Today on Colorado Edition: we’ll bring you the latest on COVID-19 in our state, from how one local company is working to produce personal protective equipment for hospitals, to attempts to create a vaccine for the virus. We will also learn about suicide risk during stay-at-home orders, and how remote learning works for students with different needs.
Greeley Company Works To End PPE Shortage
Like many other places throughout the country, Colorado’s medical workers are dealing with a shortage of supplies during the coronavirus outbreak. To fill the gaps in personal protective equipment, or PPE, local efforts are ramping up to supply the state’s hospitals with the gear needed to keep workers safe and healthy. KUNC’s Luke Runyon spoke with Jake Comer of Greeley’s Genesis Plastics about how they joined a state task force to help end the PPE shortage.
Scientists Work To Develop COVID-19 Vaccine
Scientists are working hard to understand what can be done about the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. As KUNC’s Rae Ellen Bichelreports, that includes a few groups in the Mountain West.
Suicide Risks With Stay-At-Home Orders
With an increasing number of stay-at-home orders cropping up around Colorado and the rest of the country, more and more people are starting to experience extended social isolation. The same is true for layoffs. These are some of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. They are also conditions that have suicide experts worried about at-risk Americans. For KUNC, Heath Druzinhas more.
Remote Learning
It’s been almost a week since Colorado Gov. Jared Polis issued an executive order to close all of the state’s schools. And now, a lot of students are starting to take classes remotely from their residence.
One school district – Jeffco Public Schools – is perhaps leading the way with their robust, remote learning plan. Yesenia Robles, a reporter withChalkbeatColorado, joined us to tell us more about the plan and how it works, and what remote learning looks like for students with different needs.
Colorado Edition is made possible with support from our KUNC members. Thank you!
Our theme music was composed by Colorado musicians Briana Harris and Johnny Burroughs.
Colorado Edition is hosted by Erin O'Toole (@ErinOtoole1) and Henry Zimmerman (@HWZimmerman), and produced by Lily Tyson. The web was edited by digital editor Jackie Hai. Managing editor Brian Larson contributed to this episode.
KUNC's Colorado Edition is a news magazine taking an in-depth look at the issues and culture of Northern Colorado. It's available on our website, as well as on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can hear the show on KUNC's air, Monday through Thursday at 6:30 p.m.