Headlines April 3, 2020

Headlines April 3, 2020

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The City of Boulder on Thursday issued an emergency order clarifying the state’s stay at home order and what it means for recreation in the city.

The order details different parks and recreation facilities that are deemed conducive to public gathering and are therefore closed effective immediately. These include basketball and tennis courts, golf courses, dog parks, skate parks and open space picnic areas, nature centers and shelters. The city says that while hiking trails and multi-use paths remain open, people must still adhere to social distancing which means staying at least six feet from any other user.

The full list of closures is online at BoulderColorado.gov/coronavirus.

The COVID-19 outbreak has impacted society in many ways including it’s affect on crime. The Westword reports that there is a decline in residential burglaries. Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen told the paper that the main reason burglaries are down is due to the stay at home order with people being in their homes all the times.

People staying home however are also dealing with high levels of stress and uncertainty making the police more aware of family violence. One of the things DPD has been doing is to do a lot of outreach remotely as they try to provide assistance before physical violence takes place. Denver police are also reaching out to police departments and municipalities across the country to get advice regarding best practices.

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Speaking today Governor Jared Polis donned a cloth face mask as he urged Coloradoans to wear them when they go outdoors for essential activities like grocery shopping. “We’re asking all Coloradoans to wear non-medical cloth face masks.”

The Governor said that at this point a cloth face mask or scarf should be part of everybody’s personal hygiene practices. Governor Polis said that masks can be made from old t-shirts or other cloth that people have at home. He said masks must cover your mouth and cover your nose and must be washed frequently. Governor Polis that combining handwashing with wearing a face covering will help in reducing the spread of the virus.

Advice on wearing facemasks has varied from official sources. In the early days of the pandemic, public health experts warned against the widespread use of face masks. In fact, The U.S. Surgeon General tweeted in February to “STOP BUYING MASKS” and “they are not effective in preventing the general public from catching #coronavirus.” Front line medical workers have expressed concern about the ongoing shortages of personal protective equipment including face masks and have raised concerns about general use of masks. Governor Polis today reiterated that medical supply masks must be reserved for medical workers, but encouraged the widespread use of cloth face masks for the general public.

State public health officials say that even if you wear a mask, you should still practice social distancing. Information on how to make a home-made mask is available at www.coloradomaskproject.com

Speaking today Governor Polis also asked people to consider adopting or fostering a pet in need of a home and he urged people to go to protectcoloradoanimals.org.

Several Front Range school districts today announced that they will finish out the school year with online classes. The state’s two largest school districts, Denver Public Schools and Jefferson County Public Schools made the announcement. Governor Polis this week extended the order for schools to stay closed until the end of April, but it looks increasingly likely that no schools will have in-person classes for the remainder of the school year.

You can find more of our COVID-19 coverage as well as resources and information online here.

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