'In A New Chapter': Gov. Jared Polis Says We've Turned The Page On COVID

DENVER (CBS4)- Gov. Jared Polis announced on Friday what so many have been waiting so long to hear, "Today I am here to say it's time to turn the page and start a new chapter."

With those words regarding COVID he said, in effect, "at ease."

"If you choose to not wear a mask or attend a concert with your friends or simply go out with friends to dinner and you are fully vaccinated by all means do it. Live your life; don't feel guilty. You only live once," Polis said.

That does not, however, apply to those who have not been vaccinated. The state is moving from emergency response to planning a four-point roadmap ahead.

It contains the following health guidance about COVID-19 for people right now in Colorado:

- If you are fully vaccinated and up to date with all three doses: You should feel comfortable living life as normal.
- If you are vaccinated, but immunocompromised or high-risk: Take necessary steps to protect yourself and proactively speak with a health care provider about a potential fourth dose of the vaccine, preventive treatment options, and what to do if you test positive.
- If you are not fully vaccinated: Get fully vaccinated with three doses as you are still at risk of contracting severe disease even with the emergence of variants that cause less severe disease in fully vaccinated people.

(credit: Getty Images)

It also outlines four points for state readiness:

1. Establishing Hospital Readiness Standards, Surge Planning and Normalizing COVID Patient Care in Traditional Medical Settings: Ensuring health care systems are prepared for future response efforts and normalizing COVID-19 treatment and prevention back into traditional healthcare settings.
2. Ensuring Public Health Readiness and Surge Capacity: Building on lessons learned so the public health and emergency management fields can expand and contract for disease control and other emergency needs.
3. Investing in Healthcare Workforce Stabilization and Expansion: Stabilizing the current workforce and building and maintaining a sustainable health care workforce for the future.
4. Engaging the Federal Government in National Endemic Response, Pandemic Readiness and Needed Reforms: Striving for a national plan for pandemic readiness and response, and investing in the public health system, including an updated and interoperable national surveillance system, and flexible, non-categorical funding to allow flexibility and increase the public health workforce.

It has been an epidemic that put pressure on Colorado hospitals.

Scott Bookman has been running the state's COVID response.

He told CBS4's Rick Sallinger, "We didn't come close to breaching the capacity in our healthcare system we saw increased stress in our system."

But not everyone feels so confident the emergency has passed.

Kristi Dougherty is a healthcare worker, "I read this morning that 2,000 people are dying every day, so I don't think it's over."

But Polis says, relax, "You've done your part Colorado and you've earned the right to move beyond the pandemic in your lives."

The state will start ramping down testing and vaccination sites. The exception will be for children under five years old once approved.