President Donald Trump declared a national state of emergency Friday, releasing federal money to help states address the coronavirus and modifying health care programs like Medicare and Medicaid to treat and test as many people as possible.
Trump said the administration will dramatically increase the availability of coronavirus tests by creating drive-thru sites in a number of states, including Colorado. Patients can also go to a screening website and enter their symptoms. If their symptoms match the symptoms of coronavirus, they will be directed to the closest testing site.
The declaration and increased support comes on the same day that a woman in El Paso County died from the coronavirus.
As of Monday, there were more than 131 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Colorado. None were in Southwest Colorado.
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., urged the administration and Congress to direct the new resources where they are needed most, such as rural areas in Colorado.
“I also encourage every Coloradan to heed the advice of our public health officials and medical professionals to help us make it through this difficult period together,” Bennet said in a statement, such as washing hands often, for at least 20 seconds.
Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, said he is working with Gov. Jared Polis, who declared a state of emergency in Colorado on Tuesday, to pay particular attention to hospitals and clinics in rural areas. Tipton and Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., sent letters to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to boost care in rural Colorado with some of the newly released federal funds.
With almost half of rural hospitals in Colorado already operating at a negative profit rate, support for health care during the pandemic is crucial. The national emergency declaration waives laws that prohibit doctors from practicing only in states where they are licensed, so they can travel to areas that need their help the most. Tipton said he is reaching out to clinics and hospitals across the district to make sure they have what they need for the outbreak once testing increases.
Trump also waived service laws to expand broadband and telehealth access to people living far from care centers.
Tipton said that after advocating for years to reduce barriers to broadband access in Colorado, this is another important example of why broadband infrastructure is so urgently needed.
“If people have questions, they should be able to go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website,” Tipton said.
Many Americans are wary of traveling within the U.S., and the government advises limited travel and “social distancing” to ensure coronavirus does not spread.
Southwest Colorado relies heavily on tourism, and a hit to the local economy is expected.
“We will probably see some real impacts on the economy,” Tipton told The Durango Herald over the phone after Trump’s announcement. But he stressed there will be a rebound as the spread of the disease slows.
The U.S. Senate will continue working on an economic relief package to ensure people who are not able to work still receive pay. The package could also provide small businesses with loans to cope with the economic impact of the virus.
“People have to work hard to keep those open in the best of times,” Tipton said.
Holiday pay for affected workers will likely extend to full- and part-time employees.
Emily Hayes is a graduate student at American University in Washington, D.C., and an intern for The Journal.
