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DENVER (KDVR) — The City and County of Denver announced Thursday evening that its stay-at-home order will be extended until May 8. Mayor Michael Hancock spoke about the decision at a press conference Friday morning.

“Our ‘why’ is to save lives and to keep as many people safe and healthy as we can,” Hancock said.

Hancock says more planning and preparation are needed before Denver can start to safely reopen.

In the next few weeks, the City hopes to accomplish the following before reopening:

  • Identify and cross-train staff to implement COVID-19 case management, including contact tracing and monitoring, complete case investigations and enforce isolation and quarantine orders
  • Expand and improve testing with a goal of reaching 1,000 tests per day
  • Secure additional and improved personal protective equipment (PPE)
  • Increase and enhance communication between the City and businesses regarding guidelines and policies for reopening while maintaining best public health practices
  • Provide businesses the opportunity to prepare for reopening with strategies from the Department of Public Health and Environment as well as their own policies

“Now we need to box it in to make sure it’s at our whim,” Hancock said. “That it becomes our punk and we are not its punk anymore.”

Several other metro-area counties are extending stay-at-home orders until May 8, including Arapahoe, Adams, Jefferson and Boulder.

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