“There’s always a potential for a resurgence, if there’s still people out there who are still sick,” said Kathryn Colborn, research director for surgical outcomes and applied research at the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus.

“When you’re going to a restaurant, the onus is really on the restaurant to make sure the food is … being handled correctly,” said Elaine Scallan Walter, an associate professor of epidemiology with the Colorado School of Public Health. “If it’s being delivered, the onus is more on you and the transport.”

Now that there is evidence of community transmission in Colorado, public health officials will have to consider the risks of public exposure when making decisions on how to act, said May Chu, a clinical professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health. “When community transmission is of greater numbers this becomes more risky. The most vulnerable must be informed and social distanced. Those who are mildly ill (and ill) should avoid contact with the most vulnerable.”

“If you are going to places where there are a lot of people, you know, just (do) simple things — like washing your hands before and after you go into that place,” said Dr. Sean O’Leary, an associate professor of pediatric infectious disease at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. “All of those are fairly straight forward measures. As time goes on … we may see more recommendations for social distancing.”

Thomas Jaenisch, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Colorado School of Public Health, said that he believes the state’s dry and warm summer climate could help contain the coronavirus’ spread during the upcoming warmer seasons. “I think this is something that is reasonable to speculate,” Jaenisch said.

Dr. Michelle Barron, an infectious disease specialist at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, on Wednesday likened preparing for the spread of the new strain of coronavirus within the United States to preparing for a hefty winter snowstorm. “It’s appropriate to say we will probably see more cases in the U.S. and throughout the world, but I don’t think that should set off an alarm,” said Barron, the medical director of infection control and prevention at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital.

Colorado’s altitude can affect all types of performers, including “Phantom of the Opera” stars and Kristin Chenoweth. “For most people, it doesn’t make a difference,” said James Maloney, a pulmonologist with UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital [and professor of medicine at CU School of Medicine]. “We acclimatize and that means with time, our body adjusts to the lower oxygen level.”
 

Aurora’s giant employers: Aurora’s aspirations are not lost on Don Elliman, chancellor of CU’s Anschutz Medical Campus. The veteran magazine publisher and former state official said he recognizes that Aurora for years “bristled at being Denver’s poor neighbor." "And it’s still got plenty of issues,” he said. “We happen to be situated smack in the middle of three of the poorest zip codes in the state of Colorado, and we’re very mindful of that fact. We don’t want to be a house on the hill.” Elliman said CU Anschutz has a $2.4 billion annual budget and 2.1 million outpatient visits on campus each year, and it’s still growing on its 578-acre campus. It also has programs that hire people from surrounding neighborhoods and a community clinic provides free care.