Colorado lawmakers consider bill to protect the private information of public health workers
A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced a bill to protect the private information of public health department workers.
and last updated 2021-03-03 21:56:09-05
DENVER â In normal times, public health departments operate in the background of daily life.
The departments help run food programs, deal with air and water quality, make sure restaurants are following health precautions and more.
But these arenât normal times. For nearly a year, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent health orders have changed daily life in the state â from wearing masks to limits on gatherings.
New website pulls data from federal, state and private data resources to better inform decision-making
The Colorado School of Public Health recently launched a new website that provides detailed, county-level data tied to the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. The Colorado Population Data Dashboard is designed to help local public health agencies (LPHAs), county commissioners, community leaders, and the general public make more informed short- and long-term decisions about protecting public health.
The website provides health and economic data for each Colorado county. The data categories include:
COVID-19 surveillance indicators, including past 7-day positivity, case, test, hospitalization, and death rates
Demographics, including age, ethnicity, and race
CHA: Colorado Hospital Association
CCAT: Counties & Commissioners Acting Together
The letter to Polis asks for a better partnership between local and state decision-makers, asking for no surprises and early engagement. Surprises undermine our collective credibility and puts us at odds unnecessarily with the public we are trying to impress upon. Commissioners and other local elected and appointed officials can locally elevate a unified message in tandem with the State, but to do so, we must be involved at the onset, the letter stated.
The letter from these groups also asked the governor for better cooperation. Work with CCI, CML, CALPHO, and CHA to develop all plans, orders, and restrictions designed to be implemented on a local basis, the letter stated.