Thread by @shayshinecastle

Jeff Zayach from BoCo Public Health doing a COVID update now. Presentation: www-static.bouldercolorado.gov/docs/1_A_COVID…

5-day average of new cases is super low: below 5.

"That is great news," he says. "This is all very positive for Boulder County. It goes to demonstrate the work we've all done as a community."

(To follow social distancing and wear masks)

Hospitals still doing well, supply-wise. Slight downward trend in bed availability, but that's good, Zayach says: Ppl are coming back in for heart attacks, strokes.

"It's not due to COVID cases."

As of 3 p.m. today: No positive or probable COVID cases at BCH.

Zayach again thanking community for "time, effort and seriousness they put into this."

Statewide, hospitalizations are declining, but the rate of slowdown is "tapering," Zayach says. We need to watch that moving forward.

R naught: When we started, Zayach says, we had every person spreading it to 3 ppl.

Now, we're below 1, "which is exactly where we want the number. If you are spreading it to less than one person, that means the disease is being controlled."

The R naught is increasing, tho. Bc of the long incubation period (14 days) and time to be hospitalized, that's something to watch.

Again, that was state data.

Stay-at-home was 75-80% social distancing
Safer-at-home is 60-65%

That matters, bc the more social distancing we have, the less spread.

At 65%, if everyone was maintaining social distancing, we avoid a surge, Zayach says. "As soon as you drop" to 55%, that "significantly" changes.

Distancing among older adults (65+) needs to be more: 80% to avoid a surge, since they are the ones that have the most serious complications and require hospitalization. If they get ill in large numbers, hospitals will be swamped.

Zayach: "We really don't want our older population to contract this disease."

"That is why the state is being cautious," he says. Models show that below 55% social distancing (regardless of age) can overwhelm health systems.

Yates: Do we still have 500/day testing goal? (Averaging 200 now) How do we get there?

Zayach: We have been advertising; we don't have ppl waiting in line for tests if they have symptoms. We're going to start testing asymptomatic ppl who have had contact with positive cases.

"That's like that next level," he says. "It helps us assure ppl who have been exposed is being tested versus waiting for that incubation period" to see if they become ill.

Friend: Are protesters being advised to get tested?
Zayach: "That is not part of our testing criteria at this point."

He will follow up.

Friend asking Zayach to advise on what are "more or less dangerous" outdoor activities

Zayach: "Definitely outside is a lower risk than indoors."

"Very little risk" if you are passing someone on a sidewalk and neither of you are masked, Zayach says. Most risk is inside with someone for more than 15 min, no mask.

Risk is very low passing someone on a trail, Zayach repeats. "That doesn't mean you shouldn't wear a mask. The best way to prevent spread of that disease is a combo of social distancing and mask wearing."

Commenting on Eben G. Fine crowds awhile ago. Can't say how risky that was. But we do know they are more likely to be asymptomatic (bc they are young) and then could pass it to older ppl.

A yoga class is "the only potential case we know of associated with outdoor activity," Zayach says.

Darn! I really wanted to do yoga classes in the park.

Moving to enforcement. This discussion was promised a couple weeks ago; Friend pushed for it this week.

Presentation here: www-static.bouldercolorado.gov/docs/1A_COVID_…

Herold: "In light of the recent tragic death of Mr. Floyd," she wants ppl to know her background and "her vision" for the police dept moving forward.

"Bulk of my career was spent in police reform," following several police shootings in Cincy. 14 black men died in a number of years, she says. The city got sued. "Out of that came incredible reform efforts" that were "truly remarkable."

Sharing her roadmap to reform, which includes things like use of force, equipment, training, technology, accountability mechanisms.

Going over new use of force techniques coming from "across the pond" in Europe. "I'll be bringing this to Boulder. ... this new way of looking at use of force."

Herold: "We need a much more robust system" to collect data on pedestrian and traffic stops, to analyze racial and other bias.

Mental health concerns: "I have a roadmap for that as well."
Hiring: Wants to be "on the cutting edge" of hiring a diverse force. "I already have work being done in these areas."

Herold: "If you want true police reform," training has to be the most "robust."

When there are incidents with officers, there needs to be a system to "train, coach, counsel or remove the person who is at high risk," Herold says.

"Boulder PD will engage in preventative understanding of our own data systems."

Herold: Equipment is "so important" bc officers need to have many options before they engage.

Technology platform is the biggest hurdle, Herold says.

"We are probably about 15 yrs behind" on data and records management, she says.

Lady is getting shit DONE.

"This is a quick snapshot of everything I'm passionate about," she says. "I've been meeting with police officers day and night and what is really impressive is this dept has tremendous capacity to do good policing."

"I will work diligently to make sure Boulder is a model agency not only nationally, but internationally."

What she didn't say is that she did social work before policing.

Herold: "One of the first principles in police reform is making everything transparent ... to everybody."

Some of Boulder's policies require "heavy lifting" to make them model policies, she says.

Joseph had issues with her computer earlier. She wanted to weigh in on the current situation. It's been very difficult as a black woman "and as a human being" to reflect on what is happening.

As a woman with 5 younger brothers who are living in America, while black ... it's been very hard, Joseph says.

"We need police officers," she says. "We have to be careful, even when we are emotional. ... We cannot make it black vs. blue. ... We have to work together as a community."

Herold's presentation "gives me hope," Joseph says, "to know I am part of a community ... who are willing to work on what is hard and make it better."

Joseph: "We're going to get a lot of criticism, but we are not going to stop working. ... Police officers are our cousins, our friends, our neighbors, our brothers. And so are black people."

Joseph: "Black ppl are not going anywhere ... We have (received) emails saying defund the police. Police are not going anywhere."

Weaver thanks Joseph for her "beautiful" words. Brautigam taking over to give an update on police oversight. A first round of candidates for the auditor/monitor position are going to be reviewed in coming weeks, she says.

Another reminder: Police oversight group happening next week at council.

Herold to Joseph: "Your comments give me hope. And much appreciated."

Alright, on to COVID enforcement: 23 warnings and 29 citations given out so far. 24 to ppl who were being charged with other things; 5 were just for health violations.

Top repeat call locations:
1. Eben G. Fine Park (18)
2. Valmont City/Bike Park (14)
3. Foothills Community Park (6)
4. Boulder Meadows Mobile Home Park (6)
5. North Boulder Park (6)
6. Casey Middle School (6)
7. Millennium Hotel (6)

Account for +80% of calls.
This is where Herold wants to start with a volunteer safety ambassador program, starting June 15.

Volunteers will be trained in de-escalation, Herold says.

Yates: Are they going to be handing out masks when we can?

Yes, Herold says. That's part of the ambassador program. They'll also have educational materials.

"Anybody who wants to give us masks, I'll take them."

Brautigam: Our engagement team is working with ppl in the community who are sewing masks. We're already doing that.

Friend: I thought we were strictly on education. Have we cited ppl for violations?
Yes, Herold clarifies.

Friend: How many ambassadors will be out each day?
Herold: I hope 10 or more, so they can go out in pairs.

"I'd prefer 4 to be at these locations at any given time" for safety, Herold says. "But obviously I can't be everywhere."

"I'll take any volunteer I can get."

That was in response to Friend's q if council members could volunteer.

Weaver asks what council wants to do re: enforcement.
Friend up first: I think we stick with education given info on outdoor transmission. If R naught increases, then we have that conversation.

"It would be good to get out in front of that at some point," Friend says.

Brockett: "I think we're on a good course."

Wallach (who called in on his phone bc Zoom wouldn't work) thanks Joseph for her comments RE: race and policing.

On COVID enforcement: Let's adjust as we need to, watching the data.

Weaver: "Sounds like we're on a good course."

Moving on. @threadreaderapp please unroll. Thanks!