DENVER (KDVR) — Gov. Jared Polis announced a new way the state will handle COVID-19 moving forward during a news conference Friday afternoon.

The plan is to gradually make the change in multiple phases that include planning for the next variant and addressing the health care worker shortage and related issues.

There will be multiple phases that include planning for the next variant and addressing the health care worker shortage and related issues. You can learn more about those changes here.

In a tweet Friday morning, Polis talked about how the change in response to how things have evolved.

“Last summer I declared an end to the public health emergency because we had the tools we needed and the systems in place, to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe and avoid overcrowding our hospitals. But today I’m here to say that it’s time for us to turn the page,” he said.

Colorado remains a top ten state in the country when it comes to administering booster shots and remains a bottom ten state in the country for COVID-19 death rates.

“You’ve done your part Colorado, and you have earned the right to move beyond this pandemic,” Polis said.

Polis was joined by Jill Hunsaker Ryan, executive director of Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, as well as Scott Bookman, COVID-19 incident commander.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is also expected to announce a change to the metrics it uses to determine whether to recommend face coverings.

You can watch the news conference on FOX31 NOW in the player above.