COVID In Colorado: Increase In Vaccinations, Mask Wearing Could Help Avoid Spike In Cases

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - Without a sharp increase in COVID-19 vaccinations and efforts to slow the spread of the Delta variant, Colorado public health experts fear the state could be headed for a spike with thousands hospitalized.

"The population that I worry most about right now are people who are not vaccinated," said Dr. Elizabeth Carlton, an Associate Professor at the Colorado School of Public Health. "Every person aged 12 and up that we can get vaccinated right now will help improve the future for Colorado."

The latest modeling and projections report from the Colorado School of Public Health says Colorado needs to get 80% of adults and 70% of teenagers vaccinated by Labor Day. A mark that the state will likely fall short of, especially for teens. Only about half of the 12-to-19-year-old population is vaccinated with at least one dose.

Carlton says if vaccination rates don't increase, and community spread doesn't decrease, the state could see another peak by October.

"In the worst-case scenario, we'd see another peak, approaching what we saw in December of last year, though, the worst peak that Colorado had, at the moment, unfortunately, all signs are that we are heading towards that December peak."

In early December 2020, Colorado had over 1,800 people hospitalized with COVID-19. Colorado currently has 627 hospitalized from the virus and the numbers have been increasing.

"Bottom line is right now we're not where we want to be. It's time to wear masks indoors again so that we can control the spread of infections," Carlton said.

This week, public health orders were issued to make sure students as young as 2 years old up to the 12th grade need to wear masks in school. Carlton says more of the population should increase indoor mask usage, regardless of vaccine status, in order to keep restaurants and events from facing restrictions again.

"I think none of us want to see what happened last December happened again in Colorado," she said. "We all were ready to throw our masks out a few months ago. But if we can do that for the next few weeks, and through this tough situation that we're in, then I think we can be in a better place by fall."