Governor Polis, along with State Epidemiologist, Dr. Rachel Herlihy, provided an update on some of the latest information regarding COVID-19 cases in our state.
Dr. Herlihy explained that our infection rates have seen a rise in recent weeks, with an anomalous prevalence among 18 to 25 year-olds. In the last week alone, there has been a 74% increase in positive cases among this age group. The Governor reminded Coloradans that this is not the time to let loose and sit idly by as young people act as deadly transmitters of the virus to our most vulnerable populations.
We must take action to let our young people know that the future is in their hands; that they absolutely need to frequently wash their hands, socially distance, and in the case of exposure, get a test, which saves their own lives and those of our grandmothers.
In particular, when we look at age-specific trends in the 18 to 25 demographic, the number of positive cases per 100,000 has exceeded 200, and overall, cases per 100,000 people have shot up in the month of September.
It’s also terribly important that as many Coloradans as possible get a flu shot this year. This will reduce chances of becoming ill from both COVID and the flu, and widespread protection from other airborne viruses is paramount to our strategy of protecting public health until we have a viable vaccine for COVID-19.
COVID-19 AND NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES
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Today, Governor Polis was joined by Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera, who serves as Chair of the Colorado Commission For Indian Affairs, Adrianne Maddux, Executive Director of Denver Indian Health and Family Services and member of the Hopi tribe, and Lucille Echohawk, Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs At-Large Board Member and former Executive Director of Denver Indian Family Resource Center, to provide an update on Colorado’s COVID-19 response in our Native American communities.
As we have seen in a number of areas, this pandemic is exacerbating and magnifying deep, structural racial inequities. As a result, Colorado’s communities of color are bearing a disproportionate amount of the pain, loss, and devastation caused by the virus.
That includes our American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Nationally, American Indian and Alaska natives have been disproportionately affected in terms of hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID, with about five times the hospitalization rates and 40% more deaths than White non-Hispanic persons. While numbers in our state are small, these trends are consistent with what we are seeing across the nation.
The State of Colorado is doing everything possible to mitigate these inequities and the resulting disproportionate impact of COVID-19. Because a majority of the American Indian and Alaska Native population in our state live in urban areas, the partnership with American Indian and Alaska Native community organizations, Colorado’s Urban Indian Health Program, and Denver Indian Health & Family Services, is vital. Our Department of Public Health and Environment also partners with the Denver Indian Health & Family Services to provide free testing for the Native American community.
The Governor, Lieutenant Governor Primavera, and administration staff worked together to respond quickly to strengthen lines of communication with communities across the state, convening regular meetings with the Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute Indian Tribes since the onset of COVID-19 in Colorado. Staff have met regularly with the following frontline organizations serving the American Indian and Alaska Native communities:
This regular communication has been, and continues to be, crucial in identifying valuable opportunities for partnerships among these organizations and with state agencies to support our COVID-19 response efforts. It has also produced unique solutions with other partners across our State and helped identify and address barriers to service.
Additionally, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has partnered with the Denver Indian Center to form a COVID-19 Native Response Team. The Denver Indian Center is an urban cultural gathering center for the American Indian and Alaska Native community of the Denver Metro area. The COVID-19 Native Response Team is made up of community members who have been trained in crisis counseling to provide resources and mental health triage.
Using Colorado COVID Relief Funds, non-profits, school districts, municipalities, Tribal organizations, and businesses are helping our most vulnerable being impacted by COVID, and have granted $165,000 to several American Indian and Alaska Native organizations, including:
The Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs seeks to reorient the Health and Wellness Committee to focus on addressing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the community. In the process, state agencies, non-governmental entities, and American Indian and Alaska Native community members were convened to identify strategies to support the community.
The Committee prioritized developing culturally responsive Public Service Announcements and other materials to help educate the community on COVID-19 testing, hand washing, face coverings, and the importance of mental and behavioral health care.
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HOUSING AND EVICTION PREVENTION
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The Governor addressed housing and some of the recent steps the administration has taken to ensure Coloradans can remain stably housed. During times of economic uncertainty and a global pandemic, a home is the safest place to be, and we need to make sure people have a home in which to stay safe.
After the Special Eviction Prevention Task Force met for the second time, the group made recommendations to discuss the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) federal order, resources for Coloradans and next steps to help keep people housed in Colorado during the pandemic.
In light of the recent federal notice on evictions, today the Governor extended and amended EO185 to include a notice requirement that requires landlords to notify tenants in writing of their rights under the new federal CDC eviction order.
Since launching the two programs to help people who have financial need due to COVID-19 pay their rent or mortgage, the state has been able to administer rental and mortgage assistance to those in need. To date, $7.49M in rental and mortgage assistance has been distributed to Coloradans.
As of last Friday, through our Property Owner Preservation program, where landlords apply on behalf of their tenants, the Division of Housing has distributed $5.276 million to more than 4,000 households (4,064).
Through our Emergency Housing Rental Assistance program, where individual households can apply for rental and mortgage assistance, our Division of Housing has distributed $2.361 million to 1,095 households.
There is no doubt that much work remains to be done. By doubling down on our commitment to helping keep Coloradans stably housed in the months ahead and leveraging partnerships with not just state agencies, but community advocacy organizations, we move the goal post a little bit closer every day.
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