DENVER — The city of Denver on Monday alluded to another stay-at-home order saying, "what we're doing isn't working," referring to the city's growing number of COVID-19 cases.
"We can do better," the city said in a tweet. "Wear a mask, maintain social distancing and wash your hands."
The news comes as Colorado's seven-day, moving average positivity rate is 6.4% – above the state's preferred 5% threshold.
Positivity is the number of tests that come back with a COVID-19 result. Above 10% could be an indicator that not enough testing is being done and that only people likely to have COVID are getting tested. The World Health Organization recommended in May 2020 that the positivity rate should be even lower, 5%, to contain the virus.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis in September announced a COVID-19 dial that establishes a restriction framework for counties based on metrics like positivity rate and hospital capacity.
Counties can use the dial as a guide to apply to enter one of five phases that outline restrictions aimed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. Counties will move back and forth between levels based on their metrics.
According to the state's COVID-19 Dashboard, Denver's status is listed as "Safer-At-Home, Level 2: Concern."
Earlier in October, the City & County of Denver made it a requirement to wear face masks in certain outdoor public settings as well as reduced gathering limits from 10 to five people.
“We are, as a county, brimming on the edge of a crisis that could further endanger individuals’ health as well as damage our economy,” Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said during an Oct. 16 virtual news conference announcing the two new public health orders.
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