Colorado Gov. Jared Polis lifted the state’s health emergency declaration on Thursday, nearly 16 months after it was issued — back when there were just 17 known coronavirus cases in the state.
In rescinding the declaration and most of his pandemic executive orders, he praised Coloradans for taking precautions during a challenging time in which at least 7,064 people in the state have died from COVID.
“(T)he health emergency is over,” Polis told The Post. “Our hospital capacity is no longer in jeopardy. The virus is certainly still with us and the work continues around vaccinations and economic recovery, but it’s an exciting day because it really is an acknowledgment that the steps that Coloradans took to help contain the virus worked.”
Polis also signed a Recovery Executive Order on Thursday, shifting the state from a pandemic emergency health response to one focused on the economy, vaccines and federal reimbursements.
The Democrat made the announcement as events surrounding the MLB All-Star Game start up in Denver. It also comes as the number of people hospitalized in Colorado with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 is up from 310 on June 30 to 342 as of Wednesday afternoon.
Colorado’s seven-day average of newly reported cases and percentage of tests coming back positive also have increased since late June. (The rise in all three have been relatively modest, however, when compared with other times during the pandemic.)
Public health leaders point to the delta variant as one factor behind a surge in hospitalizations in Mesa County, though low vaccination rates and a return to pre-pandemic behavior also contributed.
Polis said he is concerned about virus variants, but that vaccines have proven highly effective. He cited Dr. Anthony Fauci’s declaration that 99% of U.S. deaths June were people who weren’t vaccinated, and said Colorado has the 10th-lowest fatality rate per capita.
More than 70% of Coloradans have received at least one dose of the vaccine, with about 53% fully vaccinated — including nearly 80% of adults 65 and older. Children younger than 12 aren’t eligible for any of the available vaccines.
Polis issued more than 400 executive orders since a state of emergency was declared on March 10, 2020. He also extended the disaster emergency declaration 26 times, the latest of which was set to expire Saturday. In June, he told The Post he would begin to phase out his emergency powers.
Since the pandemic began, Republicans advocated to curb Polis’ emergency powers. State Senate Republicans commended the decision to rescind the emergency health order.
“Every meeting we’ve had with the governor has been punctuated with an inquiry as to when he would finally lift the order and declare this pandemic over in the state of Colorado,” Monument Sen. Paul Lundeen said. “We’re glad to see he finally has agreed to turn this dark page in our history.”
A few things won’t be affected by Thursday’s announcement: federal benefits; vaccine administration; state unemployment and rental assistance benefits; and tenants having to 30 days to pay overdue rent or come up with a plan before facing evicted. The Colorado National Guard also will continue to support the state with resources.
Since businesses began to reopen earlier this year, Colorado’s economic recovery boomed, with the state government expecting to take in 11.4% more revenue than previously thought in the fiscal year that ended June 30.
“We reopened earlier and safer than in other states and our economic recovery is underway,” Polis said.
Reporter Meg Wingerter contributed to this story.
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