear that we must listen to public health experts or suffer dire consequences,” said Allison Conwell, CoPIRG Advocate. “What we are seeing right now in our state is that our leaders are failing to act in a way that protects the health and welfare of our citizens.”

The fact sheet provides data in four key categories: 14-day decline in influenza-like illness; declining COVID positive cases; diminishing percentage of COVID positive cases; and appropriate hospital capacity.

As of June 29, Colorado was meeting one of four benchmarks. Specifically, Colorado is currently falling short on 14-day decline in influenza-like illness; declining COVID positive cases; and diminishing percentage of COVID positive cases. Trends in these categories have gone up instead of down.

 Nationally, only 3 states are meeting the standards in all four categories as of June 29.

“Every situation is different, so there’s no one-size-fits all formula for states to follow to the letter,” said Conwell. “But Colorado is simply not doing enough to combat COVID-19 when it comes to 14-day decline in influenza like illness; declining COVID positive cases; and diminishing percentage of COVID positive cases.”