Denver moved to Colorado’s second highest level of Covid-19 restrictions yesterday, Safer at Home Level 3, forcing most businesses to operate at a quarter of their capacity in an effort to curb the virus’ spread and avoid overwhelming hospitals.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said, “I don’t believe this is Denver’s failing. It is, rather, a failing by those who refuse to believe the science, and those who do not take it seriously.”
Seven other counties in the state are moving backward this week and will implement more restrictions because of a surge in cases and hospitalizations.
Chaffee County is currently in Safer at Home Level 2.
Chaffee County Public Health has amended the guidelines for group gatherings to align with the State’s Public Health order. The revised Safer at Home Public Health order now limits personal gatherings, both indoors and outdoors, to no more than 10 people from no more than two separate households.
This new restriction does not apply to businesses or churches, they are advised to continue to follow their appropriate guidelines.
Chaffee County Public Health Director Andrea Carlstrom told Heart of the Rockies News that the county’s hospitalizations and positivity rates are low but the community needs to prepare for greater restrictions that appeal to personal responsibility and accountability as we do everything we can to keep school to in-person learning as much as possible as well as our local businesses open.
Carlstrom said, “This is our moment in time to prove that Chaffee County can do this!”
Lake County Public Health was able to gain an extension from the Colorado Department of Health for Lake County’s possible movement into the “High Risk” category. The state will make the decision on Lake County’s status on Monday.
Lake County Public Health Director Colleen Nielsen consulted with the state saying she was successful in making the case that, while Lake County’s Covid-19 infection rates have exceeded the allowable threshold for the state’s Safer at Home level, Lake County has been able to manage the spike. Many of the recent positive cases are associated with family clusters rather that community spread.
The Colorado Department of Health has agreed to extend Lake County additional days to attempt to mitigate the increasing positivity rate.
There are five levels of Covid-19 restrictions, from least to most restrictive:
- Protect Our Neighbors-Careful
- Safer at Home 1-Cautious
- Safer at Home 2-Concern
- Safer at Home 3-High Risk
Stay at Home-Everyone is required to stay at home except for grocery shopping and necessary activities. Only critical businesses are open.
