COLORADO SPRINGS — On Friday afternoon, Governor Jared Polis held an update — nearly two years after Colorado’s first COVID case — and spoke of Colorado’s next steps forward.

“We’re just ten days short of two years from that first case and I can tell you, for me just like for you, it feels like ten years,” Gov. Polis said.

Colorado’s first case was on March 5, 2020, and since we’re almost hitting our two-year anniversary, Governor Polis said he’s looking back on the last couple years.

“Despite the challenges that we faced as a state and as a nation, we are now in a much better place, in a very different place, than we were in March of 2020,” the governor said.

Governor Polis said looking back over the past couple of years has prepared them for the future.

Now, we’re moving ahead to the next chapter in our state’s story.

“Colorado is ready to move forward. And we’re ready to make sure it happens in the right way,” Gov. Polis said.

Colorado is 10th in the country for lowest death rate and for individuals who have received their third vaccine dose.

“Everyone has had to adapt to limited resources and constraints, but from any number of measures, Colorado has fared much better than many other states,” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, CDPHE executive director.

Polis praised the state for recovering quickly from the pandemic.

“Our economy is recovering faster and stronger than many of our neighboring states. Our shut down was shorter and our schools have been in session more than many other states. And finally for the first time in two years, we’re seeing a semblance of normality,” he said.

State health officials said this return to normalcy is thanks to Coloradans and government working together.

“We are where we are today because of the enduring partnership between state and local public health agencies, the diligence of the health care field, nursing facilities, businesses and really Coloradans across the state,” Ryan said.

Even though it was a long run for Colorado, Gov. Polis said he’s thankful we can look back and find encouragement in how Colorado handled the virus and now know how to better prepare for the future.

The governor said that even though things are looking good, the virus could still re-surge. But with 90 percent of Colorado’s population having some level of immunity towards the virus, he said they’re expecting relatively low numbers over the next few months.