On Tuesday, Nov. 30, Gov. Jared Polis amended and extended an executive order pertaining to disaster recovery. The amendments reallocate funds for coronavirus-related purposes to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
It also temporarily suspends a tax-related provision so that certain businesses and individuals that were required to cut costs during the pandemic do not face unnecessary tax-compliance burdens.
Polis also amended and extended an executive order pertaining to hospital transfers that authorizes the CDPHE to order hospitals and freestanding emergency departments to transfer or cease the admission of (and redirect) patients to better respond to the pandemic.
The amendments and extension will help ensure that Coloradans have adequate care, promote public health and protect hospitals’ ability to serve those with COVID-19 and other conditions.
El Paso County hospitals are at “strained” capacity and experiencing resource limitations. They’re limiting adult surgeries and procedures.
The county has seen 1,257 deaths from the coronavirus between March 1, 2020, and Tuesday, Nov. 30.
The 80- to 89-year-old age group continues to lead all others, with 368 deaths. That is 34 percent of the total, although people that age are only 2.4 percent of the county’s population.
The 70- to 79-year-old age group is second, with 268 deaths.
The county has had 113,031 cases since the pandemic reached Colorado in early March 2020.
People living in the 80829 ZIP code have experienced 543 positive cases; 7,661 tests have been administered.
General information: elpasocountyhealth.org.
The county is vaccinating people age 5 and older. Information: www.elpasocountyhealth.org/how-can-i-get-a-vaccine.