DENVER (AP) – Health officials in Colorado have projected that more than 4,000 lives could be saved in the state if residents continue following safety guidelines intended to reduce the spread of COVID-19 through the end of spring. Projections made public by the Colorado School of Public Health show the pandemic’s death toll could reach 6,000 in the state by June 1 even if everything goes right, including maintaining safety measures, vaccinating older residents and containing new strains of the virus. The same projections show a worst case scenario of 10,900 deaths by June. The state has reported about 5,500 virus-related deaths as of Tuesday and 10 cases of the new strain.