Coronavirus standoff: Photos purportedly show Colorado health care workers at odds with anti-lockdown protesters
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A series of dramatic photos purportedly show a pair of health care workers facing off against drivers protesting Colorado’s coronavirus lockdown.
The duo, clad in scrubs and N95 masks, stood their ground in the middle of a crosswalk as thousands converged on the State Capitol building in Denver on Sunday in opposition to a stay-at-home order and business closures aimed at containing the outbreak.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}As of Monday, statistics show there are nearly 10,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and 420 deaths in Colorado – but, at the same time, hundreds of thousands of residents have recently filed for unemployment.
Photos taken Sunday purportedly show health care workers standing in the street in counter-protest of those who gathered at the Colorado State Capitol to demand the end of the state's coronavirus lockdown measures. (Reuters)
“They were blocking the roads until the police force stepped in,” Alyson McClaran, who captured the images, told the New York Times. “People were putting their cars right up against them.”
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A video posted on Twitter also showed drivers honking their horns at the pair.
Thousands of Colorado residents converged on Denver Sunday to protest the state's coronavirus prevention restrictions. (Reuters)
The individuals told a reporter from the Denver Westword that they have been treating COVID-19 patients for weeks at a local hospital, but declined to reveal the name of the facility or their identities. They added though that they were standing in the crosswalk during red lights to serve as a “reminder” of why shutdown measures are needed.
But not everyone agrees with their stance.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Protester Jim Fenimore of Colorado Springs told the Associated Press that handwashing and staying home if you’re sick are fine — but not closing businesses.
“Every day that goes by is hurting the state,” he said.
The individuals reportedly said they have been treating COVID-19 patients for weeks at a local hospital. (Reuters)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has laid out goals for an economic reopening that he says will include social distancing in work and social settings until a vaccine or cure is found for the coronavirus.
He has urged businesses to consider continued telecommuting where possible, staggering work shifts, putting up barriers between work stations and other ways to contain the virus.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.