Denver Mayor Hancock was joined by other state leaders in a virtual news conference to update the public on the city's new COVID-19 data.
On Thursday, December 17, Denver leaders said COVID-19 case numbers were moving downwards based on current trends.
"We need to stay the course," said Bob McDonald, the executive director of the Denver Department of Health and Environment. "We still have many, many months in front of us. And again, it's going to very, very easy; if we ease up, it will be very easy for this virus to get us back into that very dark red."
The dark level McDonald referred to was the "severe outbreak" risk level that many of Colorado's neighboring states are currently in. Colorado was in the server risk level before new restrictions were put in place in November. Now the state is currently in the "active or imminent outbreak" risk level.
According to McDonald, if the downward trend were to continue, Denver could move out of the red level on the state's COVID-19 dial in three to four weeks.
"But remember we have a holiday in there, we have a number of holidays," continued McDonald. "We have New Year's coming up, people like to gather and party. We know when there's partying, public health restrictions, people tend to be a little lax with them. So hopefully everyone follows our guidance and we can get to that level."
Currently, Denver has a COVID-19 case count of 750 per 100,000 people. To move down to level orange on the state's dial, McDonald said it would need to be 350 per 100,000.
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