Personal data collection may be used to assist the state in contact-tracing after the stay-at-home order lifts, officials said at a Tuesday press conference, at which they announced that Colorado’s coronavirus curve might be flattening.

Strategies are being considered to collect data electronically — versus a personal interview — though protecting privacy is a priority, said Dr. Rachel Herlihy, an epidemiologist with the state health department.

Contract-tracing is one of a variety of strategies that may be used to limit transmission of the virus after the stay-at-home order lifts, tentatively on April 26, Herlihy said.

If such strategies are not successful, a surge in cases could be seen in May or later, she added.

Social distancing has prevented the spike state officials feared would overwhelm Colorado’s health care system, said Scott Bookman, incident commander for the state’s coronavirus response.

“At this point we do seem to be experiencing a slowing” in increase in cases, Herlihy said. Over the next couple of days we’ll see whether the stay-at-home order has resulted in a decrease in cases, she added.

The state may, in the future, choose to scale back construction of surge hospitals, “depending on what we see,” said Bookman, one of multiple individuals with the state’s coronavirus emergency response team who were exposed to the virus.

Bookman disclosed that he was attending Tuesday’s press conference remotely from quarantine, but would not say how long he had been in isolation, how many additional individuals on the team were exposed or if any of those team members had tested positive, aside from the one team member whose positive test was announced by the state April 4.

Additionally, Bookman said the state has asked FEMA for a machine that sanitizes N95 masks and hopes to soon have it operational.