DENVER – Colorado will again change its COVID-19 electoral system next Wednesday to give counties more flexibility in easing business restrictions as the state vaccinates more people.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) announced the changes in a press release issued Friday at 6 p.m. The department will take feedback on the proposed changes until 12:00 PM Monday, before finalizing the changes on the watch face on Tuesday, which take effect Wednesday.
“Coloradans have made significant sacrifices to reduce disease transmission, so it’s time to update the dial to reflect this reality, plus the increasing number of people being immunized,” said CDPHE Director Jill Hunsaker Ryan. “This updated proposal is based on Colorado’s disease and vaccination rates, plus input from local public health agencies and governments, and we’re seeking public help to further refine it.”
CDPHE
The CDPHE says it will make further changes in mid-April to “move to a more local model, allowing local public health authorities more control over capacity constraints currently set by the dial.” The dial last changed in early February.
Among the changes in the latest proposal are:
No more state boundaries for in-person gatherings, but a request that people follow CDC guidelines to avoid large gatherings.
Provinces can apply for the least restrictive phase, Level Green, if they have 35 or fewer COVID cases per 100,000 people. Previously, the measure was 15 cases per 100,000 people.
In Level Green, bars, gyms and indoor event spaces will be able to operate with a 50% capacity for up to 500 people, whichever is less, but most of the other restrictions have been removed.
Counties on Level Blue are allowed to open bars up to 25% capacity of 75 people, whichever is less.
Level Blue and Level Green outdoor event spaces will no longer have capacity constraints, but provinces can choose to implement them locally
Shops, offices and non-critical production locations in Level Blue counties can use up to 75% capacity, an increase of 50%.
· Level Blue 5-Star companies can operate at a capacity of up to 60% if they do not exceed 50 people above the caps for restaurants and indoor events and 25 people above the caps for gyms.
More information about the capacity limitations in the draft proposal can be found by clicking here. And you can find out more about the updated measurement suggestion “Dial 3.0” by clicking here. Coloradans can view the changes by clicking here and providing feedback here.
“These proposed updates reflect the increasing number of Coloradans who have received a COVID-19 vaccine in the past four months. People 70 and older were responsible for 38% of all hospital admissions during the Colorado pandemic. Almost 80% of this age group is fully vaccinated. Vaccines will also be available to all Coloradans over the age of 16 by mid-April, ”the CDPHE said in a press release.
“The role of the state in continuing to impose statewide restrictions is diminishing and the role of local communities in regulating and managing the virus is growing.”