The state has issued a detailed protocol with its newest health order introducing a “safer at home” transition from the previous “stay-at-home” order.
Gov. Jared Polis’ order still says Coloradans should stay home as much as they can, and recommends wearing fabric masks in public and maintaining safe social distancing. It also continues to limit groups to 10 or fewer people, meaning activities like church services and other gatherings are still limited.
However, the ...
The state has issued a detailed protocol with its newest health order introducing a “safer at home” transition from the previous “stay-at-home” order.
Gov. Jared Polis’ order still says Coloradans should stay home as much as they can, and recommends wearing fabric masks in public and maintaining safe social distancing. It also continues to limit groups to 10 or fewer people, meaning activities like church services and other gatherings are still limited.
However, the new phase provides guidance for “non-essential” businesses to reopen, including retail operations and other offices. As of May 1, retail stores can reopen. On May 4, offices can reopen. Non-emergency medical procedures and dental work can resume after more than a month of closure. The state has also said that personal services, including hair salons, can reopen on May 1 if they comply with specific protocol for sanitation. Read some of those protocols here.
Restaurants and bars, as well as gyms, playgrounds, libraries, movie theaters and other similar businesses, will remain closed for now. There is a tentative mid-May timeline for revisiting the possible opening of more businesses. Read the state’s FAQ on the new order here.
The state also specifically issued recommendations for businesses that are reopening – recommending that all workplaces allow for safe space of six feet between employees, cleaning high-touch areas, consider staggering shifts to reduce the density of employees, and providing protective gear. They also recommended conducting daily temperature checks of employees and logging the results. He encouraged businesses to continue to allow as much as 60 or 70 percent of their workforce to continue to telecommute.
The state is also encouraging businesses to create special hours for vulnerable individuals, encourage 6 foot distancing inside of the business for patrons, encourage customers to use gloves and face coverings, provide hand sanitizer, and use contactless payment solutions. Polis encouraged businesses to take other measures such as increasing ventilation, giving cues for safe distancing in the store such as decals on the floor to indicate distances, or limiting the number of customers allowed in a business at a time. More detailed guidelines are available at coloradosaferathome.com.
“Businesses will only be allowed to open if they are in compliance with Safer at Home requirements, and it is in a business’ best interest to ensure the safety of their customers,” the governor’s press release said. “The state will work with local public health departments on enforcement for these requirements.”
Polis said businesses that don’t comply with the order could have their licenses revoked.
“We know that the people of Colorado will tell us if there’s a store that’s not social distancing,” he said. “The state will also make sure that they’re not contributing to a public health outbreak that’s costing Colorado lives.”
He encouraged anyone who sees businesses disobeying or disregarding the new orders to report it to the local health department and to the Attorney General’s office via email at covid19@coag.gov.
Polis also encouraged people to wear masks as they visit these businesses that have reopened. “Make sure to wear a mask as you’re shopping there as well,” he said, noting the employees at these stores will be required to wear masks as essential employees were doing before.
In introducing the new health order, Polis praised Coloradans for following the previous orders and helping to “flatten the curve” of infection, which is now estimated to be one-third of its previous amount. In the beginning, the number of cases were doubling every 1 1/2 days across the state. Those rates have since plateaued, though some counties have seen increases lately, including Montrose County. Polis said the state’s modeling shows hospitals can handle the caseload now, and is expecting to continue to see some infection but not something that medical resources are overwhelmed by if people continue to take precautions. The new protocol is sustainable for the “medium term” now, he said, as the virus continues to run its course.
“The numbers wouldn’t be where they are today with out your dedication and success,” he said.
Business owners are negotiating two different layers of regulations – those from the state and also on a local level, from the county. At this time, counties are free to adopt more stringent restrictions, Polis said, which Ouray County has done with its public health orders restricting lodging and requiring a 14-day quarantine for seasonal residents if they return to the area. Counties can also do nothing and let the state orders serve as the requirements for residents, or they can petition the state for an exemption for more flexibility if they have a reduced number of COVID-19 cases. Eagle County has already received such an exemption and Mesa County is expected to receive one today or tomorrow, Polis said.
The new order also includes a rule about outdoor recreation – requiring residents to stick within roughly 10 miles or within their community for outdoor recreation. Officials have emphasized the rule is in place to discourage those from metro areas from flooding the mountains and their communities with visitors who might bring infection. Polis also said he’s encouraging potential visitors from outside Colorado to hold off on visiting at this time.
The frequently-asked questions about the order included this statement: “Do not take a ‘Colorado vacation’ or go to your second home. Limit activities to your immediate community, no more than 10 miles from your home. Do not travel to mountain areas or the Western Slope.”
“We’re not ready yet,” Polis said, noting while he understands why people want to come enjoy Colorado’s outdoor amenities, “It’s not ready to open for people visiting from other states.”
Looking for more information? Visit the state’s Colorado Safer at Home site by clicking here. This executive order is set to expire in 30 days but could be modified before then.