Coloradans 'Should Be Proud' Of Declining COVID Cases, Hospitalizations

DENVER (CBS4) - Colorado health experts are giving credit to Coloradans as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to go down.

"We've done a good job of listening to what we're supposed to do: wearing masks, washing our hands, maintaining social distancing," said Dr. Marc Moss, Director of Critical Care for UCHealth. "I think maintaining those requirements is probably why we're seeing fewer cases."

Moss says Coloradans should be proud of the progress made over the last few months. He also says vaccinations are playing an important role in reducing the risk.

"Instead of one person infecting several, maybe that one person only affects one other person, and then the incidents will really go down, and hopefully eventually go away," said Moss. "The more people that are vaccinated, or have had COVID, survived, and had antibodies, the less people that can get it. If you go out, and you transmit it to people, you can't transmit it to as many people because they have been vaccinated or have the disease."

Even if you get the vaccine, Moss says it doesn't mean you can't become infected or infect others.

"It's a little unclear even if you've been vaccinated that maybe you could or could not transmit it to someone else, so just because you're vaccinated doesn't mean that you don't have to abide by the other standards. If we abide by the other standards and get vaccinated this will all be behind us," Moss said. "The majority of people that got COVID, that got the vaccine in the trials got it within the first seven days. You still have to be careful even after you get the vaccine, but after that its less likely, but not impossible that you can get infected."

With the return to in-person learning in some school districts, and more relaxed COVID-19 restrictions in certain counties, Moss believes people still need to be safe.

"Maintain social distancing, wash your hands, and be careful," he said. "If people do that, and the economy opens up, I think we'll be okay."