Health
Racism and health care inequity demand a federal response
We are at a cultural flashpoint when it comes to recognizing and dealing with racism here in the United States. Across the country, people are taking to the streets to protest police brutality and push for real change. Unfortunately, for people of color, racism is not something that we only face when it comes to […]
10 p.m. last call for alcohol ordered to slow COVID-19 spread among young people
As Colorado’s COVID-19 case counts continue to rebound, especially among young people, Gov. Jared Polis has ordered alcohol sales at bars and restaurants across the state to end by 10 p.m. for at least the next 30 days. “Your best (intentions) around social distancing just fall by the wayside if you’re in a group of […]
Mental health of young people worries experts as COVID-19 continues to grip Colorado
It’s been a “roller-coaster” couple of months for Dulce Trujillo as she’s tried her best to adjust to the reality of the coronavirus pandemic. For years, the 18-year-old from Salida has navigated depression and struggled with suicidal thoughts. When the pandemic hit, she already felt isolated from her friends after spending the first semester of […]
Trench fever spread by lice is found in Denver
DENVER — Dr. Michelle Barron, medical director of infection prevention and control at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, received an unusual call last month from the microbiology lab: confirmation of the third case this year of trench fever, a rare condition transmitted by body lice that plagued soldiers during World War I. Barron’s epidemiological training kicked […]
Comparing slavery to abortion is racist and misogynist. Stop it.
I need to make this perfectly clear to Jeff Hunt or any other abortion opponent attempting to make this noxious argument: There is no comparison to slavery. That horror stands alone in its definition. Attempting to compare slavery with abortion rights is obscene and it is racist. In an op-ed published in The Washington Times […]
Colorado can reduce abortions without banning them
Abortion access is back on the ballot this November. Anti-abortion groups will claim the best way to reduce late-term abortions is to ban them. They are wrong. During the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, there is zero fetal viability outside the uterus. There is also zero indication of neural development for pain or perception by […]
Colorado’s COVID-19 hospitalizations rise 45% in a week
Colorado saw a slight uptick this week in the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19, according to data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment — though hospitalizations remain far below April levels. As of July 14, 252 people across the state were hospitalized for COVID-19 treatment. That’s a 45% increase from one week […]
Colorado communities can apply for next phase of COVID-19 reopening
At a time when COVID-19 cases are increasing in many areas of Colorado, the state opened an application process for local communities that wish to enter the next phase of reopening. As of July 8, counties and regions can apply for “Protect Our Neighbors” status if they show that COVID-19 cases are declining and submit […]
FDA keeps Colorado’s CBD industry waiting for regulatory clarity
The U.S. House opened debate this week over next year’s federal spending without addressing regulations on cannabidiol products, leaving employers in the CBD industry in the dark over the federal government’s regulatory plans. The Trump administration’s budget request for next fiscal year includes an extra $5 million for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) […]
How — and when — can the coronavirus vaccine become a reality?
This story was originally published by ProPublica. It’s been six months since researchers in China said they had identified a novel coronavirus spreading in the city of Wuhan. Hope and desire for a vaccine to end the global devastation is growing with each passing week. Almost every day, I hear people making plans around the eventual arrival […]
Bill meant to prevent opioid abuse vetoed
Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday vetoed a bill that contained measures to prevent opioid addiction and abuse of other substances. House Bill 20-1085 was introduced in early January, during the start of the 2020 General Assembly, and the Legislature passed it during its recent pared-down, COVID-abbrevitated session. But Polis objected to the measure’s projected costs. […]
Fourth of July during the pandemic: What Coloradans should know
This week, the country will celebrate a bizarre Fourth of July during an historic pandemic. Public health regulations governing what’s open and closed in response to the coronavirus are constantly changing — and they’re hard to keep track of. Here’s what to keep in mind over the long weekend: Health officials recommend that those who […]