Covid in Colorado Recovery & Relief, Part 1: The state of the pandemic
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Every evening this week, KRDO is speaking with local experts in Colorado to get answers about the status of the recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Monday, EPCO Medical Director Dr. Robin Johnson and Penrose-St. Francis Health System Chief Medical Officer Dr. Bill Plauth joined Heather Skold and Bart Bedsole for an update on the state of the pandemic in El Paso County.
According to Dr. Johnson, the county has seen a 2-week decline in the number of cases each day.
She says the county's medical partners have combined to increase the testing capacity dramatically, and decrease the turnaround time for those test results, allowing county officials to act quicker when a case is confirmed.
When asked whether she believes El Paso County is ready to re-open, Dr. Johnson said she believes the county is poised to begin the strategic re-opening of businesses.
According to Dr. Johnson, only one cease and desist letter has been delivered, and claimed that it was "complied with after a fairly robust conversation" and without any complications.
Public health officials are working with law enforcement to ensure that a process exists to further take action against violators if necessary.
Similar to the county's overall bill of health, Dr. Plauth also described an improving situation at his hospitals.
He said during the peak of the outbreak in Colorado Springs, his staff never needed to use even 50% of the available ventilators, and later allowed some of the ventilators to be sent on loan to other facilities.
Staffing has also not been an issue, with several workers dispatched to other areas where the virus has stretched the nursing capacity especially thin.
Dr. Plauth said one of his biggest challenges are adjusting to the new post-coronavirus environment that involves a level of security and screening that wasn't there before, to ensure that no undetected cases make it into a hospital.
Another challenge is convincing the public that it's still ok to come to the hospital if they are sick.
According to Dr. Plauth, studies across the country have shown that a larger number of people experiencing heart problems or stroke issues are opting out of hospital visits due to fears of contracting Covid-19, and putting themselves in danger by delaying timely treatment.
On Tuesday, this week's special town hall event will focus on the impact of the coronavirus on the overall economy of Southern Colorado, and ways for individuals and businesses to weather the storm.
