Colorado Could Run Out of Hospital Beds This Month

(Bloomberg) -- Colorado could come close to running out of hospital beds in late November or early December if Covid-19 infections accelerate, officials warned Tuesday.

An estimated 1,900 of the state’s roughly 2,000 beds could be occupied under a worst-case scenario, Rachel Herlihy, state epidemiologist, said during an online news briefing. At the current pace, hospitalizations are projected to peak at 1,500, Herlihy said.

An estimated 1-in-51 state residents are contagious, Governor Jared Polis said during the briefing, imploring Coloradoans to get vaccinated. Polis said the delta variant is “like a laser-guided missile.” 

The governor issued an order Sunday allowing overwhelmed hospitals to turn away new patients as needed. “I’m very frustrated,” Polis said.

Hospitals occupancy statewide has been averaging 90% in recent weeks. That’s even though an estimated 80% of Coloradans have received at least one Covid-19 vaccine, one of the highest percentages in the country.

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