COLORADO, USA — More counties and cities across Colorado are tightening COVID-19 restrictions as cases, hospitalizations and positivity rates continue to trend upwards.
Several counties announced have announced that they are moving back to a more restrictive levels on the state's COVID-19 dial dashboard with the hopes of avoiding another stay-at-home order.
Here's a roundup of the recently announced changes by county:
Denver County
A "Home by 10" public health order went into effect Sunday, Nov. 8 in Denver in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 as hospitalizations related to the virus reached an all-time high in the state.
Under the order, any business not defined as critical must close to the public during "Home by 10 hours," which are between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. Critical businesses include, but are not limited to, hospitals, grocery stores and pharmacies.
No alcohol sales or consumption after 10 p.m. will be permitted at any facility that sells alcohol, including restaurants and grocery and liquor stores. Restaurants will still be able to offer food takeout and delivery after 10 p.m.
The "Home by 10" public health order also prohibits fans at college and high school sporting events and prohibits recreational athletic activities, including organized youth and adult league sports, practices, games and tournaments.
Denver was moved back to a Safer at Home Level Orange (formerly called Safer at Home Level 3) effective Oct. 28 due to troubling trends in data in areas such as the positivity rate and hospitalizations.
Level Orange is more restrictive in several ways, including reducing capacity at places like restaurants, churches, offices, personal services, offices and retail from 50% to 25%.
Last month, Denver made it a requirement to wear face masks in certain outdoor public settings, as well as reduce gathering limits from 10 to five people in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.
RELATED: 'All options are on the table:' Denver leaders considering next steps in combating COVID-19
Douglas County
Douglas County is being moved from Safer at Home Level Yellow restrictions to Safer at Home Level Orange effective Friday, Nov. 13 at 5 p.m.
As of Nov. 10, the county’s incidence rates are as follows, according to CDPHE:
- Two-week cumulative incidence rate: 529.99/100,000 people
- Percent positivity: 10.65%
- 2-week COVID-19 case count (new cases): 1849
The distinction between the two phases and what it means for businesses is outlined on the Douglas County website.
Boulder County
Boulder County Public Health announced a new public health order on Thursday in an effort to further protect residents, business and health care workers in the fight against COVID-19.
The order will go into effect Saturday, Nov. 14 and end on Dec. 14, unless extended.
New restrictions include:
- Personal gatherings (private or public) are limited to 2 households with no more than 10 people
- Indoor event size limited to 25% capacity or 25 people (down from 50 people)
- Only 1 indoor event per venue
- No spectators at adult, high–school, professional or CU sporting events
- Restaurant indoor dining limited to 1 household per table
- Outdoor dining is limited to 10 people per table
- All businesses, including critical businesses, are strongly recommended to have all employees start or continue working from home, to the extent possible.
Boulder County was into Safer at Home Level Orange on Friday, Nov. 6 due to what health officials called a "rapid increase" in COVID-19 cases.
Pueblo County
State health officials are moving Pueblo County to Safer At Home Level Orange starting Saturday, Nov. 14, at 5 p.m.
On Nov. 12, Pueblo Mayor Nicholas Gradisar announced a two-week extension to a city-wide curfew put in place to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
The nightly curfew extension begins at 10 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13 and will be active until 5 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 27.
Jefferson County
A growing increase of COVID-19 cases forced the state's hand to move Jefferson County back to Level Orange status.
The more restrictive Safer at Home Level Orange went into effect at 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 9.
Over the last 14 days, there have been 2,513 total cases in JeffCo, and hospitalizations have increased more than 75%, according to Jefferson County Pulbic Health (JCPH).
Ouray County
Ouray County is set to move from Safer at Home Level Yellow to Safer at Home Level Orange effective Monday, Nov. 16 at 5 p.m.
Broomfield County
Broomfield County moved into Safer at Home Level Orange on Friday, Nov. 6 due to an increase in COVID-19 cases, according to the county's website.
Restrictions will be in place until a decrease in COVID-19 cases allows the county to downgrade the order.
Larimer County
Larimer County moved from Safer at Home Level Blue (formerly called Safer at Home Level 1) to the more restrictive Safer at Home Level Yellow (formerly called Safer at Home Level 2) effective Friday, Nov. 6 at 5 p.m. The main differences between the two levels are:
- Maximum attendees at indoor worship services are reduced from 175 to 50 people
- Maximum attendees at gyms are reduced from 75 to 50 people
- Maximum attendees at restaurants decreases from 175 to 50 (or up to 100 if the space has adequate social distancing)
- Maximum participants for group sports are reduced from 50 to 25 per activity
- Maximum attendees for indoor events are reduced from 175 to 100, and stays at 175 for outdoor events
- Last call will remain at 11:00 pm
As of Nov. 5, Larimer County’s COVID-19 incidence rate is 309 and the positivity rate is 6.9%, CDPHE said. Both numbers have increased significantly since early September.
Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients, hospitalizations overall, and ICU usage continues to increase, according to state health officials.
Adams County
Adams County was moved to Safer at Home Level Orange effective Oct. 28 due to COVID-19 incidence rates that were nearly double what they needed to be to stay in the less restrictive level. On Friday, the Tri-County Health Dept. issued a curfew for Adams County that will go in effect Saturday, Nov. 7. The curfew will run from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
“This new order is really a 5-alarm call to action, like an evacuation in the face of a wildfire," said John M. Douglas, Jr., MD, Executive Director of Tri-County Health Department. "The curfew essentially means that unless you are an essential worker or have an urgent reason to be out, everyone should be in their homes from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
"The restrictions might seem uncomfortable, but we believe that they are one of our last best hopes to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community without the necessity of Adams County moving to the Stay at Home orders that we had in the spring. That really depends on all of us adhering to public health advice and orders and not interacting with small or large groups of people outside of our households. The truth can be tiresome and inconvenient, but it really is in the hands of all of us to work together to stop the spread.”
Additional stipulation in the Nov. 6 public health order are:
- Spectators are prohibited at all sporting events including Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) sanctioned sporting events.
- A nighttime curfew is imposed in all public places within Adams County, including streets and public rights-of-way, from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. the following day.
- During the hours of curfew, any business that is not a Critical Business, as defined in Public Health Order 20-36, must be closed to the public. Employees and individuals providing goods or services to the business are not considered members of the public for purposes of this Order. Restaurants must be closed to in-person dining but may offer curbside and delivery services.
- During the hours of curfew, all persons are prohibited from using, standing, sitting, traveling or being present on any public street or in any public place, with the following exceptions:
- Providing or accessing Necessary Activities as defined in Public Health order 20-36, except that this does not include engaging in outdoor activity;
- Providing or accessing a Critical Government Function as defined in Public Health Order 20-36;
- Providing or accessing a Critical Business as defined in Public Health Order 20-36;
- Engaging in Necessary Travel as defined in Public Health Order 20-36
- Restaurants must limit party size to six people or less from no more than two households. Restaurants are encouraged to place a time limit on diners in order to maximize table turnover during hours of operation.
- All alcohol beverage sales, service, and consumption must cease at 10 p.m.
- As required by Public Health Order 20-36, all Critical Businesses, non-Critical Businesses and Critical Government Functions must adopt work from home or telework policies for any operations that can be done remotely.
Arapahoe County
On Nov. 9, CDPHE directed Arapahoe County to move from Level Yellow to Orange taking the county from Safer at Home - Concern to Safer at Home - High Risk.
The changes went into effect at 5 p.m., Nov. 11.
Routt County
Effective Tuesday, Nov. 10, Routt County moved to Safer at Home Level Orange. This comes after 90 positive COVID-19 cases were reported in the county over the last two weeks.
More details on the change and what it means for residents can be found on the county's website.
Summit County
Summit County Commissioner Elisabeth Lawrence announced last week on Facebook that the state will move Summit County backward in the reopening process, adding restrictions in an effort to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Summit County moved to Safer at Home Level Orange on Friday, Nov. 5. The new restrictions include a 10 p.m. curfew
Kit Carson County
Kit Carson County moved to Safer at Home Level Orange on Nov. 9.
Mesa County
Mesa County moved to Safer At Home Level Orange on Nov. 9
The COVID-19 dial includes five levels, from least to most restrictive:
Protect Our Neighbors Green: Local public health agencies are able to contain surges in cases and outbreaks through testing, case investigation, contact tracing, isolation, quarantine, site-specific closures, and enforcement of public health orders.
Safer at Home Blue: Less restrictive than Safer at Home Level 2, this level is for counties with low virus transmission that have not yet achieved Protect Our Neighbors.
Safer at Home Yellow: The baseline. While we are all still safer at home, we are also able to practice greater social distancing in our great outdoors than in confined indoor spaces.
Safer at Home Orange: This is more restrictive than Safer at Home Level 2, for counties experiencing increased metrics. Action is needed, but Stay at Home may not be warranted.
Stay at Home Red: Everyone is required to stay at home except for grocery shopping, exercise and necessary activities. Only critical businesses are open.
Park County
Park County is moving to Safer at Home Level Yellow on Nov. 16.
All current regulations can always be seen on the state's online map.
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