Colorado tightens COVID-19 restrictions in 12 more counties as infections, hospitalizations reach new levels
Colorado is moving 12 more counties to the state’s second-highest level of COVID-19 restrictions in the coming days, meaning at least 27 counties will be a step away from lockdown if they don’t slow the surging transmission of the novel coronavirus.
The pandemic continues to worsen in Colorado, with the state again reporting record numbers of new coronavirus cases and hospitalizations Thursday.
State public health officials — reluctant to issue another statewide stay-at-home order — continued to urge Coloradans to only interact with people in their households, wear masks and stay six feet from others when out in the community.
“Our hope with all of this, these are the kinds of local interventions that will help control the spread of this pandemic in these local communities,” said Dr. Eric France, chief medical officer at the state Department of Public Health and Environment, about moving more counties to Level Orange on the state’s color-coded dial system. That level reduces most business capacity to 25%.
While we can impact the pandemic through these local interventions, and potentially state interventions, we have to remember that it all begins at home,” he said during a news briefing. “It begins with us as individuals.”
The 10 counties will move to Level Orange on Friday are: Douglas, El Paso, La Plata, Phillips, Prowers, Sedgwick, Otero, Crowley, Gilpin and Clear Creek. Two more counties — Pueblo and Conejos — will move to that level on Saturday, according to the state health department.
Boulder County, already at Level Orange, took additional local action Thursday, announcing it is limiting capacity at indoor events to 25% and no more than 25 people. The county previously allowed indoor events to have multiple rooms with each at the 25% limit, health department spokeswoman Chana Goussetis said in an email.
Pueblo on Thursday also extended the city’s 10 p.m. curfew until Nov. 27. The county has issued 11 citations for people not abiding by the curfew, according to a news release.
“Most of our businesses, communities and schools are doing exactly what we need to do to reduce the spread of this disease,” said Jeff Zayach, director of Boulder County Public Health, in a statement. “But when we don’t all take this seriously it impacts everyone — from those who have lost loved ones, to the ability to keep kids in school, to our businesses being able to continue to operate, and certainly our emotional, physical and mental health.”
https://www.denverpost.com/2020/11/12/colorado-covid-restrictions-level-orange-dial/