Colorado Governor Jared Polis gave residents another COVID-19 update on Tuesday, November 24.
Polis was joined by state epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy to give Coloradans a look at what to expect from the virus as we head into the new year.
State officials estimate that 1 in 41 Coloradans is currently contagious with the coronavirus.
"I think it's a time for every Coloradan, and that includes county elected officials, to really ask themselves: are you on the side of the virus or are you on the side of Colorado?" said Polis.
The governor also gave updates on ICU capacity saying there are currently 25 open ICU beds in Denver, 14 in Colorado Springs, five in Pueblo, and three in Weld County. According to Polis, many hospitals are also concerned about the availability of non-ICU beds as well.
Dr. Herlihy said if Colorado's transmission continues at its current rate, 6,600 residents could die of the virus by the end of the year.
"If we can reverse the trend and really improve our transmission control, improve social distancing, improve mask compliance, you'll see that we can really decrease the number of deaths that occur in Colorado by thousands," said Herlihy.
Polis also said his office has established a task force to examine when and how schools can return to in-person learning in January.
During last week's news conference, Polis encouraged school districts to hold K-5 classes in-person. The group will have its first meeting on Wednesday, November 25.
With Thanksgiving just a few days away, Polis once again encouraged residents to stay home and celebrate the holiday with members of their household.
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