CNN "Newsroom" - Interview with Jared Polis

Interview

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Joining us now is Colorado Governor Jared Polis.

Governor, how confident are you that Colorado is out of the woods?

GOV. JARED POLIS (D-CO): Well, thanks, Ana. I don't think anywhere in the country of the world is out of the woods. But certainly people are relieved in Colorado.

They were able to - many of them able to go back to work, earn a living and of course, people are able to shop and get their haircut, and those basic things. And as we enter a sustainable phase of how we make sure that social distancing is part of everything we do for the weeks and months ahead.

CABRERA: What numbers are you watching though that could potentially trigger you to maybe reinstate some restrictions?

POLIS: A lot of the requirements about going back involve businesses that have a responsibility to take people's temperatures when they go in. It goes into our state automatic online symptom tracker, sort of the monitor that in real-time.

Of course, the increase testing, we purchased over 100,000 tests from South Korea that have arrived. We're also working in partnership with our federal government for even more.

And of course, in addition, just tracking real-time where there are outbreaks, we need to act quickly on a site specific basis to really close it down and make sure the people are then quarantined rather than let it, really, spread to the whole economy and the whole state.

CABRERA: You mentioned those tests you purchased from South Korea. I heard you had, you know, told Colorado public radio that you kept that shipment under wraps for fear, you know, the federal government may get involved there. Why was that concern?

[17:10:04]

POLIS: You know, we don't talk about anything that we're buying, and you know, we're buying, of course, N95 masks, we're buying gloves, we're buying gowns, we're buying tests. We don't talk about it until it has arrived here because there is just too many bad experiences that others outbidding us, poor quality suppliers who aren't reliable.

We are competing in a global market. That means we're competing against other states, other countries, even our own federal government. We're ready for it in Colorado.

We got a great team of folks we brought in from the private sector, public sector experience, supply chain experience. We're doing our part for Coloradans, but it is frustrating and it's often in competition with our fellow states and our federal government.

CABRERA: One more question on testing because I want to know where Colorado stands when it comes to all the supplies and having everything that you need. Here's a quote from Jared Kushner in the "Washington Post."

"We figured out how to get all the states enough complete testing kits to do the testing that they have requested. We can get to a really big number in May. The biggest thing holding us back is not supplies or capacity. It's the state's ability to collect more samples." Is this the case for you?

POLIS: Well, the federal government is helping with swabs and they're helping with the transfer reagent. They are not yet helpin with the tests themselves or the viral reagent. We have to purchase those from manufacturers, both domestic and international.

So, we've done that. So, we're certainly appreciative of any help that we can get. If the federal government is in a position to send us the viral agents and test, we would deeply appreciate it.

CABRERA: Do you have what you need at this moment>

POLIS: Well, I mean, every state could use a lot more, every country could use a lot more. So, we have increased testing about 20 folds from the start of the crisis and we're increasing it even more in the next couple of weeks.

We should be in about 5,000 to 8,500 a week - a day, I'm sorry, throughout most of May. And of course, like everybody, we'd love to do it even more.

CABRERA: There have been protests in cities throughout the country including there in Colorado, demanding the state's do more to reopen. I'm sure you've heard about what happened in Michigan this week, with demonstrators crowding the capital building there, some were even armed.

Here's what President Trump said about that, and I quote from a tweet, "The governor of Michigan should give a little and put out the fire. These are very good people, but they are angry. They want their lives back again, safely. See them, talk to them, make a deal.

Governor Polis, we have seen some governors relent, for example, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine recently backtracked and said his order requiring face masks went too far. Have you been influenced by hearing from constituents that disagree with you? Have you, I guess in effet, made deals?

POLIS: Well, I think that every governor, Republican or Democrat is focused on doing what is right for the state. And that means talking to and listening to health experts and figuring out the best plan. The folks who are demonstrating are of course, exercising their First Amendment rights.

But they ae not armed with the science. They are armed with gun. This is a time for science. It's a time to look at the data and make the best decisions we can so that we can shorten the economic disruption. People can get back to work in the safest way as possible.

CABRERA: Governor Jared Polis, good to have you with us. Thank you as always.

POLIS: Thank you, Ana.

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