Emergency Facilities Play Key Role In Colorado's Planning For Life After Stay-At-Home Order

DENVER (CBS4) - In a matter of weeks, Colorado's stay-at-home order amid the coronavirus outbreak is set to expire. State officials are preparing for what that might look like.

"As we work toward reopening our economy, it's likely the virus will increase again. It's decreasing now,which is great, but we can't stay closed forever," Gov. Jared Polis said on Tuesday.

State health officials say right now the number of COVID-19 cases is leveling off, but they anticipate another spike sometime around May.

"What we are working closely with the modeling team on now is what it looks like after the stay-at-home order is lifted. We know we need to implement a variety of strategies to control transmission in the state. And it is quite possible that with those strategies in place but not a stay-at-home order that we could see increasing transmission again in the future," Polis said.

Which is why the state of Colorado and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues to move forward on construction of several emergency facilities. Between 500 and 600 beds will be available at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, another 400 to 500 at The Ranch in Loveland and dozens more on the Western Slope.

"Having this capacity in place is what gives us the confidence we need to be able to allow people to earn a livelihood and go back to work and act in a more normal way," the governor said.

Even with the right preparation, the governor says to expect a much longer wait to get back to the "old normal."

"We are not going to get back to that normal of large stadiums, large events, large concerts, bars for many, many, many months. Probably not until there's a vaccine," Polis said.

According to a spokesperson with the governor's office, the cost of construction at the Colorado Convention Center is about $40 million and changes being made to The Ranch will cost $31 million. The state will pay $10 million of the construction cost for the former and $7.75 million for the latter.

"Given that every state in the country has declared a state of emergency in the face of this pandemic, the state believes FEMA and the federal government should cover the cost of these medical shelters. Currently, under the federal law (the Stafford Act) states are required to pay 25% of costs. Gov. Polis, along with governors across the country, has signed onto a letter urging FEMA and the federal government to cover 100% of the cost. The governor knows it is critical that Colorado is prepared for the worst-case scenario."

About The Colorado Stay-At-Home Order

Colorado's stay-at-home order went into effect on the morning of March 26 and it is currently set to expire on April 26.

Coloradans are urged to stay in their own community and not travel for recreation or to get outside. Only essential businesses have been given the green light to keep in-person operations going, and those that remain open are required to keep in line with social distancing guidelines.