State health officials send alert to cellphones

State officials sent a cellphone warning about COVID- 19 to people in 20 counties across Colorado Sunday, urging residents to use caution because of the “severe risk” of the virus.

The emergency alert was pushed to cellphones in the 20 counties that have gone to the “Red Level” warning status on the state’s scale for coronavirus risk level, said Micki Trost, spokeswoman for the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

The alert, which referred readers to the state’s coronavirus information website, caused the website to overload and crash for some users Sunday morning, an issue the state’s joint information center said it was working to fix before any additional alerts are sent out.

Health officials have struggled to keep up with the soaring demand for testing and contact tracing as the virus has swelled in a third wave this fall. In Denver, two testing sites, Paco Sanchez Park and Denver Human Services East on Steele Street, had filled to capacity by 10 a. m. Sunday and were no longer accepting new patients.

Also on Sunday, Jefferson County opened a new large- scale testing site at the county fairgrounds at 15200 W. Sixth Frontage Road in Golden on Sunday. Testing there is free. Those seeking testing can make an appointment in advance or just show up; no insurance or identification is required.

The fairgrounds testing site is open from 8 a. m. to 4 p. m. on Saturdays and Sundays, from 7 a. m. to 3 p. m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and from noon to 8 p. m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

On Monday, the county will also begin offering testing from a mobile van, which will make several stops through Jefferson County’s mountain communities. A full schedule can be found at jeffco. us/ testing.