Colorado Springs businesses urged to increase telework as COVID-19 cases rise

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- City leaders are asking Colorado Springs businesses to have their employees work from home in hopes it will help decrease the spike in COVID-19 cases in El Paso County.

“Everything we can do every day right now can make a difference for what our future conditions are,” says Dirk Draper the CEO and President of the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC. Draper says as of now, most businesses he has spoken with are utilizing teleworking.

“Most businesses are doing still a considerable amount of working from home," Draper says, "but we have seen some relaxation.”

Draper says that relaxation cannot continue.

He and El Paso County Public Health say businesses need to increase the amount of teleworking being done, otherwise, the State health department may implement its own restrictions of our COVID-19 dial gets turned back.

Draper understands while most businesses can have employees work from home, for others, it's just not feasible. For them, Draper recommends those businesses come up with creative ways to increase social distancing and mask-wearing while reducing the amount of common-touch areas. He pointed to restaurants as an example.

“We’ve seen the changes that the food industry has made, they’ve done a great job in adjusting," Draper says.