This is a difficult time for all of us.
I know we’re all disappointed and frustrated by the disruptions and inconveniences that the new coronavirus is causing to our daily lives, and more importantly, we’re concerned about the health and safety of ourselves and our loved ones.
As governor, I am in constant consultation with public health experts as we study and implement effective, science-based responses and policies so we can keep Coloradans safe — especially populations that are the most vulnerable to coronavirus, including folks over 60-years-old and those who have underlying health conditions.
Our greatest challenge at this point is reducing the spread of the virus and not overwhelming our health care system’s capacity.
I am extremely proud of our public health staff here in Colorado who stood up the first-in-the-nation drive-up testing facility, which has given us crucial data to track the spread of the virus and respond accordingly.
But to be clear, limited access to CDC testing kits has hampered our ability to conduct widespread testing, and now Colorado and the whole country are behind where we need to be. At this point, our provider community is rapidly stepping up to expand testing in the state. If you feel symptoms, isolate yourself, contact your health care provider to get a diagnosis and find out where you can get tested.
However, we must assume that there are thousands of undiagnosed cases in Colorado, and we need to work together as a community to limit the spread of the virus.
The experience of previous countries shows that limits on social contact are urgently needed to slow the spread of the virus enough to avoid a situation where we have too many severe COVID-19 cases at one time, and there aren’t enough hospital beds, ventilators, respirators, and medical professionals to care for everyone who gets sick.
That is why aggressive precautions are being taken now to prevent widespread devastation in the weeks ahead — prohibiting gatherings of over 50 or more, closing schools, downhill ski areas, bars and restaurants excluding takeout, providing benefits to some workers to get tested and take time off of work, restricting visitation to facilities that serve older Coloradans who are more vulnerable to coronavirus, and many more actions.
But there’s only so much that any government can do. We all have to take our personal responsibility seriously.
To that end, we are launching a campaign called “Doing My Part CO” where we are encouraging Coloradans to engage in best practices and to share them on social media with the hashtag #DoingMyPartCO: practicing proper hygiene and social distancing, working from home if you can, walking, biking, or taking your car instead of using public transit, watching movies at home instead of going to the theater, getting groceries or medicine for an elderly neighbor, and taking it easy on the toilet paper at the supermarket.
We’re also coordinating offers of help from philanthropists, the private sector, and ordinary Coloradans who want to volunteer to help. You can donate to the Colorado COVID Relief Fund. Funds raised will be used to support the unmet needs of the communities and agencies impacted by COVID-19. Volunteer efforts are being coordinated at the state’s Emergency Operations Center and those interested can sign up to volunteer at www.HelpColoradoNow.org.
Doing right by our fellow Coloradans is about more than just protecting our health care system, health care workers, and our most vulnerable populations. Science tells us that doing good deeds helps our own mental health, which will continue to be a challenge for Coloradans in the weeks ahead.
Here are a few ideas to help with mental health:
- Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic constantly can be upsetting.
- Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, pray, or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugs.
- If you’re not in quarantine or isolation, take advantage of our magnificent national, state, and local parks while maintaining a safe distance from others on the trail. It’s one of the best ways to keep ourselves healthy both physically and mentally.
- Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy. Sink yourself into a book series or TV series. Practice an instrument. Work on learning a new language.
- Catch up on family time. Read with your kids. Do craft projects. Play board games. Put on a play or a puppet show.
- Connect with others. Look through your contacts and call a friend or family member you haven’t spoken to in a while. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling. Have a webcam dinner party with friends and family.
If you’ve got some great ideas of your own, share them on social media with the hashtag #DoingMyPartCO.
Colorado, I know this won’t be easy. But we’ve been challenged before, and we’ve proven our resiliency time and time again.
We must rise to the moment once again and do our part to protect the health and safety of our neighbors, especially the most vulnerable. We are all in this together, and we’re going to get through this together.
Jared Polis is the governor of Colorado.
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