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Mark Miller guides artwork on paper through a rotary heat press where it will be transferred onto fabric as part of the face mask-making process at Phunkshun Wear in Denver, June 9, 2020. Phunkshun Wear donates a mask for every mask they sell. (Kevin Mohatt, Special to The Colorado Sun)

Gov. Jared Polis on Friday said he will extend Colorado’s mask-wearing mandate into November.

The directive, right now, is set to expire on Oct. 12. At a news conference on Friday, Polis said he will keep it going for at least another 30 days, urging Coloradans to abide by the mandate.

“Just wear a mask,” he said. “This is simple.”

COVID-19 IN COLORADO

The latest from the coronavirus outbreak in Colorado:

  • MAP: Cases and deaths in Colorado.
  • TESTING: Here’s where to find a community testing site. The state is now encouraging anyone with symptoms to get tested.
  • VACCINE HOTLINE: Get up-to-date information.

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The mandate, initially enacted in July, requires Coloradans 11 years old and above to wear a mask when in indoor public spaces. Violators face civil and criminal penalties.

Some counties and cities in Colorado have stricter mask-wearing orders than Polis’ statewide one.

“Don’t wait for some government official to ‘say wear a mask,'” Polis said.

The governor said Friday that he’s alarmed by rising hospitalizations and cases in Colorado in recent weeks, saying the state hasn’t seen a surge like this since July. Polis said if it continues, it will threaten the economy and the state’s health care capacity.

As of Friday afternoon, there were 256 people with coronavirus hospitalized in Colorado. That’s the highest amount since July 20.

Jesse Paul is a Denver-based political reporter and editor at The Colorado Sun, covering the state legislature, Congress and local politics. He is the author of The Unaffiliated newsletter and also occasionally fills in on breaking news coverage. A...