Opinion: Blame Our System, Not Public Health Workers, For Our COVID Failures

Pandemic politics have come into sharp relief recently as school districts delayed in-person openings and Gov. Jared Polis admonished county leaders to do more to curb the spread of the virus.

Local press, including Colorado Public Radio’s investigation into the early steps in Colorado’s response, revealed frustrations among local leaders with the state public health department.

While there’s certainly a story to be told about these personal dynamics, they overlook the larger, systemic context.

The Colorado Health Institute specializes in studying fundamental issues that transcend personalities and politics, and we think it’s important to understand these big-picture problems so we can find our way out of this pandemic and prepare for the next emergency.