AURORA | A flight to Washington, D.C. from Denver Wednesday looked nothing like the countless trips Gov. Jared Polis took for a decade as congressman.
He went, he said, to advocate for more resources for Colorado.
“It’s something you don’t want to do if you don’t have to,” he said of his flight, talking to reporters during a news conference following a meeting with President Donald Trump.
Polis said the invitation from Trump wasn’t something he could turn down, especially as the state is still searching for more personal protective equipment amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among the commitments Polis said he was able to secure from the federal government during his trip is approximately 96,000 tests, which he said will aid in the state’s goal to amp up testing to nearly 10,000 per day.
Testing and contact tracing have been key elements in the quest for returning to a more normal way of life.
Polis said Colorado’s efforts in both areas were subject to compliments from federal officials, including Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator.
Polis did not deliver any details on what aspects of tracing in Colorado have been attractive to federal health officials.
More deliveries of protective gear, including masks, from FEMA is anticipated to be delivered to the state for nursing home workers, Polis said, adding that he’s urged the federal government to continue that program into June and July.
Hundreds of COVID-19 deaths in Colorado have resulted from outbreaks in senior living centers.