Live Now: Watch @MayorHancock, @DPSNewsNow Superintendent Susan Cordova, & city leaders provide an update on Denver’s response to #COVID19, including the rise in cases, and plans for the fall semester.

Watch Live at:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=341375413638981
http://denvergov.org 

We need to start this update today by reiterating the importance of wearing a mask & not gathering in large groups – under any circumstances.

We thank @GovofCO for his extension of the state-wide mask order.

This virus is airborne. People are the number one way this virus is continuing to spread in our community. Despite what @realDonaldTrump might say about what it’s like to get this virus, it is not some minor disease. It is deadly, & it is a big deal.

Most of us do not have access to the very best medical care in the world, an in-house medical suite, & experimental treatments to help manage symptoms.

We are all tired of not being able to go out & do the things we want to do. We all want to go out to restaurants & spend time with our friends & family.

A lot of us don’t like these preventative measures, but we have to take them seriously - now more than ever. We have reached a fork in the road.

Over the last month, case numbers have continued to increase at a concerning rate, especially here in Denver. @DDPHE

There are a few factors contributing to that rise, not the least of which is the number of students returning to college campuses where we are continuing to see outbreaks.

We thank our higher education partners who have moved quickly to tamp down on the activities that have led to these outbreaks.

Superintendent Susanna Cordova is here to update the community on @DPSNewsNow plans for the fall semester.

Every new infection, no matter a person’s age or if they are in an at-risk category, has an impact on how soon we can open up more of our city.

Today, our seven-day average daily case rates are above 127. That is as high as they were at the height of the pandemic back in May.

Our positivity rate is between 4% and 4.5%, & it has been rising for several weeks. Anything over 5 percent is going to be trouble.

And here is a very concerning point: during the week of October 3, our seven-day average of hospitalizations was at 126. Today, just a week later, the average is 174. That is a 37% increase.

Denver is currently in the Safer at Home Level 2 on the State of Colorado’s dial system.

Level 2 means increased capacity in our restaurants & small businesses. That’s important for them to keep their doors open & employees on the job, & it’s important for our overall economic health.

Level 2 means we can seek site-specific variances from the State for outdoor events & venues.

Level 2 means our schools can do some in-person learning, taking pressure off of working parents.

Level 3 would mean our capacity in restaurants, retail businesses, event spaces, & personal services, among others, gets cut in half. When so many businesses right now are struggling just to stay open, that could be devastating.

For working parents, Level 3 could mean having their kids back to full-time remote learning, when not every parent has the benefit of working from home.

We are in another make or break moment.

Our city & our residents cannot afford a setback. We need everyone to keep wearing their masks, & we need everyone to avoid gathering in large groups.

We still need people to stay home as much as possible to lessen the opportunity for this virus to keep spreading to other people. We will crack down further on the activities that are driving this increase. Ignoring health orders & making poor decisions affects everyone in Denver

Every single one of us needs to do our part. That is the only defense we have against #COVID19. We must get control. We must stop it from spreading to our family, co-workers, & neighbors.

And now, flu season is upon us. It has never been more important for everyone to get their flu shot.

Dealing with one virus is difficult enough. Dealing with another, which is easily preventable, just causes more challenges especially for our hospitals.

So, as soon as you are able, please make a plan to get your flu shot to help keep yourself & your community safe.

Here are some tips for celebrating Halloween this year. This is not the year to go out in large numbers.

. @DPSNewsNow leadership spent a lot of time over the weekend examining the case rates & talking with @DenPublicHealth to discuss the implications of COVID-19 conditions in the city and how it relates to schools.

There is nothing more essential in our community than education. For young children especially, the opportunity to learn in-person is essential to developing the building blocks of literacy & math. And this foundation has life-long consequences.

. @DPSNewsNow has been gradually & carefully opening in-person learning at elementary schools over the past couple weeks because of the importance of providing public education to the 92K+ students DPS serves.

For the most part, the @DPSNewsNow reopening is going well. There have been a small number of positive cases in schools & disruptions these cases cause to learning, mostly among staff.

. @DPSNewsNow has seen limited disruption at the elementary level & is working toward reopening elementary schools to all grades next week.

. @DenPublicHealth is asking @DPSNewsNow to be more cautious when opening middle & high schools & will be discussing plans for secondary education over the next few weeks.

. @DPSNewsNow's top priority is the health & well-being of their community & they will continue to do their part to drive down #COVID19 numbers. Visit https://www.dpsk12.org/  for updates & more information.

You can watch today's full #COVID19 announcement from @MayorHancock, @DDPHE and @DPSNewsNow here: