Under 100 Colorado ICU beds available as COVID cases increase

DENVER — Health officials provided a Friday afternoon update on the latest on COVID-19 and vaccinations in Colorado.

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) COVID-19 Incident Commander Scott Bookman said that there has been an upward trend in cases over 10 of the 14 days, and the trajectory indicates the current wave will continue to get worse.

There were 1,267 patients hospitalized in Colorado with COVID-19 as of Thursday, which is below the peak of 1,847 from the peak in the winter of 2020, but Bookman said the current hospitalizations are rapidly increasing.

Over the last seven days, the average number of hospital beds available is down to 815 and decrease, which Bookman said is causing concern. 9NEWS has confirmed the state currently has less than 100 ICU beds currently available as of Friday. 

Of the hospitalized patients, Bookman said 1,009 were unvaccinated (about 80%) while reiterating that the state is experiencing a pandemic of the unvaccinated.

CDPHE Immunization Branch Chief Heather Roth said the state has been working to create partnerships over the past few months in anticipation of an Emergency Use Authorization for a COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11.

Note that has been granted, Children’s Hospital Colorado will have four reoccurring clinics to get vaccinations to that age group at the following locations:

• Children’s Hospital Anschutz: Friday through Sunday
• Children’s Hospital Colorado Springs: Friday though Sunday
• Children’s Hospital Broomfield: Three times a week on various dates 
• Children’s Hospital Highlands Ranch: Three times a week on various dates 

There will also be many other clinics throughout November and December specifically for children ages 5 to 11, and more details can be found on the state’s website.

Office of Information Technology Digital Transformation Director Russell Castagnaro said that the state has updated the myColorado app.

SMART Health Card is a free, voluntary service that allows access to a digital vaccination records stored in the Colorado Immunization Information System though a QR code.

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RELATED: Colorado raises transfer center to highest level due to hospital capacity concerns

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Colorado patients can be transferred to any hospital in the state without their consent if deemed necessary by the Combined Hospital Transfer Center (CHTC).

Colorado Hospital Association (CHA) said Wednesday that CHTC is being raised to Tier 3, its highest level of operation, by the state’s hospitals and health systems due to capacity concerns.

The move is being considered ‘unprecedented.’ CHA said that when they first established the idea of a transfer center, three tiers were set up but they had never imagined they would reach the highest level. 

CHA represents more than 100 member hospitals and health systems throughout the state.

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