“In retrospect, it’s clear the ski resorts had a high potential to play a special role in the spreading of this disease within Colorado,” said Glen Mays, an expert on large-scale public health threats based at the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus.
Dr. Hunter Moore, a transplant fellow at the University of Colorado [Anschutz Medical Campus], is a study co-author. "Everyone is looking for ways to mitigate the threat of this disease, and there's a lot of investment and interest in new drugs," Moore said. "But if this disease gets out of control, those drugs won't have had safety evaluations. TPA has."
Dr. Scott Cypers is seeing four different types of more significant anxiety responses to COVID-19 in his practice. He directs stress and anxiety programs at the Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Depression Center at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center. The first group are people who are typically highly anxious and now, they’re actually feeling relieved, “like, ‘Oh my God, now you know how I feel all day long.’”
“I’ve never seen anything like this in my career,” added Dr. Marc Moss, head of pulmonology at UCHealth Hospital at the University Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus, who joined Polis Monday. “There are intensive care units filled with people who look like you and me. And they were healthy a week and a half ago.”
At the University of Colorado School of Medicine, student organizers used a GroupMe texting app, Facebook and email to mobilize not only classmates but also area nursing, physical therapy and pharmacy students. Now more than 300 student volunteers are working at nine locations in the area, including hospitals, elder outreach programs and the local Salvation Army.
“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.
"Things that should be routine and easy are becoming much more complex," says Dr. Nina Ball, a recent graduate of the University of Colorado School of Medicine and a consultant with the advocacy group Cobalt. "Life is changing as we all try to act in the most socially conscious way and avoid trips out of the house that are not necessary and keep distance from others to stop the spread of COVID-19."
“It would be irresponsible at this point not to get ready to make tragic decisions about who lives and who dies,” said Dr. Matthew Wynia, director of the Center for Bioethics and Humanities at the University of Colorado.
