Now that Colorado schools have begun to reopen and Labor Day weekend has passed, public health officials are monitoring COVID case numbers to determine whether we’ll see another spike in infections over the next few weeks.

Such a rise occurred after Independence Day, but since then people all over the state have done a better job of practicing the methods—including mask-wearing, frequent hand-washing and avoiding large gatherings—that are known to help reduce the spread of coronavirus. The hope is that better public awareness and a broader acceptance of safety measures will dampen any increases, but we won’t know for sure until later this month, at the earliest.

In the meantime, Front Range residents have many free options for getting tested for the virus. Large testing sites have been established at the Aurora Sports Park, Water World and the Pepsi Center, and smaller sites are arrayed around the Tri-County area. (Some sites, such as Littleton’s Pirates Cove, may require pre-registration or be set up only for symptomatic individuals or first responders, so check your preferred site’s hours and restrictions before you go.)

If you’re trying to decide whether you should get tested, the answer is a definitive yes if you have any COVID symptoms, or if you’ve been in contact with an infected individual. If the latter is true, you should wait seven days from the time of contact before getting tested. By continuing to exercise all anti-COVID best practices and taking advantage of these testing options, we will be able to continue to reopen our economy and schools and avoid future shutdowns. For more information, visit the Tri-County Health Department or Colorado’s 2-1-1 site.