FORT LUPTON PRESS S E RV I N G T H E C O M M U N I T Y S I N C E 19 0 6
VOLUME 118
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2021
Health officials urge mask wearing amid COVID surge
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25 , 2020
VOLUME 117
75cI
ISSUE 47
ISSUE 48
THE SEASON FOR SHARING
Warning cites ‘steadily increasing cases,’ hospital bed capacity BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
With Colorado’s number of COVID-19 hospitalizations now higher than it was at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic’s first wave in the state in spring 2020, health officials are again urging residents to wear masks in public. The Nov. 5 announcement was called a statewide “public health advisory,” a term that state health officials appear not to have used before in news releases about the pandemic. The careful language Donald Hepp’s family purchased a flag to honor Hepp’s service in the Army from 1957 to 1959. PHOTO BY BELEN WARD reflected Colorado’s reluctance to again issue a mask mandate for the tals, the Sun reported. accidents, heart attacks and issues general public in most settings, a the highest total since Jan. 10, when The Colorado Department of caused by delayed medical care, requirement that the state allowed the state’s death rate was trending The Colorado Sun reported. The to expire this spring. downward after the winter surge. Public Health and Environment on state’s hospitals have not been more Oct. 31 ordered hospitals to susThe advisory was issued by the “As public health officials, we are full during the pandemic, the Sun Metro Denver Partnership for pend cosmetic surgeries in order issuing this statewide advisory due reported. Health, which includes the public to free up staff and bed space; to steadily increasing cases and a Gov. Jared Polis has said that if health agencies of Boulder, Broomsome hospitals have already gone concern for hospital bed capacity,” the surge continues, Colorado will field, Jefferson and Denver counfurther, delaying needed but nonthe metro Denver health officials need to request medical surge teams emergency procedures, the Sun ties as well as Tri-County Health wrote in a news release. from the Federal Emergency Manreported. Colorado and the Denver metro re- Department, which serves Adams and Arapahoe counties and provides agement Agency, or FEMA, and halt As of Oct. 30, the metro region gion continue to see steady increaselective surgeries, according to the certain public-health services to alone had 581 hospitalizations due es in COVID-19 cases, according to release. “Elective” means a surgery Douglas County. to COVID-19 — a number that has the release. On Nov. 4, Colorado’s or procedure can be delayed without been increasing over the past weeks, Hospitals serving metro Denver rate of daily new cases — 49 per undue risk to health. are full or nearing capacity due to 100,000 people — was the fifth highthe release said. A majority of these Hospitals may also need to reCOVID-19, non-COVID-19 emergenest in the country and one of the COVID hospitalizations — about sort to “crisis standards of care,” cies and other routine visits, with fastest growing, the release said. 80% — continue to be among the the release said. Crisis standards unvaccinated, the release said. The state’s number of hospitalized less than 10% of staffed beds availof care are guidelines for how the able — a trend not seen at any other patients with confirmed COVID-19 The news release seemed to signal medical community should allocate point in the pandemic, according to was 1,296 as of Nov. 5 — outpacing that more “advisories” — not orders the news release. Nearly 40% of hos- scarce resources such as ventilators the 1,277 confirmed and suspected — would be forthcoming if coronaand intensive-care-unit beds in “the pitals report current or anticipated COVID patients on April 9, 2020, the virus trends continue to worsen. extreme case when patient needs staff shortages within the next highest recorded number during “As public health officials, we will exceed the resources available,” week, the Nov. 5 release said. Colorado’s first wave, according to continue to monitor trends in COVaccording to the state public-health While Colorado’s current COVID state data. ID-19, especially as the region moves Every year before Thanksgiving, First United Methodist Church in Fort Lupton department’s and the Fort Lupton Food and Clothinginto Bank provide community website. hospitalizations are about twoDeaths among Coloradans with flu season and with holidays members with food boxes. This will be the program’s 10th consecutive year. Above, Joe Hubert, left China Garcia and Sue Hubert 4 Change, Polis recently issued executive thirds of what they were during COVID-19 have routinely reached approaching,with andChange issue advisories as orders that included action to give thefood state’s winter year, 2. above 20 organization per day sincethat late helps Sep- with the needed,” the release said. another drive. Seesurge morelast on Page the state greater authority to direct more people are now hospitalized tember this year, with 29 deaths transfers of patients between hospiin Colorado for other reasons — car occurring on Oct. 17 alone. That’s SEE MASKS, P12
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