thedenverpost--2020-03-23--Testing blunders crippled U.S. response as coronavirus spread

WASHINGTON — A series of missteps at the nation ’ s top public health agency caused a critical shortage of reliable laboratory tests for the coronavirus , hobbling the federal response as the pandemic spread across the country like wildfire , an Associated Press review found .
President Donald Trump assured Americans early this month that the COVID-19 test developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is “ perfect ” and that “ anyone who wants a test can get a test.
” But more than two months after the first U.S. case of the new disease was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get tested .
In the critical month of February , as the virus began taking root in the U.S. population , CDC data shows government labs processed 352 COVID-19 tests — an average of only a dozen per day .
“ You can not fight a fire blindfolded , ” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , head of the World Health Organization , said at a recent briefing .
“ We can not stop this pandemic if we don ’ t know who is infected.
” The Department of Health and Human Services , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internal review to assess its own mistakes .
But outside observers and federal health officials have pointed to four primary issues that together hampered the national response — the early decision not to use the test adopted by the World Health Organization , flaws with the more complex test developed by the CDC , government guidelines restricting who could be tested and delays in engaging the private sector to ramp up testing capacity .
Combined with messaging from the White House minimizing the disease , that fueled a lackluster response that missed chances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they said .
“ There were many , many opportunities not to end up where we are , ” Dr. Ashish K. Jha , the director of the Global Health Institute at Harvard , told the AP .
“ Basically , they took this as business as usual .
… And that ’ s because the messaging from the White House was ‘ this is not a big deal , this is no worse than the flu.
’ So that message basically created no sense of urgency within the FDA or the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private labs have been cleared by government regulators to process tens of thousands of additional tests in the last two weeks , experts warn that the nation is still falling well short of enough testing capacity to keep ahead of the highly contagious virus .
And it can often take a week just to get results back .
Trump last week rated his administration ’ s response to the crisis as a perfect 10 .
However , Dr. Anthony Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t designed to test for and track a widespread outbreak , which he characterized as “ a failing.
” In interviews with the AP , two federal health officials with direct knowledge of the situation said CDC experts don ’ t know why many of the agency ’ s test kits failed to reliably detect the virus .
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about what went wrong .
J. Stephen Morrison , a health policy expert at the Center for Strategic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing issues a “ debacle , ” contributing to what he described as a confused and delayed federal response to the crisis .
As a result , he said , the CDC has now been marginalized within the White House — a worrisome development .
“ CDC has generally been regarded as the best in the game , ” Morrison said .
“ I don ’ t think they anticipated the technical difficulty , or the speed with which the virus has been moving .
The virus was racing out ahead of them.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Chinese scientists informed the World Health Organization about a cluster of 27 pneumonia cases of unknown cause in the industrial megalopolis of Wuhan that they linked to the city ’ s wholesale fish market .
Less than two weeks later , the Chinese had sequenced the virus ’ genetic makeup and shared it with the world .
Within days , German scientists had developed a test that could identify a unique part of the virus ’ DNA .
The WHO quickly adopted the German test , publishing technical guidelines on Jan. 17 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing kits .
As they have done with some past outbreaks , officials at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta decided to develop their own test , focusing on three gene targets distinct from what the WHO used .
Over the decades , the headquarters lab had built a track record of being among the first to develop tests for new diseases and quickly making them available for disease tracking .
The CDC published the technical details for its COVID-19 test on Jan. 28 , 10 days after the WHO .
By then , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. for at least two weeks .
The 35-year-old man who would become the first American to test positive had arrived in Seattle on Jan. 15 , following a trip to Wuhan .
After swabs from his nose and throat were flown to the CDC lab , federal officials announced the results Jan. 21 .
In an interview on CNBC the following day , the president was asked about the risk to the nation .
“ We have it totally under control , ” he said .
“ It ’ s one person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s going to be just fine.
” With limited capacity at the CDC lab in Atlanta , the agency placed strict criteria on who could be tested : people with fevers , coughing or difficulty breathing who had also visited Wuhan within the preceding two weeks or who had close contact with someone already confirmed or under investigation for having the virus .
On Jan. 30 , the day WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency , Trump again assured the American people that the virus was “ very well under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weekend at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida , where he tweeted a photo of himself playing golf at his club in West Palm Beach .
“ Getting a little exercise this morning !
” the president wrote .
The following day , the U.S. declared its own emergency .
Still , U.S. citizens returning from China who did not have a fever weren ’ t tested for the virus but were encouraged to self-quarantine at home for 14 days .
At that point , the CDC had confirmed just eight cases of COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its testing criteria to include people with fevers who had traveled to China , rather than specifically just Wuhan .
Four days after the U.S. declared a state of emergency , only 178 patients had been tested and 82 others were listed as “ pending , ” meaning they were awaiting final results , according to CDC data released at the time .
To help increase the number of people being screened , the Food and Drug Administration issued emergency authorization for CDC-certified labs run by state health departments to begin processing swabs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that could test 250 patients .
As the first tests were processed at the state labs , technicians reported getting inconclusive results , which the CDC has said could be due to the test looking for signs of generic coronaviruses , of which there are many , rather than the specific virus that causes COVID-19 .
Whatever the reason , by mid-February , only about a half-dozen state and local public health labs had reliable tests .
But still , CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield continued to insist his agency had developed “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found that , in some of the states , it didn ’ t work , ” Redfield said earlier this month .
“ We figured out why .
I don ’ t consider that a fault .
I consider that doing quality control .
I consider that success.
” The testing problems emerged just as the CDC broadened its criteria to include patients who were “ severely ill ” with COVID-19 symptoms “ even if a known source of exposure has not been identified.
” As more sick people sought to be tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access because of the flawed CDC test .
Accounts began to emerge through social media of people with all the symptoms of COVID-19 who either couldn ’ t get tested or had test results delayed by days or even a week .
“ I know of doctor friends of mine who have critically ill patients in the ICU , and we don ’ t know if they have COVID or not because we can ’ t get a test , ” Jha said last week .
On Feb. 24 , exasperated officials at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a letter to the FDA , basically asking permission for state labs to develop their own tests .
Within days , the FDA reversed its previous position and said both public and private labs could conduct testing .
Trump , for his part , continued to insist the virus would die out on its own .
“ One day , it ’ s like a miracle .
It will disappear , ” he predicted Feb. 27 .
By then , experts say , the opportunity to halt the relentless spread of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Feb. 29 , only 472 patients had been tested nationwide , with just 22 cases confirmed , according to CDC data .
Of those , nine cases were not related to travel but had spread person-to-person within the U.S. By comparison , South Korea had its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on Jan. 20 , the same day as the U.S. Officials there used a test that focused on the same gene targets as the WHO test , according to the website of a test manufacturer .
They then quickly permitted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As a result , a nation with less than one-sixth the population of the U.S. mobilized to test more than 20,000 people a day .
South Korea also instituted drive-thru centers , allowing quicker identification of those who were infected but might not be displaying symptoms , thus slowing the emergence of new cases to a more manageable level .
Meanwhile , the rate of U.S. infections soared .
“ The system is not really geared to what we need right now , what you are asking for , ” Fauci conceded during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ That is a failing .
Let ’ s admit it.
” As public outrage over the lack of available U.S. tests grew , the FDA announced it would allow private diagnostic lab companies to produce new tests without preauthorization from regulators .
Trump and HHS Secretary Alex Azar visited the CDC lab in Atlanta on March 6 , praising the agency ’ s performance and promising 4 million test kits would be available by the end of the following week .
That lofty number didn ’ t match the ability of U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Private providers were just then ramping up , while CDC and state health labs processed about 25,200 COVID-19 tests in the following seven days , according to CDC data .
At the same news conference , Trump said he wanted infected passengers to remain on a cruise ship off the West Coast to keep the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. low .
“ I like the numbers being where they are , ” Trump said , shortly before departing Atlanta for another weekend of golf in Florida .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers double because of one ship that wasn ’ t our fault.
” Trump has also attempted to mislay blame for the testing troubles on the Obama administration .
In 2018 , Trump disbanded the White House directorate charged with preparing for and responding to global pandemics .
“ I don ’ t take responsibility at all , ” Trump replied when asked about the testing shortfall in a March 13 briefing at the White House .
Morrison said Trump appears to see the virus as a political issue rather than a public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a White House that said , ‘ Do whatever it takes to test everybody for the virus , ’ ” he said .
“ That wasn ’ t the mentality .
It was the opposite mentality , and ultimately the responsibility to protect the American people lies with the White House.
” Trump and other officials have falsely said they declined to use the WHO test because it isn ’ t reliable .
“ Quality testing for our American people is paramount to us , ” Deborah Birx , who is coordinating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It doesn ’ t help to put out a test where 50 % or 47 % are false positives.
” Tarik Jašarević , a WHO spokesperson , told the AP last week that his agency had so far shipped 1.5 million testing kits manufactured in Germany to 120 countries around the globe , with no such problems emerging .
“ The test has been validated in three external laboratories , adapted by WHO and manufactured in line with international quality standards , ” he said .
“ It has shown consistently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and neither a significant number of false-positive nor false-negative results have been reported.
” Over the past two weeks , U.S. testing capacity has surged , with private companies joining in .
LabCorp began providing tests March 5 , and Quest Diagnostics followed four days later .
Tests also are being conducted at individual hospitals and other centers .
With the increased testing has come a skyrocketing number of confirmed cases , zooming from 43 at the beginning of March to 33,404 by Monday .
Only in the last few days has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people each day than far smaller South Korea , according to data complied by Johns Hopkins University .
Jha estimates the U.S. should be testing 100,000 to 150,000 people per day — figures he said should be obtainable given the number of high-quality diagnostic labs in the country .
“ We certainly have the capacity .
It ’ s just we ’ re not doing it , ” Jha said Thursday .
“ We are up to about 40,000 tests per day now — and so we are moving in the right direction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be , but moving.
” Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox .
Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado .

Michael Biesecker, Mike Stobbe, Matthew Perrone

WASHINGTON — A series of missteps at the nation’s top public health agency caused a critical shortage of reliable laboratory tests for the coronavirus, hobbling the federal response as the pandemic spread across the country like wildfire, an Associated Press review found.
President Donald Trump assured Americans early this month that the COVID-19 test developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is “perfect” and that “anyone who wants a test can get a test.” But more than two months after the first U.S. case of the new disease was confirmed, many people still cannot get tested.
In the critical month of February, as the virus began taking root in the U.S. population, CDC data shows government labs processed 352 COVID-19 tests — an average of only a dozen per day.
“You cannot fight a fire blindfolded,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization, said at a recent briefing. “We cannot stop this pandemic if we don’t know who is infected.”
The Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the CDC, has begun an internal review to assess its own mistakes. But outside observers and federal health officials have pointed to four primary issues that together hampered the national response — the early decision not to use the test adopted by the World Health Organization, flaws with the more complex test developed by the CDC, government guidelines restricting who could be tested and delays in engaging the private sector to ramp up testing capacity.
Combined with messaging from the White House minimizing the disease, that fueled a lackluster response that missed chances to slow the spread of the virus, they said.
“There were many, many opportunities not to end up where we are,” Dr. Ashish K. Jha, the director of the Global Health Institute at Harvard, told the AP. “Basically, they took this as business as usual. … And that’s because the messaging from the White House was ‘this is not a big deal, this is no worse than the flu.’ So that message basically created no sense of urgency within the FDA or the CDC to fix it.”
Even as private labs have been cleared by government regulators to process tens of thousands of additional tests in the last two weeks, experts warn that the nation is still falling well short of enough testing capacity to keep ahead of the highly contagious virus. And it can often take a week just to get results back.
Trump last week rated his administration’s response to the crisis as a perfect 10. However, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the CDC’s system wasn’t designed to test for and track a widespread outbreak, which he characterized as “a failing.”
In interviews with the AP, two federal health officials with direct knowledge of the situation said CDC experts don’t know why many of the agency’s test kits failed to reliably detect the virus. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about what went wrong.
J. Stephen Morrison, a health policy expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, called the testing issues a “debacle,” contributing to what he described as a confused and delayed federal response to the crisis.
As a result, he said, the CDC has now been marginalized within the White House — a worrisome development.
“CDC has generally been regarded as the best in the game,” Morrison said. “I don’t think they anticipated the technical difficulty, or the speed with which the virus has been moving. The virus was racing out ahead of them.”
FATEFUL DECISIONS
On New Year’s Eve, Chinese scientists informed the World Health Organization about a cluster of 27 pneumonia cases of unknown cause in the industrial megalopolis of Wuhan that they linked to the city’s wholesale fish market. Less than two weeks later, the Chinese had sequenced the virus’ genetic makeup and shared it with the world.
Within days, German scientists had developed a test that could identify a unique part of the virus’ DNA. The WHO quickly adopted the German test, publishing technical guidelines on Jan. 17 and working with private companies to produce testing kits.
As they have done with some past outbreaks, officials at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta decided to develop their own test, focusing on three gene targets distinct from what the WHO used. Over the decades, the headquarters lab had built a track record of being among the first to develop tests for new diseases and quickly making them available for disease tracking.
The CDC published the technical details for its COVID-19 test on Jan. 28, 10 days after the WHO. By then, the virus had already been in the U.S. for at least two weeks.
The 35-year-old man who would become the first American to test positive had arrived in Seattle on Jan. 15, following a trip to Wuhan. After swabs from his nose and throat were flown to the CDC lab, federal officials announced the results Jan. 21.
In an interview on CNBC the following day, the president was asked about the risk to the nation.
“We have it totally under control,” he said. “It’s one person coming in from China. … It’s going to be just fine.”
With limited capacity at the CDC lab in Atlanta, the agency placed strict criteria on who could be tested: people with fevers, coughing or difficulty breathing who had also visited Wuhan within the preceding two weeks or who had close contact with someone already confirmed or under investigation for having the virus.
On Jan. 30, the day WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency, Trump again assured the American people that the virus was “very well under control.”
Then he departed for a weekend at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, where he tweeted a photo of himself playing golf at his club in West Palm Beach.
“Getting a little exercise this morning!” the president wrote.
The following day, the U.S. declared its own emergency. Still, U.S. citizens returning from China who did not have a fever weren’t tested for the virus but were encouraged to self-quarantine at home for 14 days.
At that point, the CDC had confirmed just eight cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. The agency amended its testing criteria to include people with fevers who had traveled to China, rather than specifically just Wuhan.
FLAWED TEST KITS
Four days after the U.S. declared a state of emergency, only 178 patients had been tested and 82 others were listed as “pending,” meaning they were awaiting final results, according to CDC data released at the time.
To help increase the number of people being screened, the Food and Drug Administration issued emergency authorization for CDC-certified labs run by state health departments to begin processing swabs, and they were provided with kits that could test 250 patients.
As the first tests were processed at the state labs, technicians reported getting inconclusive results, which the CDC has said could be due to the test looking for signs of generic coronaviruses, of which there are many, rather than the specific virus that causes COVID-19.
Whatever the reason, by mid-February, only about a half-dozen state and local public health labs had reliable tests. But still, CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield continued to insist his agency had developed “a very accurate test.”
“We found that, in some of the states, it didn’t work,” Redfield said earlier this month. “We figured out why. I don’t consider that a fault. I consider that doing quality control. I consider that success.”
The testing problems emerged just as the CDC broadened its criteria to include patients who were “severely ill” with COVID-19 symptoms “even if a known source of exposure has not been identified.”
As more sick people sought to be tested, many states were forced to limit access because of the flawed CDC test. Accounts began to emerge through social media of people with all the symptoms of COVID-19 who either couldn’t get tested or had test results delayed by days or even a week.
“I know of doctor friends of mine who have critically ill patients in the ICU, and we don’t know if they have COVID or not because we can’t get a test,” Jha said last week.
COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION
On Feb. 24, exasperated officials at the Association of Public Health Laboratories sent a letter to the FDA, basically asking permission for state labs to develop their own tests. Within days, the FDA reversed its previous position and said both public and private labs could conduct testing.
Trump, for his part, continued to insist the virus would die out on its own. “One day, it’s like a miracle. It will disappear,” he predicted Feb. 27.
By then, experts say, the opportunity to halt the relentless spread of the virus within the U.S. population had been lost.
On Feb. 29, only 472 patients had been tested nationwide, with just 22 cases confirmed, according to CDC data. Of those, nine cases were not related to travel but had spread person-to-person within the U.S.
By comparison, South Korea had its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on Jan. 20, the same day as the U.S. Officials there used a test that focused on the same gene targets as the WHO test, according to the website of a test manufacturer. They then quickly permitted private-sector labs to run the samples. As a result, a nation with less than one-sixth the population of the U.S. mobilized to test more than 20,000 people a day.
South Korea also instituted drive-thru centers, allowing quicker identification of those who were infected but might not be displaying symptoms, thus slowing the emergence of new cases to a more manageable level.
Meanwhile, the rate of U.S. infections soared.
“The system is not really geared to what we need right now, what you are asking for,” Fauci conceded during a congressional hearing earlier this month. “That is a failing. Let’s admit it.”
SHIFTING BLAME
As public outrage over the lack of available U.S. tests grew, the FDA announced it would allow private diagnostic lab companies to produce new tests without preauthorization from regulators.
Trump and HHS Secretary Alex Azar visited the CDC lab in Atlanta on March 6, praising the agency’s performance and promising 4 million test kits would be available by the end of the following week.
That lofty number didn’t match the ability of U.S. labs to process tests, however. Private providers were just then ramping up, while CDC and state health labs processed about 25,200 COVID-19 tests in the following seven days, according to CDC data.
At the same news conference, Trump said he wanted infected passengers to remain on a cruise ship off the West Coast to keep the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. low.
“I like the numbers being where they are,” Trump said, shortly before departing Atlanta for another weekend of golf in Florida. “I don’t need to have the numbers double because of one ship that wasn’t our fault.”
Trump has also attempted to mislay blame for the testing troubles on the Obama administration. In 2018, Trump disbanded the White House directorate charged with preparing for and responding to global pandemics.
“I don’t take responsibility at all,” Trump replied when asked about the testing shortfall in a March 13 briefing at the White House.
Morrison said Trump appears to see the virus as a political issue rather than a public health threat.
“You can imagine a White House that said, ‘Do whatever it takes to test everybody for the virus,’” he said. “That wasn’t the mentality. It was the opposite mentality, and ultimately the responsibility to protect the American people lies with the White House.”
Trump and other officials have falsely said they declined to use the WHO test because it isn’t reliable.
“Quality testing for our American people is paramount to us,” Deborah Birx, who is coordinating the U.S. coronavirus response, said last week. “It doesn’t help to put out a test where 50% or 47% are false positives.”
“It was a bad test,” Trump chimed in.
Tarik Jašarević, a WHO spokesperson, told the AP last week that his agency had so far shipped 1.5 million testing kits manufactured in Germany to 120 countries around the globe, with no such problems emerging.
“The test has been validated in three external laboratories, adapted by WHO and manufactured in line with international quality standards,” he said. “It has shown consistently good performance in laboratory and clinical use, and neither a significant number of false-positive nor false-negative results have been reported.”
Over the past two weeks, U.S. testing capacity has surged, with private companies joining in. LabCorp began providing tests March 5, and Quest Diagnostics followed four days later. Tests also are being conducted at individual hospitals and other centers.
With the increased testing has come a skyrocketing number of confirmed cases, zooming from 43 at the beginning of March to 33,404 by Monday.
Only in the last few days has the United States finally begun testing more people each day than far smaller South Korea, according to data complied by Johns Hopkins University.
Jha estimates the U.S. should be testing 100,000 to 150,000 people per day — figures he said should be obtainable given the number of high-quality diagnostic labs in the country.
“We certainly have the capacity. It’s just we’re not doing it,” Jha said Thursday. “We are up to about 40,000 tests per day now — and so we are moving in the right direction. Still far from where we need to be, but moving.”
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox.
Join our Facebook group for the latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado.


thedenverpost--2020-03-23--Colorado abolishes death penalty; governor commutes sentences of 3 on death row

Gov .
Jared Polis signed a bill Monday making Colorado the 22nd state to abolish the death penalty , and he also commuted the sentences of the three killers on death row .
They will instead serve life sentences without the possibility of parole , Polis said .
“ The commutations of these despicable and guilty individuals are consistent with the abolition of the death penalty in the State of Colorado , and consistent with the recognition that the death penalty can not be , and never has been , administered equitably in the State of Colorado , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has gone down nationally amid concerns over cases in which death row inmates have been exonerated and minorities disproportionately received death sentences .
More than a third of the states that still have capital punishment haven ’ t executed anyone in at least the last decade , according to the Pew Research Center , nor have the federal government or the U.S. military .
The historic end of executions in Colorado comes after about 36 hours of debate at the legislature this year and a push by Republicans to instead put the issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the death penalty “ cruel and unusual punishment.
” They said its use in cases is uneven , and the litigation surrounding it is not only costly to taxpayers but forces families to relive their loved ones ’ killings .
Only one person has been executed in the state since 1976 .
Sen. Julie Gonzales , a Denver Democrat and bill sponsor , called the moment “ solemn , ” and while she applauded Colorado ’ s work , she said there ’ s more work to be done across the country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ every life has dignity no matter how heinous their actions , the crimes , they may have committed , ” Gonzales said .
“ I am incredibly humbled by all of the victims ’ family members who came forward and who shared their perspectives and shared their stories with each other , with lawmakers , with the governor.
” Arapahoe District Attorney George Brauchler , however , called the signing a win for criminals .
“ The decision to pass and sign the death penalty repeal bill should bring a smile to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , cop killers , mass murderers , child killers , and those in prison who decide to kill again , ” he wrote in a statement .
“ We have also reduced the protections for witnesses to crime by lowering the bar for their murders .
Colorado ’ s pro-offender legislature and its current governor have signaled that those lives are worth more protection than those of their victims .
The newly signed bill specifies that the death penalty can ’ t be used in cases for crimes committed on or after July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one defendant in Adams County is facing trial in a case that could result in the death penalty .
Dreion Dearing is accused of killing Adams County Deputy Heath Gumm .
“ For all intents and purposes , the death penalty in Colorado is now a thing of the past , ” said Jim Castle , the attorney for Sir Mario Owens , one of three men on death row .
Robert Ray and Owens were convicted of fatally shooting Gregory Vann , 20 , at a 2004 party in Lowry Park .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and he and his fiancee Vivian Wolfe were planning to testify about the shooting before Ray ordered that they be killed .
Owens was convicted for their 2005 murders in Aurora .
They were 22 years old .
The other man on death row was Nathan Dunlap who was convicted in 1993 of fatally shooting employees who were closing for the night at Chuck E. Cheese in Aurora .
He killed Ben Grant , 17 ; Sylvia Crowell , 19 ; Colleen O ’ Connor , 17 ; and Margaret Kohlbert , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received a temporary reprieve from former Gov .
John Hickenlooper in 2013 .
The three black men went to the same high school in Denver at different times .
“ There are no winners in these things , ” Castle said .
“ It ’ s a tough day for victims of crime in these cases , and our hearts go out to them .
It ’ s a good day in the sense that in Colorado , life is a little more precious now.
” Attorneys for Ray and Dunlap , Mary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the commutations recognize their clients ’ cases demonstrate many of the reasons for the repeal , including their clients ’ ages at the time of the murders , their race , their backgrounds and issues with the prosecution .
But Brauchler called the commutations “ offensive , ” particularly because Polis didn ’ t submit any applications for commutations to the 18th Judicial District where all three death row cases took place .
“ Unlike the signing of the death penalty repeal bill , there was no urgency to commuting the sentences of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they have murdered seven innocent people , ” Brauchler said .
“ The decision to do it during a global pandemic is disrespectful to the victims , the jurors and the public .
It is not leadership , but weakness and political opportunism.
” The issue of the repeal doesn ’ t follow strict party lines .
A handful of Democrats opposed the measure while a few Republicans backed it .
“ As the death penalty has been a failure in several aspects , I felt compelled to fight for its repeal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Centennial Republican and sponsor of the Colorado bill .
“ I applaud the governor ’ s leadership in signing this bill and moving Colorado towards a system that produces justice for all.
” Tate said he struggled with the issue last year , but after hearing equity , religious and liberty perspectives for the repeal and seeing the death penalty ’ s failure in several aspects , he decided to support abolishing it .
“ I just came to the conclusion I didn ’ t think the state of Colorado should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in any circumstance , ” he said .
Sen. Rhonda Fields , an Aurora Democrat , joined opponents against the bill because of the killing of her son , Marshall-Fields , and his fiancée Wolfe — their killers were two of three men on death row in the state .
Similarly , Aurora Democrat Rep. Tom Sullivan fought against the bill .
His son , Alex , was killed in the Aurora theater shooting .

Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill Monday making Colorado the 22nd state to abolish the death penalty, and he also commuted the sentences of the three killers on death row.
They will instead serve life prison sentences without the possibility of parole, Polis said.
“The commutations of these despicable and guilty individuals are consistent with the abolition of the death penalty in the State of Colorado, and consistent with the recognition that the death penalty cannot be, and never has been, administered equitably in the State of Colorado,” he said.
Support for the death penalty has gone down nationally amid concerns over cases in which death row inmates have been exonerated and minorities disproportionately received death sentences. More than a third of the states that still have capital punishment haven’t executed anyone in at least the last decade, according to 2019 Pew Research Center data, nor have the federal government or the U.S. military.
The historic end of executions in Colorado comes after about 36 hours of debate at the legislature this year despite a push by Republicans to instead put the issue on the 2020 ballot.
Proponents called the death penalty “cruel and unusual punishment.” They said its use in cases is uneven, and the litigation surrounding it is not only costly to taxpayers but forces families to relive their loved ones’ killings. Only one person has been executed in the state since a federal moratorium was lifted in 1976.
Sen. Julie Gonzales, a Denver Democrat and bill sponsor, called the moment “solemn,” and while she applauded Colorado’s work, she said there’s more work to be done across the country.
“It is an important acknowledgement that every life has dignity no matter how heinous their actions, the crimes, they may have committed,” Gonzales said.
Arapahoe County District Attorney George Brauchler, however, called the signing a win for criminals.
“The decision to pass and sign the death penalty repeal bill should bring a smile to the faces of future serial killers, terrorists, cop killers, mass murderers, child killers, and those in prison who decide to kill again,” he said in a statement. “We have also reduced the protections for witnesses to crime by lowering the bar for their murders. Colorado’s pro-offender legislature and its current governor have signaled that those lives are worth more protection than those of their victims.”
The newly signed bill specifies that the death penalty can’t be given for crimes committed on or after July 1, and currently, at least one defendant in Adams County is facing trial in a case that could result in the death penalty. Dreion Dearing is accused of killing Adams County Deputy Heath Gumm.
“For all intents and purposes, the death penalty in Colorado is now a thing of the past,” said Jim Castle, the attorney for Sir Mario Owens, one of three men on death row.
Robert Ray and Owens were convicted of fatally shooting Gregory Vann, 20, at a 2004 party in Lowry Park. Javad Marshall-Fields was wounded in the shooting, and he and his fiancee, Vivian Wolfe, were planning to testify about the shooting before Ray ordered that they be killed. Owens was convicted for their 2005 murders.
The other man on death row was Nathan Dunlap, who was convicted in 1993 of fatally shooting employees who were closing for the night at Chuck E. Cheese in Aurora. He killed Ben Grant, 17; Sylvia Crowell, 19; Colleen O’Connor, 17; and Margaret Kohlberg, 50. Bobby Stephens survived. Dunlap received a temporary reprieve from former Gov. John Hickenlooper in 2013.
The three black men went to the same high school at different times.
“There are no winners in these things,” Castle said. “It’s a tough day for victims of crime in these cases, and our hearts go out to them. It’s a good day in the sense that in Colorado, life is a little more precious now.”
Attorneys for Ray and Dunlap, Mary Claire Mulligan and Madeline Cohen, said the commutations recognize that their clients’ cases demonstrate many of the reasons for the repeal, including their clients’ ages at the time of the murders, their race, their backgrounds and issues with the prosecution.
But Brauchler called the commutations “offensive,” particularly because Polis didn’t submit any applications for commutations to the 18th Judicial District, where all three death row cases took place.
“Unlike the signing of the death penalty repeal bill, there was no urgency to commuting the sentences of these murderers of multiple Coloradans; combined, they have murdered seven innocent people,” Brauchler said. “The decision to do it during a global pandemic is disrespectful to the victims, the jurors and the public. It is not leadership, but weakness and political opportunism.”
The issue of the repeal doesn’t follow strict party lines. A handful of Democrats opposed the measure while a few Republicans backed it.
“I just came to the conclusion I didn’t think the state of Colorado should have the power over life and death in any circumstance,” said Colorado Sen. Jack Tate, a Centennial Republican and bill sponsor.
Sen. Rhonda Fields, an Aurora Democrat, the mother of murder victim Marshall-Fields, opposed the repeal, as did Democratic Rep. Tom Sullivan, of Centennial, whose son, Alex, was killed in the Aurora theater shooting.
Update March 24: Due to an error, the name of one of the victims from the 1993 shooting was misspelled. Margaret Kohlberg was killed in the Chuck E. Cheese shooting in Aurora.


thedenverpost--2020-03-23--Read the full stay-at-home order from Denver Mayor Michael Hancock

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock issued an order Monday requiring residents to stay at home in response to the spread of @ @ @ @ @ : Hereby finding it is essential that the COVID-19 virus be slowed to protect the @ @ @ @ @ health care providers to handle the influx of new patients and safeguard public health , @ @ @ @ @ the rapid spread necessitates quick action to protect all members of the community , especially @ @ @ @ @ to COVID-19 and also health care providers , this STAY AT HOME Order requires all @ @ @ @ @ and County of Denver to shelter in place that is , stay at home except @ @ @ @ @ work to provide essential business and government services or perform essential public infrastructure construction , @ @ @ @ @ full document below , read the full story or check out our FAQ about the @ @

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock issued an order Monday requiring residents to stay at home in response to the spread of COVID-19.
The order states: Hereby finding it is essential that the COVID-19 virus be slowed to protect the ability of public and private health care providers to handle the influx of new patients and safeguard public health, and because the risk of the rapid spread necessitates quick action to protect all members of the community, especially including our members most vulnerable to COVID-19 and also health care providers, this STAY AT HOME Order requires all individuals anywhere in the City and County of Denver to shelter in place that is, stay at home except for certain essential activities and work to provide essential business and government services or perform essential public infrastructure construction, including housing.
Read the full document below, read the full story or check out our FAQ about the order.


thedenverpost--2020-03-23--Analyzing the AFC West offseason so far: Signings, trades and grades for every team

With most of the major free agents agreeing to terms , here ’ s an overview of what each team in the AFC West has done so far .
Best addition : Remmers , a 30-year-old journeyman who ’ s on his seventh NFL team , brings experience .
He started 14 games at right tackle for the Giants last year and has played at least 14 games in four of the past five seasons .
Biggest loss : For a secondary that got exposed at times throughout its championship run last season , Fuller ’ s return to Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) has Kansas City down a versatile slot corner .
Grade : B- … The Super Bowl champs and four-time defending divisional champions have done little in free agency , as expected , considering they have so many big salaries on their payroll already and must save up for what could be a historic payday for quarterback Patrick Mahomes .
Bringing back Jones , who is coming off his first Pro Bowl , was a smart move .
Best addition : With both Derek Wolfe and Shelby Harris unlikely to return to Denver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sign elsewhere ) , Casey , a durable , five-time Pro Bowler , immediately shores up the defensive front .
Biggest loss : McGovern ’ s departure to the Jets in free agency leaves the Broncos with a noticeable void at center , as Glasgow is expected to play right guard .
It ’ s now a position the team must address this offseason .
Grade : B … Glasgow should be a reliable , versatile addition to help protect Drew Lock .
Casey was acquired for a seventh-round pick in what was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Keeping Simmons in-house was big , Bouye is step one to shoring up the cornerback position and if Gordon can stay healthy , he ’ ll be a viable dual-threat complement alongside Phillip Lindsay .
Best addition : Littleton , 26 , was a Pro Bowler with the Rams in 2018 and then posted a career-high 134 tackles last season .
He ’ ll shore up a Raiders run defense that was already a Top 10 unit in that category last season in addition to bringing coverage prowess in both zone and man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whitehead started all 16 games for the Raiders at outside linebacker last season , accumulating 108 tackles , and has started every game in each the past three seasons ( 2017 in Detroit ) .
Grade : C+ … A lot of signings doesn ’ t necessarily equate to a strong offseason .
Whether Mariota can challenge Derek Carr for the starting job , Witten has much left in the tank at age 38 or Agholor can be more consistent are question marks .
Players re-signed/expected to be re-signed : TE Hunter Henry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ekeler .
LB Denzel Perryman • Kiszla vs. O ’ Halloran : Will A.J .
Bouye or Jurrell Casey have more impact on Broncos in 2020 ?
• Broncos agree to two-year contract with tight end Nick Vannett , source says • Former Broncos WR Emmanuel Sanders signs two-year deal with Saints , according to report Best addition : Bulaga signed a three-year , $ 30 million deal , and the veteran tackle should bring stability to the Chargers line .
The same could be said for Turner , a guard who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loss : After spending his entire 16-year career with the Chargers , Rivers signed with Indianapolis on a one-year deal with $ 25 million guaranteed .
It leaves Los Angeles to wonder if veteran Tyrod Taylor , last year ’ s backup quarterback , can handle the starting job .
Grade : C- … After finishing last in the division in 2019 , the Chargers still have many question marks heading into the draft .
Although Harris was a flashy acquisition and should boost a secondary that was already a top-five unit in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 , the Chargers have a lot of holes to fill .

With most of the major free agents agreeing to terms, here’s an overview of what each team in the AFC West has done so far:
Players added: CB Antonio Hamilton (Giants) and OT Mike Remmers (Giants).
Players re-signed/expected to be re-signed: QB Chad Henne, DT Chris Jones (franchise tag), RB Damien Williams (option).
Players lost: S Jordan Lucas (Bears), CB Kendall Fuller (Redskins), DE Emmanuel Ogbah (Dolphins), C Stefen Wisniewski (Steelers).
Best addition: Remmers, a 30-year-old journeyman who’s on his seventh NFL team, brings experience. He started 14 games at right tackle for the Giants last year and has played at least 14 games in four of the past five seasons.
Biggest loss: For a secondary that got exposed at times throughout its championship run last season, Fuller’s return to Washington (the team that originally drafted him) has Kansas City down a versatile slot corner.
Grade: B- … The Super Bowl champs and four-time defending divisional champions have done little in free agency, as expected, considering they have so many big salaries on their payroll already and must save up for what could be a historic payday for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Bringing back Jones, who is coming off his first Pro Bowl, was a smart move.
Players added: CB A.J. Bouye (Jaguars), DL Jurrell Casey (Titans), OL Graham Glasgow (Lions), RB Melvin Gordon (Chargers), QB Jeff Driskel (Lions), TE Nick Vannett (Steelers).
Players re-signed/expected to be re-signed: S Justin Simmons (franchise tag), NT Mike Purcell (second-round tender), OL Elijah Wilkinson (second-round tender), DB De’Vante Bausby, LB Joe Jones, LB Jeremiah Attaochu.
Players lost: CB Chris Harris (Chargers), S Will Parks (Eagles), OL Connor McGovern (Jets), QB Joe Flacco (cut), FB Andy Janovich (traded to Browns), OL Ron Leary (option declined).
Best addition: With both Derek Wolfe and Shelby Harris unlikely to return to Denver (the free agents have yet to sign elsewhere), Casey, a durable, five-time Pro Bowler, immediately shores up the defensive front.
Biggest loss: McGovern’s departure to the Jets in free agency leaves the Broncos with a noticeable void at center, as Glasgow is expected to play right guard. It’s now a position the team must address this offseason.
Grade: B … Glasgow should be a reliable, versatile addition to help protect Drew Lock. Casey was acquired for a seventh-round pick in what was essentially a salary dump for Tennessee. Keeping Simmons in-house was big, Bouye is step one to shoring up the cornerback position and if Gordon can stay healthy, he’ll be a viable dual-threat complement alongside Phillip Lindsay.
Las Vegas Raiders
Players added: QB Marcus Mariota (Titans), TE Jason Witten (Cowboys), LB Cory Littleton (Rams), DE Carl Nassib (Buccaneers), LB Nick Kwiatkoski (Bears), OL Eric Kush (Browns), S Jeff Heath (Cowboys), CB Eli Apple (Saints), DT Maliek Collins (Cowboys), WR Nelson Agholor (Eagles).
Players re-signed/expected to be re-signed: LB Nicholas Morrow (second-round tender)
Players lost: S Karl Joseph (Browns), LB Tahir Whitehead (Panthers)
Best addition: Littleton, 26, was a Pro Bowler with the Rams in 2018 and then posted a career-high 134 tackles last season. He’ll shore up a Raiders run defense that was already a top 10 unit in that category last season in addition to bringing coverage prowess in both zone and man schemes.
Biggest loss: The reliable Whitehead started all 16 games for the Raiders at outside linebacker last season, accumulating 108 tackles, and has started every game in each the past three seasons (2017 in Detroit).
Grade: C+ … A lot of signings doesn’t necessarily equate to a strong offseason. Whether Mariota can challenge Derek Carr for the starting job, Witten has much left in the tank at age 38 or Agholor can be more consistent are question marks.
Los Angeles Chargers
Players added: OT Bryan Bulaga (Packers), CB Chris Harris (Broncos), DT Linval Joseph (Vikings), G Trai Turner (Panthers via trade).
Players re-signed/expected to be re-signed: TE Hunter Henry (franchise tag), RB Austin Ekeler. LB Denzel Perryman
Players lost: QB Philip Rivers (Colts), LT Russell Okung (traded to Panthers), RB Melvin Gordon (Broncos), LB Thomas Davis (Redskins), FB Derek Watt (Steelers), LB Jatavis Brown (Eagles), S Adrian Phillips (Patriots), CB Jaylen Watkins (Texans).
Best addition: Bulaga signed a three-year, $30 million deal, and the veteran tackle should bring stability to the Chargers line. The same could be said for Turner, a guard who was acquired in the Okung trade.
Biggest loss: After spending his entire 16-year career with the Chargers, Rivers signed with Indianapolis on a one-year deal with $25 million guaranteed. It leaves Los Angeles to wonder if veteran Tyrod Taylor, last year’s backup quarterback, can handle the starting job.
Grade: C- … After finishing last in the division in 2019, the Chargers still have many question marks heading into the draft. Although Harris was a flashy acquisition and should boost a secondary that was already a top-five unit in the NFL by yards per game in 2019, the Chargers have a lot of holes to fill.


thedenverpost--2020-03-23--Answering questions about Denver’s stay-at-home order and what it means for you

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock followed the lead of a number of states and cities Monday in announcing a “ stay-at-home ” order that steps up efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus .
Here are answers to common questions about Denver ’ s new order , which is similar to orders that some jurisdictions have called “ shelter-in-place.
” When does Denver ’ s order take effect ?
The stay-at-home order takes effect at 5 p.m. Tuesday .
It will last until April 10 , unless it ’ s extended by the mayor .
Who is affected by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and businesses within city limits , though employers deemed “ essential ” will be allowed to operate .
Working from home is encouraged for workers at “ nonessential ” businesses in Denver — whether or not they live in the city .
What are the key exceptions for outside-the-home activities ?
Going to the grocery store , health care appointments , the pharmacy or outside to exercise .
People also can deliver food and necessary supplies to others , or visit others ’ homes to provide care .
People who are sick and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severe illness should stay home except to seek medical care .
The mayor emphasized that people should maintain 6 feet of separation from other people when they are engaged in any activities outside home , including at work for essential employers .
What about takeout at restaurants ?
Restaurants can continue offering takeout , drive-thru and delivery service for food and drinks , as previous orders by the mayor and governor have allowed .
Residents can leave home to pick up food .
Where can people exercise outside ?
In their neighborhoods and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parks .
Those will remain open for walking , running , cycling and hiking , but the new order says picnics , games and other group activities won ’ t be allowed .
Golf courses and playgrounds will be closed .
For people within the city of Denver , yes .
How will the order be enforced ?
City officials are hoping for voluntary compliance .
But Hancock said the city would “ enforce , as necessary — whenever and however we have to , ” with several city agencies on heightened alert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it simply will be asked to go home .
What kinds of travel are allowed ?
People in Denver are allowed to travel to work for essential employers and for allowed activities .
Cabs , ride-hailing services and other kinds of transportation , including public transit , are exempt from the order , as are air travel and cargo operations .
Does the order allow friends to gather ?
Public health experts are discouraging gatherings of people who don ’ t live together because of the potential to spread the coronavirus among people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The city ’ s new order allows some leeway for home visits , prohibiting only gatherings of “ any number of people occurring outside a single household or living unit.
” A host of government , health care , infrastructure and business employers are considered essential and can remain open .
A partial list of business exemptions : the food industry , including convenience and pet supply stores ; banks ; hotels and motels ; hardware stores , dry cleaners and laundromats ; houses of worship and social services providers that assist the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; oil and gas companies ; the news media ; skilled trades , including plumbers , electricians and others that provide home maintenance and repair ; professional services providers whose assistance is necessary to comply with the law ; and the construction industry .
Read the complete list in the order .
What about liquor and marijuana sales ?
Liquor stores and recreational marijuana stores can remain open with practices in place to ensure 6-foot spacing between individuals , the city said late Monday afternoon — after officials initially included them in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been exempted .
Breweries can continue to brew but won ’ t be allowed to sell directly to the public .
How does this affect nonessential businesses ?
Businesses that aren ’ t exempt will have to shut down all facilities within city limits , but their employees can continue to work from home .
There are exceptions for on-site work , including for minimal administrative and security functions , as well as those that are necessary to process online orders and to provide support for employees who are working from home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Services provided by the U.S .
Postal Service , FedEx and UPS , among others , won ’ t be affected by Denver ’ s order .
Also exempt are businesses that provide home delivery of food or goods and those that provide shipping services and post office boxes .
Child care providers are exempt under limitations that include keeping each child in the same group of 10 or fewer each day , with each group in a separate room .
Each child care provider must be detailed to one group only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest updates on coronavirus in Colorado .

Update (6:45 p.m. March 25, 2020): Gov. Jared Polis on March 25 issued a statewide stay-at-home order. The new order’s provisions mostly overlap with Denver’s order, with some differences. More details about the state order are here.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock followed the lead of a number of states and cities Monday in announcing a “stay-at-home” order that steps up efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Here are answers to common questions about Denver’s new order, which is similar to orders that some jurisdictions have called “shelter-in-place.”
When does Denver’s order take effect?
The stay-at-home order takes effect at 5 p.m. Tuesday. It will last until April 10, unless it’s extended by the mayor.
Who is affected by the stay-at-home order?
People, organizations and businesses within city limits, though employers deemed “essential” will be allowed to operate. Working from home is encouraged for workers at “nonessential” businesses in Denver — whether or not they live in the city.
What are the key exceptions for outside-the-home activities?
Going to the grocery store, health care appointments, the pharmacy or outside to exercise. People also can deliver food and necessary supplies to others, or visit others’ homes to provide care. People who are sick and those who are at high risk of severe illness should stay home except to seek medical care.
The mayor emphasized that people should maintain 6 feet of separation from other people when they are engaged in any activities outside home, including at work for essential employers.
What about takeout at restaurants?
Restaurants can continue offering takeout, drive-thru and delivery service for food and drinks, as previous orders by the mayor and governor have allowed. Residents can leave home to pick up food.
Where can people exercise outside?
In their neighborhoods and at Denver’s parks and mountain parks. Those will remain open for walking, running, cycling and hiking, but the new order says picnics, games and other group activities won’t be allowed. Golf courses and playgrounds will be closed.
Is this order mandatory?
For people within the city of Denver, yes.
How will the order be enforced?
City officials are hoping for voluntary compliance. But Hancock said the city would “enforce, as necessary — whenever and however we have to,” with several city agencies on heightened alert. In many cases, people violating it simply will be asked to go home.
What kinds of travel are allowed?
People in Denver are allowed to travel to work for essential employers and for allowed activities. Cabs, ride-hailing services and other kinds of transportation, including public transit, are exempt from the order, as are air travel and cargo operations.
Does the order allow friends to gather?
Public health experts are discouraging gatherings of people who don’t live together because of the potential to spread the coronavirus among people who don’t exhibit symptoms. The city’s new order allows some leeway for home visits, prohibiting only gatherings of “any number of people occurring outside a single household or living unit.”
What are essential employers?
A host of government, health care, infrastructure and business employers are considered essential and can remain open.
A partial list of business exemptions: the food industry, including convenience and pet supply stores; banks; hotels and motels; hardware stores, dry cleaners and laundromats; houses of worship and social services providers that assist the needy; telecom and internet service providers; oil and gas companies; the news media; skilled trades, including plumbers, electricians and others that provide home maintenance and repair; professional services providers whose assistance is necessary to comply with the law; and the construction industry. Read the complete list in the order.
What about liquor and marijuana sales?
Liquor stores and recreational marijuana stores can remain open with practices in place to ensure 6-foot spacing between individuals, the city said late Monday afternoon — after officials initially included them in the ordered closures. Medical marijuana dispensaries already had been exempted.
There also was confusion surrounding breweries. Mayoral spokesperson Theresa Marchetta confirmed Monday evening that brewpubs and breweries whose licensing previously allowed for takeout and delivery of their beer under state rules will be able to continue doing so.
How does this affect nonessential businesses?
Businesses that aren’t exempt will have to shut down all facilities within city limits, but their employees can continue to work from home. There are exceptions for on-site work, including for minimal administrative and security functions, as well as those that are necessary to process online orders and to provide support for employees who are working from home.
Will shipping and delivery be affected?
Services provided by the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx and UPS, among others, won’t be affected by Denver’s order. Also exempt are businesses that provide home delivery of food or goods and those that provide shipping services and post office boxes.
Can day cares stay open?
Child care providers are exempt under limitations that include keeping each child in the same group of 10 or fewer each day, with each group in a separate room. Each child care provider must be detailed to one group only.
Document: Denver stay-at-home order
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thedenverpost--2020-03-23--Some liquor stores, recreational dispensaries to close in Denver until mid-April

Updated March 23 at 5:06 p.m. After large crowds swarmed Denver liquor stores and dispensaries following Mayor Michael Hancock ’ s announcement of the stay-at-home order , the city of Denver updated the order to say that liquor stores and both medical and recreational marijuana stores “ with extreme physical distancing in place will be exempt , ” according to a tweet .
“ This is an evolving situation and guidance will continue to be refined to ensure that all physical distancing measures are having the desired impact.
” We will continue to update this story as more details become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course drastically Monday evening after announcing earlier in the day that liquor stores and recreational marijuana dispensaries would close across the city in an attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus .
His office made a new announcement around 5 p.m. via Twitter , saying that liquor and marijuana stores “ with extreme physical distancing in place ” will be exempt from the mandated citywide closure of non-essential businesses starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday and continuing through April 10 .
The definition of extreme is six feet , or the normal amount of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the city clarified .
Hancock ’ s shift came just hours after he had deemed liquor stores and recreational marijuana dispensaries non-essential businesses , as opposed to groceries , gas stations and healthcare operations .
“ We do not have them listed as essential , ” Hancock had said of liquor stores .
“ As much as I might think it ’ s essential for me , it ’ s not essential for everyone.
” He suggested Denver residents buy their alcohol Monday night while they still could .
And Denverites did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stores Monday afternoon in response — and violating social distancing requirements while they were at it — with some stores reporting lines forming a block long just 15 minutes after the mayor ’ s press conference .
Argonaut Wine & Liquor co-owner Josh Robinson told The Denver Post that his staff had to act like bouncers , allowing one shopper in for each person that left .
“ It ’ s created a safety issue in the short term , ” Robinson said .
“ The mayor said not to panic buy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people to do by shutting us down.
” Independent liquor stores weren ’ t the only ones confused by the first announcement .
Restaurants , bars , breweries and grocery stores selling beer ( and in some cases wine and alcohol ) all wondered where they would fall under the most recent crackdown .
As of Monday afternoon , bars and restaurants offering food and drinks for takeout or delivery were still considered essential businesses and will remain open for those services , Hancock clarified during the press conference .
Restaurants and bars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alcohol , including wine , beer and cocktails , following an executive order from Gov .
Jared Polis on Friday .
Grocery stores that either sell beer , wine , liquor or a combination thereof would be able to continue doing so while practicing extreme social distancing .
As for breweries and distillery pubs , Gov .
Polis included them in his Friday announcement allowing for alcohol pickups and deliveries alongside food orders .
And Colorado liquor attorney Michael Laszlo thinks those businesses are still okay to sell ( for now ) under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as long as they are keeping customers at an “ extreme ” distance from one another .
“ The Lord taketh away and he giveth , ” Laszlo said , adding , “ It ’ s almost like the Wild West… Do what you think is legal under your interpretation.
” This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available .

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock changed course drastically Monday evening after announcing earlier in the day that liquor stores and recreational marijuana dispensaries would close across the city in an attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus.
His office made a new announcement around 5 p.m. via Twitter, saying that liquor and marijuana stores “with extreme physical distancing in place” will be exempt from the mandated citywide closure of non-essential businesses starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday and continuing through April 10.
The definition of extreme is six feet, or the normal amount of social distancing that’s now recommended, the city clarified.
Hancock’s shift came just hours after he had deemed liquor stores and recreational marijuana dispensaries non-essential businesses, as opposed to groceries, gas stations and healthcare operations.
“We do not have them listed as essential,” Hancock had said of liquor stores. “As much as I might think it’s essential for me, it’s not essential for everyone.” He suggested Denver residents buy their alcohol Monday night while they still could.
And Denverites did just that, swarming their neighborhood liquor stores Monday afternoon in response — and violating social distancing requirements while they were at it — with some stores reporting lines forming a block long just 15 minutes after the mayor’s press conference.
Argonaut Wine & Liquor co-owner Josh Robinson told The Denver Post that his staff had to act like bouncers, allowing one shopper in for each person that left.
“It’s created a safety issue in the short term,” Robinson said. “The mayor said not to panic buy, but that is exactly what he encouraged people to do by shutting us down.”
Independent liquor stores weren’t the only ones confused by the first announcement.
Restaurants, bars, breweries and grocery stores selling beer (and in some cases wine and alcohol) all wondered where they would fall under the most recent crackdown.
As of Monday afternoon, bars and restaurants offering food and drinks for takeout or delivery are still considered essential businesses and will remain open for those services, Hancock clarified during the press conference.
Restaurants and bars also will still be able to sell alcohol, including wine, beer and cocktails, following an executive order from Gov. Jared Polis on Friday.
Grocery stores that either sell beer, wine, liquor or a combination thereof would be able to continue doing so while practicing extreme social distancing. As for breweries and distillery pubs, Gov. Polis included them in his Friday announcement allowing for alcohol pickups and deliveries alongside food orders.
During Monday’s press conference, Hancock said that breweries would be forced to close — but later in the day, the city clarified that breweries may continue to brew beer as long as they don’t sell directly to the public from their taprooms.
The Mayor’s office then confirmed Monday evening that brewpubs and distillery pubs whose licensing allowed for takeout and delivery of their products under the new, temporary state rules will be able to continue doing so.
RELATED: Answering questions about Denver’s stay-at-home order and what it means for you
Any other businesses still in doubt can refer to the city’s most recent mandates for guidance and keep customers at an “extreme” distance from one another in the meantime, according to Colorado liquor attorney Michael Laszlo.
“The Lord taketh away and he giveth,” Laszlo said, adding, “It’s almost like the Wild West… Do what you think is legal under your interpretation.”


thedenverpost--2020-03-24--Ask Amy: Job seeker is frustrated by follow-up

Dear Amy : Have the standards of business ethics changed in recent years ?
I have gone to several job interviews , with zero follow-up from the employer or the recruiter who set up the interview .
These are situations where the employer contacted me and asked me to come in for the interview , telling me , “ We ’ ll get back to you.
” I had two interviews recently which went well , I thought , but I never heard from them again .
I even called to follow up — my calls went to voicemail , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call , email or letter .
I wish businesses would realize that when they do this , it leaves people with bad feelings about them , and we tell our friends .
A rejection is fine , but a polite message back , such as : “ Thank you for spending your time with us , however , we have selected another candidate ” would bring closure to the process .
Is it now OK to just blow off the person you asked to come in for an interview ?
Dear Ignored : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practices have changed , however .
One frustration for current job seekers is how communication with recruiters and employers seems to flow in one direction , controlled by the employer .
When a ( often off-site ) recruiter sets up an interview , the only contact information you have is the recruiter ’ s — not that of the person who is conducting the interview .
Savvy job seekers conclude an in-person or Skype interview by asking , “ Could you share your email address with me so I can follow up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chooses to share an email address , you can keep in touch directly .
A good recruiter will contact you after an interview , even if it is to tell you that you won ’ t be hired .
To conduct an effective job search , you should be using all of the social networking tools available to contact potential employers — not only via voice call , email , or letter .
Glassdoor.com offers ways for you to receive — and leave — anonymous feedback about the hiring process with a specific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school , I had a boyfriend who was addicted to cocaine .
He became very mentally , physically , and sexually abusive .
My best friend at the time knew him , but she knew nothing about what was happening in the relationship .
After leaving the relationship with the boyfriend , I ended up going to a mental hospital .
While I was hospitalized , she and I reconnected .
I told her all about this abuse .
She is very aware of the physical and psychological scars I still have .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s been hanging out with him more often in their friend group .
She knows everything that he did to me and still chooses to hang out with him .
I know I am being a little harsh , but I don ’ t want to be around her or even talk to her because I don ’ t want her telling him anything about me and my current boyfriend or our lives ( when I was with him , this monster had me and family members in fear for our safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to her about this ?
Is it OK to just walk away from her because of this ?
Should I be going about this differently ?
Dear Upset : Your duty is to take care of yourself , and you seem to have done an admirable job .
Loyal friends will quite naturally not want to maintain a close friendship with an individual who has abused a friend .
Of course , it is possible that the man who abused you has cleaned up his act and changed in a dramatic way , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well-being by testing this possibility .
You are wise to keep your distance from the person who abused you , as well as anyone else who is connected to him .
You don ’ t need to spend your own valuable emotional bandwidth trying to assess this situation from every angle — you need only to protect yourself , and — in this case , the best way to protect yourself is to keep your distance .
Dear Amy : “ A Very Concerned Son ” became alarmed when his mother kept repeating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech and repeating yourself can be signs of severe dehydration .
My mother ’ s doctor told me I had helped to save her life by noticing her slurred speech during a phone call .
Dear Grateful : Sometimes , these changes are more evident when speaking over the phone .
I ’ ve heard from several readers with similar stories .

Dear Amy: Have the standards of business ethics changed in recent years?
I have gone to several job interviews, with zero follow-up from the employer or the recruiter who set up the interview.
These are situations where the employer contacted me and asked me to come in for the interview, telling me, “We’ll get back to you.”
I had two interviews recently which went well, I thought, but I never heard from them again. I even called to follow up — my calls went to voicemail, of course — and still no phone call, email or letter.
I wish businesses would realize that when they do this, it leaves people with bad feelings about them, and we tell our friends. A rejection is fine, but a polite message back, such as: “Thank you for spending your time with us, however, we have selected another candidate” would bring closure to the process.
Is it now OK to just blow off the person you asked to come in for an interview?
— Ignored
Dear Ignored: Business ethics have not changed. Hiring practices have changed, however.
One frustration for current job seekers is how communication with recruiters and employers seems to flow in one direction, controlled by the employer. When a (often off-site) recruiter sets up an interview, the only contact information you have is the recruiter’s — not that of the person who is conducting the interview.
Savvy job seekers conclude an in-person or Skype interview by asking, “Could you share your email address with me so I can follow up to thank you?”
If the manager chooses to share an email address, you can keep in touch directly.
A good recruiter will contact you after an interview, even if it is to tell you that you won’t be hired.
To conduct an effective job search, you should be using all of the social networking tools available to contact potential employers — not only via voice call, email, or letter.
Glassdoor.com offers ways for you to receive — and leave — anonymous feedback about the hiring process with a specific company.
Dear Amy: In high school, I had a boyfriend who was addicted to cocaine. He became very mentally, physically, and sexually abusive.
My best friend at the time knew him, but she knew nothing about what was happening in the relationship.
After leaving the relationship with the boyfriend, I ended up going to a mental hospital.
While I was hospitalized, she and I reconnected. I told her all about this abuse. She is very aware of the physical and psychological scars I still have.
Recently, I became aware that she’s been hanging out with him more often in their friend group. She knows everything that he did to me and still chooses to hang out with him.
I know I am being a little harsh, but I don’t want to be around her or even talk to her because I don’t want her telling him anything about me and my current boyfriend or our lives (when I was with him, this monster had me and family members in fear for our safety).
Should I try to talk to her about this? Is it OK to just walk away from her because of this?
Should I be going about this differently?
— Upset
Dear Upset: Your duty is to take care of yourself, and you seem to have done an admirable job.
Loyal friends will quite naturally not want to maintain a close friendship with an individual who has abused a friend.
Of course, it is possible that the man who abused you has cleaned up his act and changed in a dramatic way, but you should not risk your own well-being by testing this possibility.
You are wise to keep your distance from the person who abused you, as well as anyone else who is connected to him. You don’t need to spend your own valuable emotional bandwidth trying to assess this situation from every angle — you need only to protect yourself, and — in this case, the best way to protect yourself is to keep your distance.
Dear Amy: “A Very Concerned Son” became alarmed when his mother kept repeating herself during a phone call. Slurred speech and repeating yourself can be signs of severe dehydration. My mother’s doctor told me I had helped to save her life by noticing her slurred speech during a phone call.
— Grateful
Dear Grateful: Sometimes, these changes are more evident when speaking over the phone. I’ve heard from several readers with similar stories.
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)


thedenverpost--2020-03-24--Two more coronavirus deaths announced in Colorado as state total rises to 9

Two more people in Colorado — one in El Paso County and the other in Gunnison County — have died of COVID-19 , bringing the state ’ s total to nine on Monday night .
“ We are saddened to report our fourth COVID-related death in El Paso County , ” El Paso County Public Health said in a Facebook post at 9 p.m .
The coronavirus victim is described as a man in his 80s .
Meanwhile , Gunnison County ’ s department of Health and Human Services announced its first death associated with the coronavirus , a man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news release .
The Gunnison man was tested by the coroner ’ s office after his death a “ week and a half ago , ” the release said .
County health and human services received notice Monday that test results came back positive .
Both counties offered condolences to family and friends of the two most recent victims .
“ We recognize these are trying times , ” Joni Reynolds , Gunnison County director of public health , said in the release .
“ However , in a region known somewhat for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — with the full cooperation of the Gunnison Valley community — that we will one day get through this crisis.
” El Paso County health officials said they are investigating how the man contracted COVID-19 and are trying to trace any possible contacts .
Earlier on Monday , state health officials announced that novel coronavirus cases rose by 129 to a total 720 in Colorado .
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Two more people in Colorado — one in El Paso County and the other in Gunnison County — have died of COVID-19, bringing the state’s total to nine on Monday night.
“We are saddened to report our fourth COVID-related death in El Paso County,” El Paso County Public Health said in a Facebook post at 9 p.m. The coronavirus victim is described as a man in his 80s.
Meanwhile, Gunnison County’s department of Health and Human Services announced its first death associated with the coronavirus, a man in his 50s, according to a news release.
The Gunnison man was tested by the coroner’s office after his death a “week and a half ago,” the release said. County health and human services received notice Monday that test results came back positive.
Both counties offered condolences to family and friends of the two most recent victims.
“We recognize these are trying times,” Joni Reynolds, Gunnison County director of public health, said in the release. “However, in a region known somewhat for its collective grit, I am confident — with the full cooperation of the Gunnison Valley community — that we will one day get through this crisis.”
El Paso County health officials said they are investigating how the man contracted COVID-19 and are trying to trace any possible contacts.
Earlier on Monday, state health officials announced that novel coronavirus cases rose by 129 to a total 720 in Colorado.
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thedenverpost--2020-03-24--Southern Ute Indian Tribe issues stay-at-home advisory because of coronavirus

The Southern Ute Indian Tribe , in southwestern Colorado , issued a stay-at-home advisory Monday night because of the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ , the Tribe reaffirms the importance of slowing down the spread of COVID-19 , ” @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The Tribe urges all residents of the Reservation to do their part by @ @ @ @ @ is to engage in an essential activity.
” Tribe leaders , on Twitter , posted @ @ @ @ @ activity as well as sharing additional information on the pandemic .
Compliance with the advisory @ @ @ @ @ is voluntary .
The 1,064-square-mile Southern Ute Reservation is in three counties — La Plata @ @ @ @ @ The tribe ’ s headquarters is in Ignacio and a seven-member Tribal Council governs the @ @ @ @ @ website .
Half of the tribe population is under the age of 30 .

The Southern Ute Indian Tribe, in southwestern Colorado, issued a stay-at-home advisory Monday night because of the coronavirus.
“Through the advisory, the Tribe reaffirms the importance of slowing down the spread of COVID-19,” according to a Twitter post. “The Tribe urges all residents of the Reservation to do their part by staying at home unless it is to engage in an essential activity.”
Tribe leaders, on Twitter, posted guidelines on what defines essential activity as well as sharing additional information on the pandemic. Compliance with the advisory, at this time, is voluntary.
The 1,064-square-mile Southern Ute Reservation is in three counties — La Plata, Archuleta and Montezuma. The tribe’s headquarters is in Ignacio and a seven-member Tribal Council governs the tribe, according to its website. Half of the tribe population is under the age of 30.


thedenverpost--2020-03-24--PHOTOS: Customers swarm Denver liquor stores and dispensaries

David Lara ( R ) and John Tow wait outside Rocky Mountain High Dispensary in Denver on March 23 , @ @ @ @ @ were stocking up since they heard that Denver Mayor Michael Hancock is issuing a 'Stay @ @ @ @ @ will go into effect on Tuesday at 5pm .

Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
Robin Vaeth and her dog Lola wait to park at Argonaut Liquors on March 23, 2020 in Denver. She joked that she wasn't panic buying but survival buying for being stuck at home with her husband.


thedenverpost--2020-03-24--Dozens of puppies being auctioned online by Aurora amid coronavirus

Forty-four puppies are being auctioned online this week by the city of Aurora with no live , in-person viewing or bidding because of the coronavirus .
The animals were seized earlier this month from Pet City , in the Town Center at Aurora Mall , because of an outstanding tax bill of $ 86,000 , according to an Aurora news release .
“ The animals that were taken as part of this action were transferred to the Aurora Animal Shelter and partner agencies for evaluation and care , ” the release said .
“ A number of puppies were in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( not related to COVID-19 ) at the time of the seizure and have been treated back to health.
” Bidding is already underway and the process will run until 4 p.m. Friday .
In order to comply with legal requirements , the puppies must be sold by public auction .
Coronavirus concerns led the city to use the online process to comply with social distancing and avoid crowds gathering to bid in person .
Coronavirus concerns also prohibit people from viewing the animals in person .
People registering for the auction will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abuse .
Anyone legally prohibited from owning animals will be barred from the process .
Successful bidders will pick up the lucky dogs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday at the shelter , 15750 E. 32nd Ave. , according to the release .
Winners will be allowed into the shelter one at a time on a first-come , first-served basis .
Pet City had full or partial balances for tax filing periods from October 2017 to February 2020 , the release said .
Tax and licensing agents had been working with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an attempt to satisfy the debt .
“ When it became apparent that was unlikely to happen , the city moved forward with a lien notice , so homes could be found for the animals and back taxes could be collected on behalf of taxpayers , ” the release said .
There are about 21,000 licensed businesses in the city and it averages about 18 seizures annually .

Forty-four puppies are being auctioned online this week by the city of Aurora with no live, in-person viewing or bidding because of the coronavirus.
The animals were seized earlier this month from Pet City, in the Town Center at Aurora Mall, because of an outstanding tax bill of $86,000, according to an Aurora news release.
“The animals that were taken as part of this action were transferred to the Aurora Animal Shelter and partner agencies for evaluation and care,” the release said. “A number of puppies were in need of medical attention for respiratory problems (not related to COVID-19) at the time of the seizure and have been treated back to health.”
Bidding is already underway and the process will run until 4 p.m. Friday.
In order to comply with legal requirements, the puppies must be sold by public auction. Coronavirus concerns led the city to use the online process to comply with social distancing and avoid crowds gathering to bid in person. Coronavirus concerns also prohibit people from viewing the animals in person.
People registering for the auction will be subject to background checks on animal abuse. Anyone legally prohibited from owning animals will be barred from the process.
Successful bidders will pick up the lucky dogs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday at the shelter, 15750 E. 32nd Ave., according to the release. Winners will be allowed into the shelter one at a time on a first-come, first-served basis.
Pet City had full or partial balances for tax filing periods from October 2017 to February 2020, the release said. Tax and licensing agents had been working with the business for about a year in an attempt to satisfy the debt.
“When it became apparent that was unlikely to happen, the city moved forward with a lien notice, so homes could be found for the animals and back taxes could be collected on behalf of taxpayers,” the release said.
There are about 21,000 licensed businesses in the city and it averages about 18 seizures annually.


thedenverpost--2020-03-24--Shipment of 2 million masks to ease Colorado’s medical supply shortage in face of coronavirus’ sprea

Shipment of 2 million masks to ease Colorado’s medical supply shortage in face of coronavirus’ spread

A shipment of 2 million medical masks is expected to arrive in Colorado by Saturday , easing some of the strain on health care workers who ’ ve had to stretch crucial protective gear as they experience supply shortages in the face of the accelerating coronavirus crisis .
Noel Ginsburg , chairman of the state ’ s manufacturing and sourcing task force , said the group ’ s experience in purchasing and connections to manufacturers helped to get Colorado to the front of the line as China ’ s factories begin to restart production .
The state ’ s first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which filter the air , and 1 million surgical masks , which can block droplets when a person sneezes or coughs .
Ginsburg said the masks are coming from a reputable supplier .
Gov .
Jared Polis estimated Colorado ’ s health facilities use about 70,000 masks per day , so the first shipment would cover their needs for about a month .
Ginsburg said he expects the Chinese sources will be able to produce a steady supply for Colorado , perhaps with some left over for other Western states that want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also is working with Colorado manufacturers that want to switch to produce medical equipment and with outside suppliers for things like gowns , face shields and hand sanitizer , he said .
“ The light at the end of the tunnel is not a train , ” Ginsburg said Monday .
When caring for a person who could have COVID-19 , providers should wear a mask , an eye shield , gloves and a gown , said Dr. Michelle Barron , medical director for infection control and prevention at University of Colorado Hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be used once and thrown away , to prevent carrying infections to other patients or coworkers , but providers at Colorado hospitals say the unsteady flow of supplies has forced them to reuse their protection .
A woman working in a Denver-area hospital , who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect her job , said she and her coworkers have been told to wear the same mask as they moved from patient to patient in the respiratory disease wing .
If they have to leave the wing and go to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve been told to put the mask in a paper bag labeled with their name instead of throwing it out , she said .
“ It ’ s pretty silly if you know much about microbiology , ” because the virus could rub off from the outside of the mask onto the bag , and then on to the inside of the mask , she said .
Providers also are reusing gowns , with two gowns assigned to each patient room each day , she said .
When she leaves a room @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gown , another person on staff uses disinfecting wipes to clean the gown so it ’ s available for the next person .
“ It seems like the best option in a really bad situation , but it ’ s not ideal , ” she said .
An emergency room nurse at a Colorado hospital , who also spoke on condition of anonymity , said there are limits to how much emergency rooms can conserve protective equipment , because the doctors and nurses have to suit up for every patient who could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that patient just has a severe cold .
To avoid using up more equipment , the nurses stay in the room with the patient until they have testing results , which isn ’ t an ideal use of time , he said .
The emergency room nurse said his coworkers are terrified of bringing the virus home because of inadequate protection .
People who work in emergency medicine are generally willing to take risks with their own health to do their jobs , but hospitals could ease the burden on their nurses if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so they don ’ t have to go home or sleep in their cars , he said .
“ When I look at other people and I lock eyes with them… I start wanting to cry because of the strain they ’ re under , ” he said .
The threat of diseases spreading in health care facilities isn ’ t hypothetical .
Transmission within hospitals was a major source of new cases during the SARS epidemic in 2003 , and 18 doctors already have died of COVID-19 in Italy .
So far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 12 % of all cases of the new coronavirus in Spain .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , has said more supplies are on their way , but they ’ ll go first to areas with the highest level of need .
It ’ s not clear where Colorado would fall on the list of prioritized areas , though the state is tied with Michigan for the sixth-highest number of cases compared to population .
Colorado received about a one-day supply of masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shipping them to some high-need counties and tribes Monday , but the state won ’ t be able to rely on the federal government to make up for the equipment shortage , Polis said at a news conference on Sunday .
“ We as states need to play an unprecedented role in securing our own supply chains of personal protective equipment and ventilators , ” he said .
“ Because we ’ ve received so little from the national stockpile , we need Coloradans to donate any personal protective equipment — masks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if possible.
” Thousands of people dropped off donations outside Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday .
The University of Colorado ’ s School of Dentistry has donated masks and gloves , but university spokespeople said they weren ’ t sure if other departments , like research labs , had turned over their supplies .
Some people decided to go a step further , by making their donations .
Donna Savoy , who owns a wedding gown alterations business called Donna Beth Creations , said she and her employees are sewing masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because so many brides have had to postpone their weddings , she said .
They ’ ve had to order 100 % cotton fabric , which isn ’ t typically used in wedding dresses .
Savoy said she and many of her 14 staff members know people working in health care and wanted to support them .
“ We ’ re going to make thousands .
As many as we can make , ” she said .
Hobbyists also are churning out masks .
Dena Mehling , a Denver resident who makes quilts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get others to join her in making masks after a friend who is a doctor asked for help .
As of Monday afternoon , 300 people have joined “ Dena ’ s Mask Making Army , ” and she ’ s received 152 masks in two days , she said .
“ Every time I look out my front door , there ’ s another box of masks , ” she said .
“ I ’ m just amazed at how many people have responded .
I thought if was just going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends.
” Most of the requests have come from long-term care facilities and emergency medical technicians , but they ’ ve also heard from veterinarians and doctors in private practice who said they would donate some of their manufactured masks to facilities with higher needs if she could replace them with homemade masks , Mehling said .
People who want to help can donate quilting-grade 100 % cotton fabric and elastic that ’ s one-quarter inch or one-eighth inch wide , Mehling said .
They could also use drivers to help ferry masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
Masks are donated to requesting facilities on a first-come , first-served basis .
“ We ’ re happy to have people who can just cut straight lines , people who can help with drop-off , ” she said .
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox .

A shipment of 2 million medical masks is expected to arrive in Colorado by Saturday, easing some of the strain on health care workers who’ve had to stretch crucial protective gear as they experience supply shortages in the face of the accelerating coronavirus crisis.
Noel Ginsburg, chairman of the state’s manufacturing and sourcing task force, said the group’s experience in purchasing and connections to manufacturers helped to get Colorado to the front of the line as China’s factories begin to restart production.
The state’s first order is for 1 million N95 masks, which filter the air, and 1 million surgical masks, which can block droplets when a person sneezes or coughs. Ginsburg said the masks are coming from a reputable supplier.
Gov. Jared Polis estimated Colorado’s health facilities use about 70,000 masks per day, so the first shipment would cover their needs for about a month. Ginsburg said he expects the Chinese sources will be able to produce a steady supply for Colorado, perhaps with some left over for other Western states that want to work together.
The task force also is working with Colorado manufacturers that want to switch to produce medical equipment and with outside suppliers for things like gowns, face shields and hand sanitizer, he said.
“The light at the end of the tunnel is not a train,” Ginsburg said Monday.
When caring for a person who could have COVID-19, providers should wear a mask, an eye shield, gloves and a gown, said Dr. Michelle Barron, medical director for infection control and prevention at University of Colorado Hospital. Most of that equipment was designed to be used once and thrown away, to prevent carrying infections to other patients or coworkers, but providers at Colorado hospitals say the unsteady flow of supplies has forced them to reuse their protection.
Reusing supplies
A woman working in a Denver-area hospital, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect her job, said she and her coworkers have been told to wear the same mask as they moved from patient to patient in the respiratory disease wing. If they have to leave the wing and go to another part of the hospital, they’ve been told to put the mask in a paper bag labeled with their name instead of throwing it out, she said.
“It’s pretty silly if you know much about microbiology,” because the virus could rub off from the outside of the mask onto the bag, and then on to the inside of the mask, she said.
Providers also are reusing gowns, with two gowns assigned to each patient room each day, she said. When she leaves a room where she needed to wear a plastic gown, another person on staff uses disinfecting wipes to clean the gown so it’s available for the next person.
“It seems like the best option in a really bad situation, but it’s not ideal,” she said.
An emergency room nurse at a Colorado hospital, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said there are limits to how much emergency rooms can conserve protective equipment, because the doctors and nurses have to suit up for every patient who could have COVID-19, even if it turns out that patient just has a severe cold. To avoid using up more equipment, the nurses stay in the room with the patient until they have testing results, which isn’t an ideal use of time, he said.
The emergency room nurse said his coworkers are terrified of bringing the virus home because of inadequate protection. People who work in emergency medicine are generally willing to take risks with their own health to do their jobs, but hospitals could ease the burden on their nurses if they could offer apartments or hotel rooms so they don’t have to go home or sleep in their cars, he said.
“When I look at other people and I lock eyes with them… I start wanting to cry because of the strain they’re under,” he said.
Stockpiling donations
The threat of diseases spreading in health care facilities isn’t hypothetical. Transmission within hospitals was a major source of new cases during the SARS epidemic in 2003, and 18 doctors already have died of COVID-19 in Italy. So far, health care providers have accounted for about 12% of all cases of the new coronavirus in Spain.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has said more supplies are on their way, but they’ll go first to areas with the highest level of need. It’s not clear where Colorado would fall on the list of prioritized areas, though the state is tied with Michigan for the sixth-highest number of cases compared to population.
Colorado received about a one-day supply of masks from the Strategic National Stockpile and began shipping them to some high-need counties and tribes Monday, but the state won’t be able to rely on the federal government to make up for the equipment shortage, Polis said at a news conference on Sunday.
“We as states need to play an unprecedented role in securing our own supply chains of personal protective equipment and ventilators,” he said. “Because we’ve received so little from the national stockpile, we need Coloradans to donate any personal protective equipment — masks, gowns, gloves — to the effort if possible.”
Thousands of people dropped off donations outside Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday. The University of Colorado’s School of Dentistry has donated masks and gloves, but university spokespeople said they weren’t sure if other departments, like research labs, had turned over their supplies.
Making masks
Some people decided to go a step further, by making their donations. Donna Savoy, who owns a wedding gown alterations business called Donna Beth Creations, said she and her employees are sewing masks from home. They have extra time because so many brides have had to postpone their weddings, she said.
They’ve had to order 100% cotton fabric, which isn’t typically used in wedding dresses. Savoy said she and many of her 14 staff members know people working in health care and wanted to support them.
“We’re going to make thousands. As many as we can make,” she said.
Hobbyists also are churning out masks. Dena Mehling, a Denver resident who makes quilts, said she started a Facebook group to get others to join her in making masks after a friend who is a doctor asked for help. As of Monday afternoon, 300 people have joined “Dena’s Mask Making Army,” and she’s received 152 masks in two days, she said.
“Every time I look out my front door, there’s another box of masks,” she said. “I’m just amazed at how many people have responded. I thought if was just going to be five or six of my friends.”
Most of the requests have come from long-term care facilities and emergency medical technicians, but they’ve also heard from veterinarians and doctors in private practice who said they would donate some of their manufactured masks to facilities with higher needs if she could replace them with homemade masks, Mehling said.
People who want to help can donate quilting-grade 100% cotton fabric and elastic that’s one-quarter inch or one-eighth inch wide, Mehling said. They could also use drivers to help ferry masks from the makers to her porch, she said. Masks are donated to requesting facilities on a first-come, first-served basis.
“We’re happy to have people who can just cut straight lines, people who can help with drop-off,” she said.
Subscribe to bi-weekly newsletter to get health news sent straight to your inbox.