— Alex Scoville

3:07 p.m. — Around 1% of Coloradans have gotten COVID-19, but social distancing is working

Hart Van Denburg/CPR News A pigeon has a portion of Denver’s 16th Street Mall to itself on Thursday, April 9, 2020.

A little over 1 percent of Coloradans, about 70,000 people, have been infected with COVID-19 based on testing, according to Colorado's health department.

That was one of the updates from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment on Monday.

Health officials also said that social distancing has helped bend the COVID-19 curve downward since it was adopted a few weeks ago. Social distancing has been practiced at about a 75-percent level.

Colorado will continue to need to use all the measures — including social distancing, masks, testing, contact tracing and surveillance — to avoid overwhelming the health system over the coming months.

But the bottom line remains that testing isn't widely doable in any state right now, and definitely not at the point where you can have a robust epidemiological response, CPDHE executive director Jill Hunsaker Ryan said.

"The truth is there is simply not enough supplies to go around anywhere," Hunsaker Ryan said.

— John Daley

2:44 p.m. — These long-term care facilities will get a testing boost

Three long-term care facilities across the Front Range will get 300 COVID-19 tests this week, thanks to a new initiative from Colorado's Unified Command Center.

The Colorado National Guard, State Patrol and health department officials will help run the testing at Pikes Peak Center in El Paso County, Elms Haven Center in Adams County and Broomfield Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Broomfield County.

The tests will be used on residents and staff.

Pikes Peak Center got tested on Sunday, April 19. Elms Haven Center will be tested Tuesday, April 21, and the Broomfield Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Center will be tested on Thursday, April 23.

— Alex Scoville

2:27 p.m. — We challenge you to do 10 push-ups with us

CPR's social editor Francie Swidler demonstrates. See more journalists showing off their biceps on our Instagram story.

— Francie Swidler

1:43 p.m. — This is what Colorado schools say they need right now

Thousands of Colorado school children don’t have access to the internet and are struggling with stress relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a statewide needs inventory conducted recently.

Colorado schools say their top four education needs are:

support for students who are suffering from stress-related to the COVID-19 pandemic

providing students’ computer hardware and access to the Internet

help developing effective remote learning

help with family engagement

The needs inventory shows as of April 15, about 53,000 Colorado students need Wi-Fi-enabled devices and nearly 66,000 children need Internet access at home.

“I know that our educators and school leaders are struggling with the inequities that may be widening right now — students who were already behind are in some cases falling further behind," education commissioner Katy Anthes said.

The information from the inventory will help policymakers and potential donors target resources and federal relief aid to the most vulnerable student, Anthes said.

Support with student social-emotional needs was identified as the number one priority for six of the eight regions, in particular for elementary school students.

Several rural areas, which have struggled with teacher shortages, indicated they need support in terms of hiring staff for next year.

Districts felt most prepared to meet the needs of high school seniors and gifted learners. They felt least prepared to meet the needs of at risk-students who don’t always respond to virtual outreach, as well as students experiencing trauma, isolation or in families with immediate needs. In follow up calls, however, some raised emerging concerns for high school seniors, English language learners and early learners.

In addition, the survey identified that increased Internet connectivity and assistance with food, mortgages or rent and unemployment assistance are the top needs for communities.

More than 91 percent of districts and cooperative education service agencies (BOCES), as well as 186 charter and facility schools, completed the needs assessment, conducted by the Colorado Education Initiative the Colorado Department.

— Jenny Brundin

1:21 p.m. — Weld County suspends RV occupancy time limit in response to COVID-19

The Weld County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to suspend the section of county code that limits the length of time people can stay in RVs.

"We realize our first responders and health care workers may need an alternative to living in their homes as they are trying to minimize their exposure to family members," Commissioner Barbara Kirkmeyer said in a release. "Allowing those who live in unincorporated Weld County to use their RVs for this purpose makes sense and is something we can easily do to help our families."

Weld County Code, Section 23-1-90, defines camping as "a recreational activity involving the spending of up to seven (7) consecutive nights in a tent, primitive STRUCTURE, travel trailer or RECREATIONAL VEHICLE at a campsite. This activity is to provide temporary shelter and is not intended to be a residence."

The temporary suspension allows the use of RVs within all zone districts of unincorporated Weld County for temporary COVID-19 quarantine quarters. The county enacted a similar temporary suspension in 2013 to allow people to live in RVs while repairing damaged homes.

— Daniel J. Schneider

1:00 p.m. — Denver planning now for “a slow, phased and controlled reopening.”

David Zalubowski/AP A pedestrian wears a mask while walking a path around Sloan's Lake, Friday, April 10, 2020, in Denver amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said at a press conference this morning that city and county officials have been working on their own and together with other metro area governments on what a phased reopening of cities might look like.

They’re also watching the data to see if it makes sense to lift the stay-home order, which is set to expire in Denver on April 30, days after the currently scheduled end of the state order on April 26.

A separate social distancing order in Denver is set to expire May 11. Hancock said the city would announce later this week an update to and extension of that public health order restricting public gatherings.

Hancock said that the city would tighten some rules and loosen some others this week.

“We’re going to start restricting the use of shared equipment such as Frisbees and footballs,” he said, saying that officials were concerned with what they were seeing in parks. On the other hand, as of Wednesday, city golf courses will reopen — with restrictions.

Read the full story — along with updates to the city’s oversight on nursing home facilities — on Denverite.

— David Sachs

12:43 p.m. — Colorado's unemployment system is open for self-employed and gig workers, extra $600 payments rolling out

Colorado has opened applications for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, the new system that will provide payments for self-employed people, gig workers, independent contractors who weren’t previously covered.

President Donald Trump signed the new federal benefits into law April 2, but the state had to finish implementing a new system to pay the benefits. The system went online mid-morning on Monday.

State officials estimated that independent workers make up about 10 percent of the workforce, or 370,000 people.

The state also is rolling out $600 in extra weekly payments for all unemployment recipients, a new part of the federal law, known as Pandemic Unemployment Compensation. The extra money will automatically go out when people file their next scheduled request for payment.

Colorado already has delivered $71 million via banks to cover the expanded payment today. By Wednesday, the state expects to deliver expanded checks for everyone who has filed claims for last week and earlier weeks of unemployment. The state will pay the benefit retroactively, meaning people will receive $600 for every week they’ve been unemployed since March 27.

The new law also offers unemployment benefits for those who can’t work because they have or are vulnerable to COVID-19. They should provide a medical professional’s note. Also covered are people who are the primary caregiver for a child whose daycare or school is closed.

Have you filed under the new system? Share your experience with our reporter at andrew.kenney@cpr.org.

— Andrew Kenney

12:37 p.m. — Tuesday telephone town hall for Colorado veterans

On Tuesday, April 21, Department of Veterans Affairs Under Secretary for Benefits Dr. Paul Lawrence will host a toll-free telephone town hall for Colorado veterans.

Lawrence will discuss the VA's continued service during the current coronavirus pandemic, and offer more information on existing benefits. Veterans will be able to ask questions during the town hall.

The call begins on Tuesday at 3 p.m. and can be reached at 844-227-7557.

— Daniel J. Schneider

12:14 p.m. — Lake County supports small businesses with online auction

Leadville and Twin Lakes have created an online auction to benefit local businesses and organizations while their storefronts are closed by the coronavirus pandemic.

The online storefront and auction portal feature gift cards and products, and 100 percent of the proceeds are being given back to participating businesses.

The online auction opened on April 10 and surpassed its first sales goal in less than 12 hours. The goal has been increased twice and is now $50,000.

New items are being added daily, but the online auction closes Wednesday, April 22 at 2 p.m. Direct donations can also be made on the site to the Community Disaster Relief Fund.

Additionally, some Leadville businesses have put up special decorations while their storefronts are shuttered to lift community spirits.

— Daniel J. Schneider

9:44 a.m. — Can the governor freeze rent? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite Signs calling for a rent strike, seen in Capitol Hill. April 1, 2020.

Gov. Polis says he can’t simply remove the burden of rent from people struggling with the economic consequences of the novel coronavirus.

On April 13, he said that "No governor, no president has the legal ability to suspend the sanctity of contract law. No state has done that."

Denver City Council disagrees. Lawyers say it’s complicated.

Donna Bryson digs deeper into the 'Can he? No, he can't' arguments over at Denverite.

— Jim Hill

9:20 a.m — Polis will speak today

The governor will speak from Boettcher Mansion and provide an update on the state's response to the coronavirus. On Friday, Polis suggested he would offer a preview of how the state reopens. His remarks are scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CPR News will carry live coverage. Find a station near you or ask your smart speaker to "play CPR News".

8:23 a.m. — Help for gig workers and others available today

Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite Rai gingerly opens the door after grabbing an order from Ice Cream Riot. He has a bottle of hand sanitizer waiting for him back in the car.

The state should now be in a position to accept jobless claims from gig workers and similar groups. Colorado needed to make updates to their unemployment systems, which delayed new applications for gig workers, independent contractors and the self-employed to April 20.

The extra $600 payment for all unemployed workers will also start Monday and run through July 31. Applications can be filed here.

— Andrew Kenney

7:54 a.m. — Do you have questions?