Fauci to Coloradans: Holidays time of ‘precarious risk’ for COVID-19

The office of Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who recently tested positive for COVID-19, on Tuesday issued the following press release on a joint press conference with Dr. Anthony Fauci, M.D., National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director:

DENVER –  Governor Polis provided an update [Tuesday] on the State’s response to the COVID-19 epidemic and was joined by Dr. Anthony Fauci, M.D., National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Director.

“I was thrilled that Dr. Anthony Fauci personally shared his advice today that Coloradans save lives by wearing masks around others and reducing any social interactions. I thank Dr. Fauci for his service to our country during an incredibly challenging time,” said Governor Polis. “Coloradans, I need you to hear this message: your choices could help save a life — and that life could be someone you love or even your own. Wear a mask, stay six feet from others and avoid gathering outside of your household because hope is on horizon. But first, we have to make it through these next very challenging few weeks where we all need to double down on what we know works.”

Colorado is not alone with seeing a spike in cases. Dr. Fauci discussed how the country is dealing with a nationwide public health crisis and that the virus had spread to different regions. Dr. Fauci also noted that as temperatures drop and Americans approach the holiday season he anticipates that the country could see a surge upon a surge. He pointed out that the country is looking at thirty or more days of precarious risk and encouraged people to avoid crowds, wear a mask, wash hands, and social distance. 

“Instead of thinking in terms of the Thanksgiving holiday and then the Christmas holiday as two separate events, I think we are going to be looking at 30 or more days of a period of time of precarious risk,” said Dr. Fauci. 

Dr. Fauci also discussed the news of vaccines and thanked Colorado’s frontline health care workers for their efforts. Dr. Fauci urged Coloradans to be a part of the solution to the pandemic and discussed the importance of mitigating the virus. 

When discussing the COVID vaccine, Dr. Fauci added “This is a testimony to the exquisite and extraordinary scientific advances that have taken place over many years…it’s quiet, meticulous science that allows you to get a vaccine that is 94-95% effective from the time the virus was recognized in January 2020 to putting it in a person’s arm in December 2020.”

“We’re all in this together, help is on the way and we are going to get out of this,” Dr. Fauci concluded. 

The Governor shared at the time of today’s briefing that there are 4,405 new positive cases and 1,847 Coloradans currently hospitalized, and he noted that the state would begin to see the impacts of the Thanksgiving holiday in the coming days. He urged Coloradans who were exposed to those beyond their household to quarantine for 14 days to prevent spread. 

Testing sites can be found at covid19.colorado.gov/testing  

Governor Polis also announced that one-time stimulus payments of $375 would be going out this week. This direct cash payment will go towards most of the 435,000 Coloradans who have been hardest hit and experienced unemployment during this pandemic. Coloradans who were eligible to receive weekly unemployment insurance benefits — including Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), and other programs — are eligible.