Colorado joins Western States Pact for COVID-19 response

DENVER (KRDO) -- Colorado has joined a pact with four other western states to establish guidelines that will help slow the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Jared Polis announced Monday.

The Western States Pact, which now consists of California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and Colorado, is a way for the states' governors to essentially be on the same page when it comes to public health orders in response to the coronavirus.

This comes on the same day that Colorado has transitioned into the governor's "Safer at home" phase. Many businesses will be reopening with restrictions over the next few weeks, though people are still encouraged to stay home.

Joining the Western States Pact will provide Colorado with critical information as travelers and tourists go between the states; and governors can also share their best practices for slowing the COVID-19 spread.

Under the pact, the governors are following three principals as "foundational to the agreement," according to a news release from the state.

• Our residents’ health comes first. As home to nearly one in five Americans and gateway to the rest of the world, the West Coast has an outsized stake in controlling and ultimately defeating COVID-19.
• Health outcomes and science – not politics – will guide these decisions. Modifications to our states’ stay at home orders must be made based off our understanding of the total health impacts of COVID-19, including: the direct impact of the disease on our communities; the health impact of measures introduced to control the spread in communities —particularly felt by those already experiencing social disadvantage prior to COVID-19; and our health care systems’ ability to ensure care for those who may become sick with COVID-19 and other conditions. This effort will be guided by data. We need to see a decline in the rate of spread of the virus before large-scale reopening, and we will be working in coordination to identify the best metrics to guide this.
• Our states will only be effective by working together. Each state will work with its local leaders and communities within its borders to understand what’s happening on the ground and adhere to our agreed upon approach.

The pact was originally started between California's and Washington's state governments in early April, and other regional alliances have formed in the US as an alternative to federal assistance.