Today on Colorado Edition: we learn about a new study that looks at the impact of COVID-19 on mental health. Plus, we'll look into how ski areas and art venues have been impacted by new restrictions, and hear about two different Jefferson Counties.
How COVID-19 Impacts Mental Health
Researchers from Oxford University in the U.K. analyzed death data for millions of people, including 60,000 who got sick with COVID-19. What they found is that people who caught the virus were at a higher risk of getting a mental health-related diagnosis soon after — particularly anxiety, insomnia and even dementia.
KUNC’s Leigh Paterson talked about these results with an emergency psychiatrist here in Colorado. She joined us with more.
How COVID-19 Has Impacted Colorado Ski Areas
Competition in Colorado’s ski industry is usually all about the snow — how early it comes, how much there is and how long it lasts. But this season, it’s finding ways to keep skiers and snowboarders safe amid a major spike in COVID-19 cases. KUNC’s Matt Bloom has more.
Level Red And Arts Venues
Earlier this week, Gov. Jared Polis announced that 15 counties were going to Level Red on the COVID-19 risk dial. That means new restrictions, including closures for things like indoor dining and venues. We spoke with KUNC arts reporter Stacy Nick to find out how the restrictions will impact area cultural institutions.
The Two Jefferson Counties
With Election Day in the rearview mirror, many are trying to figure out what we can learn from data about America and its voters. And while experts ranging from politicians to professors are looking at all sorts of metrics, such as race and ethnicity, or gender, we’re going to focus on a different metric today — education. More specifically, the college degree, which according to our next guests, has become the fault line in American politics.
To get a better handle on why that is, Sara Hebel and Scott Smallwood looked at two counties in the U.S. that have moved in opposite political directions over the last 20 years: Jefferson County, Ohio and the Jefferson County here in Colorado.
Sara and Scott are co-founders of Open Campus, a nonprofit news organization focused on education, and they were both longtime editors with the Chronicle for Higher Education. They joined us to explain what they found.
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, and produced by Lily Tyson. The web was edited by digital editor Jackie Hai. KUNC news director Brian Larson is our executive producer. We get production help from Rae Solomon.
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., with a rebroadcast of the previous evening's show Tuesday through Friday at 8:30 a.m.
