DENVER | Currently, 91% of COVID-19 infections in Colorado are from the new omicron variant, a dramatic increase from two weeks ago when it accounted for only 1% of the state’s COVID-19 cases.
That rapid spread speaks to the highly infectious nature of the omicron variant. However, those who are fully vaccinated have little to fear, Gov. Jared Polis said during a Wednesday press conference.
People who have received an initial vaccination dose along with a booster are highly unlikely to get seriously ill or need to be hospitalized if they contract COVID-19, Polis said. As of Wednesday 1,088 Coloradans were hospitalized with the virus, 80% of whom are unvaccinated.
Polis said the state is so far unable to determine whether breakthrough infections are lower among people who have had booster vaccinations, but that national data seems to support increased effectiveness in thwarting the virus and, especially, avoiding increased illness.
Colorado has shown a marked increase in testing positivity, according to state health officials. The positivity rate of tests for Tuesday was 13.78%.
In Colorado, the 7-day average for new cases has climbed to 3,847 as of Dec. 27, according to state testing data. The peak last year was 5,040 per day on average. The average number of deaths has fallen dramatically to about five per day.
Monoclonal antibody treatment appears to be less effective against omicron than previous variants, making boosters even more important as another line of defense, he said. More than half of the state hospitals expected to have staffing shortages in the next week, according to state reports
“Having three doses gives you a much higher level of protection against the omicron variant,” Polis said.
Dr. Eric France, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s chief medical officer, joined the press conference to discuss the new quarantine guidelines released Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The new guidelines state that anyone who tests positive or develops symptoms for COVID-19 can stop quarantining after five days, and should wear a mask around other people for five days after that.
France said the new guidelines make sense because the omicron incubation period is much shorter — initial variants of the coronavirus could take as much as a week to cause symptoms, but people tend to get sick one to three days after being exposed to omicron.
Additionally, people tend to stop “shedding” the omicron variant more quickly, making them contagious for a shorter period of time, France said.
Unlike some other parts of the country, France said Colorado is not currently seeing an increase in pediatric COVID-19 cases.
Polis encouraged people to avoid large New Year’s Eve parties and if they do go out to avoid interacting with unvaccinated or high-risk individuals immediately afterwards.
Information about where to find vaccinations and testing sites is available online at covid19.colorado.gov or by calling 1-877-CO-VAX-CO.