COVID-19 in Colorado: What you missed Monday

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) —  Local and state leaders are pleading with people to help get the COVID-19 crisis in Colorado under control. Cases and hospitalizations have steadily surpassed the state's previous peak in the spring.

Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers addressed the city Monday morning.

“Folks, in one month, we’ve seen a six-fold increase in hospitalizations,” Suthers said.

Cary Vogrin, a spokesperson for UCHealth, confirms at least 70 people are hospitalized with the coronavirus as of Monday morning. UCHealth had 57 COVID-19 patients at its peak in April. Vogrin says elective surgeries are still happening for now, but they may be paused again if the hospital is approaching its capacity.

The city is trying to tackle the drastic COVID-19 spike with its "#SmallActs" campaign. It’s aimed at reminding people to do the basics: wear a mask, wash your hands and social distance.

Mayor Suthers says he is holding off on issuing a stay at home order to try to salvage small businesses.

“Our COVID cases are well above the threshold for being under a stay at home order,” Suthers said.

COVID-19 testing lines were backed up in Pueblo Monday.  Pueblo School District 60 announced its high schools will switch to remote learning beginning Wednesday. Elementary and middle school students will also transition to e-learning after Thanksgiving Break, on Nov. 30.

“The move to distance learning has become necessary due to the extremely high incidence of COVID-19 transmission in our community,” said Dalton Sprouse, the Director of Communications for D60.

After a two-week mitigation plan failed to control cases in Fremont County, it will move to a harsher public health order at midnight. Beginning Tuesday, Fremont County will enter “Safer at Home Level Yellow: Concern.”

Gov. Jared Polis extended the state's mask mandate for 30 more days. He also spoke Monday about the future of a vaccine in Colorado. You can watch his full announcement here.