Colorado

Colorado’s COVID hospitalizations steady, cases show “modest” increase

Published

2 years ago

April 14, 2022

Colorado’s COVID-19 instances rose barely during the last week, however hospitalizations remained primarily steady on the lowest ranges seen for the reason that begin of the pandemic.

The Colorado Division of Public Well being and Atmosphere reported 77 folks have been hospitalized statewide with confirmed COVID-19 as of Tuesday afternoon, which wasn’t a major change from 80 hospitalizations per week earlier.

New instances elevated by about 12%, from 2,342 within the week ending April 3 to 2,638 reported within the week ending Sunday.

It’s a great signal that the quantity of extreme illness in Colorado stays so low, and it additionally seems that the general threat of getting contaminated hasn’t risen a lot, stated Beth Carlton, an affiliate professor of environmental and occupational well being on the Colorado College of Public Well being.

Whereas reported instances have trended up during the last two weeks, the sample is much less clear when taking a look at instances by the date signs began, she stated.

“You would argue there’s indicators of a really modest uptick in instances,” she stated. “The massive query is whether or not hospitalizations will comply with swimsuit.”

The share of checks coming again constructive is greater than it was on the low level in mid-March, although not by a lot. It has fluctuated between 3.1% and three.6% for the final two weeks — effectively under the state’s objective that the positivity fee not exceed 5%.

COVID-19 outbreaks fell for a ninth week in a row, and the quantity in nursing houses and assisted residing services hit a brand new low of 27. Colleges remained by far the most typical setting for outbreaks, with 250 of the 398 clusters the state considers lively present in Ok-12 buildings.

The newest knowledge from the state nonetheless exhibits omicron as the principle variant circulating, with about 36% of instances linked to its cousin BA.2. The genetic sequencing knowledge is about three weeks previous, although, so that would have modified.

The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention estimated that BA.2 accounts for about 86% of instances nationwide. BA.2 additionally has largely displaced omicron worldwide, principally as a result of it’s extra contagious.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s prime infectious illness doctor, stated Friday that the USA might see a “vital upsurge” in instances within the coming weeks, based mostly on patterns in the UK and several other northeastern states. It’s doable that comparatively excessive ranges of immunity within the inhabitants will restrict the severity of these instances, although, he stated.

Hospitalizations did rise in the UK after BA.2 hit and instances began rising, Carlton stated. It’s not clear if the identical factor will occur in the USA, although.

Different states have skilled a rise in instances, although it’s nowhere as extreme as in January. Case charges within the northeast are about double what they have been a month in the past, however lower than one-tenth of their stage on the worst level of the omicron surge, based on The Washington Submit. Hospitalizations have additionally risen in 11 states during the last two weeks, although they’ve remained close to report lows, based on knowledge compiled by The New York Occasions.

Nonetheless, federal officers have been involved sufficient to extend a mask mandate on airplanes and different types of public transportation by Might 3. It had been set to run out Monday.

Coloradans don’t want to alter their conduct now, however older folks may think about getting a fourth shot, particularly if instances proceed to pattern up, Carlton stated. Proper now, individuals who have compromised immune techniques or are at the least 50 can get a fourth shot in the event that they select, although the CDC hasn’t issued a suggestion that they achieve this.

Knowledge from Israel confirmed that for folks 60 and older, a fourth dose lowered the danger of getting any COVID-19 an infection for less than about two months, however safety towards extreme illness wasn’t waning as quick. Israel solely began making fourth doses extensively out there in January, so it’s too early to know the way lengthy safety might final.

“The safety doesn’t final so long as we wish, however it’s an additional layer of safety,” Carlton stated.

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Colorado

Benton’s Tedeschi commits to Colorado State

Published

15 mins ago

June 29, 2024

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Colorado

Fans roast EA Sports' 'laughable' Colorado ranking in 'College Football 25'

Published

7 hours ago

June 28, 2024

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Fans roast EA Sports' 'laughable' Colorado ranking in 'College Football 25'

EA Sports has released several rankings for its College Football 25 this week, teasing the July 19 release date for the much-awaited new game. When the company dropped the latest Power Rankings Friday, fans argued on social media about this team or that team’s relative ranking.

Yet fans universally seemed to agree on one ranking: Colorado is not the No. 16 team in the country.

Recall the Buffaloes started 3-0 last season under new coach Deion Sanders, and some fans had illusions of a College Football Playoff spot. But reality set in, and the Buffs dropped eight of nine to finish the season.

That is not what anyone looks for in a potential top 20 program. The popular College Sports Only X account noted, “EA Sports really ranked Colorado the 16th best team in “College Football 25″ after going 4-8 last season & losing 8 of their last 9 games.”

EA Sports really ranked Colorado the 16th best team in “College Football 25” after going 4-8 last season & losing 8 of their last 9 games. 🤦 pic.twitter.com/cmjIgbehz8
— College Sports Only (@CollegeSportsO) June 28, 2024

EA Sports has shared details about how it wants to make the game as realistic as possible, even having CFB 25 announcers such as Chris Fowler call every conceivable scenario that might happen in game play. Fans have pointed out some slight errors in the game thus far. For example, the Texas State stadium was rendered in the game without an upper deck.

But even with Sanders coming in and energizing Colorado’s football program, rating the Buffaloes 16th is a huge stretch. And fans had plenty to say on social media.

EA Sports developers leaving Colorado after guaranteeing Deion Sanders a top 25 ranking pic.twitter.com/Ngm614yZRc
— Pregame Empire (@PregameEmpire) June 28, 2024
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HOW IS COLORADO at SIXTEEN LMFAO?!
— Athens Steve (@rainy_steve) June 28, 2024

Again why is Colorado this high? They won 4 games last year 🤦
— Bryan (@BGauvin23) June 28, 2024

EA had to screw something up on this game eventually 🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/T1I1piPO8d
— Brandon Suarez (@Bdon300) June 28, 2024

where’s the logic here https://t.co/S8jQzHDtfL
— lifetime grizzlies fan (@therealkevinyeh) June 28, 2024

I’m convinced the person in charge of ratings is a 17 year old hype beast https://t.co/YnHC3dk5uN
— mike (@burnacount4mike) June 28, 2024
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One of their developers must be Rocky Mountain high if they think Colorado is that good.
— J.P. McDonough (@JPMcDonough74) June 28, 2024

EA sports ranked Colorado at number 16 in college football 25! This is laughable! This makes no sense! Finished the season four and eight! But they’re the 16th best team in the country. OK!
— 5star CFB (@5starcfb) June 28, 2024

[College Sports Only on X/Twitter]

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Colorado

Nurses at Rocky Mountain VA rally for more staffing to serve Colorado veterans

Published

15 hours ago

June 28, 2024

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Nurses at Rocky Mountain VA rally for more staffing to serve Colorado veterans

For Colorado ICU nurse Jordan LeBlanc, working at the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center has been a rewarding experience because of his daily interaction with the veteran population.

“What could be greater than our veterans. They’re funny. They’re kind. They’re forgiving. They think that we know best, even when we don’t, but most of all they trust us,” said LeBlanc.

It is that trust that nurses say they are pushing to protect, in the wake of what they say has been an ongoing hiring freeze from nationwide budget cuts to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“We have 57 open vacancies that are frontline,” said Sharda Fornnarino, who is the director of the local National Nurses United at the Rocky Mountain Regional VA. “That basically entails the ICU, med surge, the OR, some of our surgical areas as far as the outpatient surgeries, SCI and our mental health area.”

On Thursday, nurses from the medical center rallied across the street from the building in Aurora to raise awareness about their existing staffing shortages and the challenges they have faced being able to serve the veteran population because of this shortage.

LeBlanc says often nurses like him now have to take on a greater patient workload and sometimes work more hours to do so.

“Our ICU specifically has been staffed at less than 85% of its functional capacity,” he said. “Right now, we’re at 18 bed ICU that only 12 of the beds are open. They’ve closed six beds because of staffing levels.”

Nurses say the staffing challenges does not just affect their morale, but it can also compromise the relationship they have with each patient.

“Any veteran or any patient within our system will get less than they deserve, less than the total dignity that each individual really deserves to be provided,” he said.

VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes responded to nurses rallying across the country, saying there is no freeze on hiring nurses and they are continuing to hire nurses needed across the country. Hayes’s complete statement is as follows:

VA’s top priority is providing the world-class care that Veterans deserve, and we are committed to making sure we have nursing staff we need to deliver the soonest and best care to Veterans.
There is no nationwide hiring freeze on VA nurses, and we are continuing to hire nurses, as needed, across the country to ensure that we can deliver world-class care to Veterans. Over the past 3 years, VA has aggressively hired nurses nationwide – increasing our nursing workforce by 14,000 nurses to a total of 122,000 nurses, the largest nursing workforce in the country and in the history of VA. VA is also retaining our great nurses, with turnover rates currently at 3.4% – far outperforming the private sector. There are also locations where we need to continue hiring nurses, and we are doing that – as demonstrated by the below hiring numbers.
Partly as a result of these hiring efforts and our great nurses, VA is currently delivering more care to more Veterans than ever before, outperforming non-VA care, and Veterans trust VA care at all-time record rates.

The VA’s office went on to share statistics on what they say have been all time high rates of veteran trust in VA care and decreasing wait times. However, Fornnarino says any hiring has been to fill strategic positions, where in reality all vacancies need to be filled.

“I haven’t seen more of those hires come to the bed side,” she said.

Nurses also worry the VA will become more privatized if staffing needs are not met.

“When we don’t have the staffing, we have these beds shut down,” said leBlanc. “That means that our veterans go to community care, and they’re not set up to provide veteran served ethical care.”

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