Are Colorado Hospitals Ready For Safer At Home?
DENVER (CBS4) - The city of Denver, working alongside the state, laid out its plan for the next phase of reopening, which will include rigorous testing along with a way to track to whom the virus has spread.
The city has called for volunteers to help with efforts in contact tracing, a method by which trained volunteers work with COVID positive patients to help them determine who they have been in contact with.
Outlined in a news release Tuesday, the city said, Contact tracing, coupled with rigorous testing, can counteract a potential second wave and prevent cases from spiking again. Contact tracing is part of the overall function of case management in public health.
CBS4 wanted to know if the efforts the state and other cities are taking to return to "semi-normal," were enough from the healthcare perspective. We checked in with the Medical Center of Aurora, one of the first hospitals to give us an inside look at it's surge plan in early March.
"We were prepared to make difficult decisions. We have a triage committee staff, and we are privileged that we never had to use it because we never ran out of beds, out of ventilators or of personal protective equipment," said Dr. Phil Stahel, Chief Medical Officer for The Medical Center of Aurora (TMCA).
In the last week, the number of COVID-19 positive cases at TMCA have gone from 100, to less than 60. With so many open beds, Stahel says his hospital is ready for the next phase, "Safer-at-Home."
"We cannot predict weather there's gonna be another surge in COVID-19, we know that the measures we have taken to keep everyone safe, including patients and staff. At this point in time, it's imperative to allow patients to come back and seek medical care."
He showed CBS4 around a quiet surgery center Tuesday. He says with continued social distancing measures and face masks, people should be coming in for treatment outside of COVID-19 symptoms.
In addition, he says efforts by local and state governments to expand testing and get volunteers for contact tracing, will help ensure they continue have the space to treat, other, serious needs.
"I think what the CDC recommends with contact tracing, is extremely important out there in the community in terms of understanding who's at risk. There's still many asymptomatic virus shedders who continue to infect others, and that's why it's absolutely imperative to respect the social distancing rule, to wear a mask whenever you leave the house and to have strict hand hygiene in terms of washing your hands and avoiding touching your face."
The CDC has resources online to help those interested in volunteering understand how contact tracing works.
RELATED: Denver's Stay-At-Home Order Expires Friday, Mayor Explains Restaurants Will Remain Closed
If you would like general information on navigating the expiration of the Stay at Home order, visit the Safer-at-Home website for details on Public Health Orders and FAQs., or dial 311 in Denver (or 720-913-1311 outside of Denver). You can also email the City Attorney's Office Response Team by emailing CAOResponseTeam@denvergov.org.
