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My Fellow Coloradans,
As we continue to limit our social interactions and keep our distance at least six feet from others, I want to remind everyone about the importance of wearing masks and facial coverings.
The Safer-at-Home phase has four main components for success:
- For most of the population, continue to stay at home whenever you can.
- For seniors & those with chronic health conditions, it means staying at home unless absolutely necessary.
- Stepping up testing, containment, and tracing, which we’re doing at the state level.
- Wearing masks at all times when in public.
The better job we do at these things, the more we can loosen restrictions on our economy and our society, and the faster we can do it.
Out of all of these things, wearing a mask or facial covering is the easiest decision that you can do make right now to protect yourself and others when you have to go out.
If wearing a mask is the price that we have to pay for us to be able to have larger gatherings, go back to houses of worship, or go skiing again, etc., that’s a price that many Coloradans are willing to pay.
It doesn’t take very long to make a mask, they can be comfortable, and most importantly they increase the level of protection for you and others from coronavirus.
Please spread the word to your friends, colleagues, family -- and do your best to convince them as well.
We all want to re-open more parts of the economy and society, and more importantly, we all want to decrease the risk to the lives of our friends, family and neighbors, and that’s why we should all take the precaution of wearing a mask.
Sincerely,
Governor Jared Polis
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Colorado Mask Project
Thankfully, it’s never been easier to create a mask or purchase one.
Visit ColoradoMaskProject.com for instructions on how to make your own mask, or a list of retailers where you can purchase one.
But that’s not all the Colorado Mask Project does -- it’s a collaboration between state government, private sector donors, nonprofits, and maker communities to deliver non-medical cloth masks to vulnerable populations and essential workers around the state.
So far, 82,024 masks have been delivered or are in the process of delivery to 162 recipient organizations across 42 counties, and many more are on the way.
All masks have gone to vulnerable populations and essential workforce with high risk of exposure and limited access to protective equipment.
Recipients have included:
- Homeless shelters and rescue missions;
- Assisted living centers, elderly care, mental health, and nursing homes;
- Domestic violence safehouses;
- Immigrant and refugee centers;
- State Early Childhood Councils;
- Public school workers providing meals for low-income families;
- Child care providers;
- Veteran care centers;
- And other community organizations.
We want to thank three companies that have volunteered substantial transportation and logistics support: Peak Beverage, Alliance Moving, and Luxe Holdings.
We also want to thank companies that have donated masks and materials including: Hunter Douglas, Topo Designs, Pearl iZumi, Phunkshun Wear, Denver Mattress Co., Tempur-Sealy, Osprey, Deuter, EcoEnclose, Fashion Design Center, GBS Sports (Spyder and Dakine), and Melanzana.
And finally, we want to thank all of the individuals across the state who have been sewing and making masks for distribution. These groups estimate they have provided over 200,000 additional homemade and donated masks for communities around the state. See: coloradomaskproject.com.
Companies with the ability to donate masks, with cut-and-sew capacity, or individuals who can sew -- please get in touch with the Colorado Mask Project at coloradomaskproject.com.
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Can Do Colorado
The state is also spearheading a campaign called Can-Do Colorado to provide tips to businesses about increasing teleworking capabilities, and highlighting businesses that are being creative and going above and beyond to run their businesses remotely.
We know living amidst the COVID-19 pandemic can make it seem like all we hear these days is "you can't do this" or " you can't go there."
But Coloradans are creative, and many business owners have turned this time of “can’t do’s” into “can do’s”. Here are a couple of examples:
ActivCore Physical Therapy and Performance
Physical Therapy is pretty difficult to do while socially distancing. So creator Ed Foresman was able to meet his clients needs by creating YouTube videos to instruct his patients on how to maintain their physical therapy progress. These videos, available free of charge, have been shared and used by patients and new followers alike.
Ed has also pivoted to using telehealth appointments to keep his patients on track, which has come with unexpected benefits like being able to survey patients’ homes for environmental factors that may impact their recovery, meet and speak with family members who are assisting with exercises and good practices, and even using the sides of the computer screen to better evaluate patients’ posture and correct angles while doing exercises.
The Glam House Salon
When the stay-at-home order went into effect, hair salons had to temporarily close their doors. But Alexandria Grado of the Glam House Salon launched a new system for getting hair color, treatments, and beauty products to her clients. She sold customized boxes to her clients with all the necessary products and tools, including bottles, bowls, brushes, and gloves, and detailed instructions for how to self administer. If clients need further assistance, Alexandria and her stylists are available for a DIY walkthrough over Facetime anytime.
We are encouraging Colorado businesses to use telework options as much as possible. If we can do that for hair colorings and physical therapy, we can do it for lots of businesses.
So let’s get creative. If you need guidance, if you have a creative idea that you want to share, or you want to browse some of these companies -- please visit CanDoColorado.org or share it on social media with #CanDoColorado.
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Connect to Care
The state is also launching a program called “Connect to Care Jobs” to match healthcare job seekers with immediate openings in residential care settings that serve older Coloradans.
The fact that the residents of these facilities are so vulnerable to COVID-19 has created the need for extra staffing to keep them safe.
We know that many Coloradans are looking for work, and these facilities are in need of extra support during this challenging time. If you are a job seeker, we encourage you to please visit connecttocarejobs.com to apply and help perform this important work to protect our seniors. Job seekers can create a profile identifying the position they are interested in, the distance they are willing to travel for the position, and other professional skills and experience to make sure we can match the right person for the position.
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Medicaid / CHP+
Finally, we want to remind Coloradans that if you have lost your health care due to a job loss, there are options available to you.
You might qualify for Health First Colorado -- Colorado’s Medicaid Program -- and/or the Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) if you have dependents. Visit CO.gov/PEAK to find out if you’re eligible. You can also apply by mail, at your county’s department of health and human services, at an application site, or over the phone by calling 1-800-221-3943
If you’re not eligible for these public programs, you can still sign up for health insurance on the individual market at connectforhealthco.com or by calling 855-752-6749
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State Services for Impacted Individuals
If you have lost wages or been laid off due to COVID-19, please visit coloradoui.gov to determine your eligibility for unemployment insurance and apply for benefits. This includes those working as independent contractors or working in the “gig economy” who have lost wages due to COVID-19.
If you have questions about housing assistance, health care assistance, employee rights, or other state services, please call the Colorado state hotline 2-1-1 for assistance.
We need to recognize the toll that this crisis is not only taking on our economy and our way of life, but our mental and behavioral health. Colorado Crisis Services provides free, confidential, professional, and immediate support for any mental health, substance use, or emotional concern 24/7/365. Folks can call 1-844-493-TALK (8255) or text TALK to 38255 to speak to a trained professional. Any Coloradan that needs support should reach out.
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Best Practices
The best thing you can do right now is encourage your family and friends to stay home. This will help reduce the spread. Also, practice good hygiene and social distancing in order to keep yourself and others safe -- especially vulnerable populations like older Coloradans and those with underlying health conditions:
- Stay at home unless it’s absolutely necessary to leave your home.
- If you do have to leave your home, wear a cloth face covering or a mask.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
- If someone at your home is sick, avoid sharing dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people in your home. After using these items, wash them thoroughly with soap and water.
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