DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced last week that the state will adjust its COVID-19 dial framework starting Monday, allowing all counties in Level Red to move to Level Orange following a steady decline of COVID-19 cases.
In November, many counties were moved into Level Red and Level Purple was added to help avoid another shutdown for parts of the state.
So, what does it mean if your county is moved to a “Level Orange”? Here are the rules, according to CDPHE.
Level Orange
- Strongly advised to stay at home
- High Risk Populations:
- Eligible for worker benefits and mandatory prioritization for remote work
- Variances
- Not eligible
- Personal Gathering Size
- Up to 10 from no more than 2 households
- Childcare
- Open
- P-12 Schools
- In-person suggested
- Counties are encouraged to prioritize in-person learning by suspending extracurricular and recreational activities in order to preserve effective cohorting and minimize disruptions to in person learning.
- In-person suggested
- Higher Education
- In person, hybrid or remote as appropriate
- Restaurants- Indoors
- 25% capacity or 50 people
- Restaurants- Outdoors
- 6 feet between parties, per local zoning
- Last Call
- 10 p.m. on premises
- Non-critical manufacturing
- 25% capacity or 50 people
- Offices
- 25% capacity, remote work is strongly encouraged
- Bars
- Closed
- Gyms/Fitness
- 25% capacity, 25 people indoors, or outdoors in groups less than 10
- Group Sports/Camps
- Virtual or outdoors in groups of less than 10
- Critical and Non-Critical Retail
- 50% capacity with increased curbside pickup and deliver.
- Dedicated senior and at-risk hours encouraged
- Personal Services
- 25% capacity or 25 people
- Limited Health Care Settings
- 25% capacity or 25 people
- Indoors unseated events and entertainment
- 25% capacity or 50 person capacity with calculator
- Indoors seated events and entertainment
- 25% capacity or 50 people
- Outdoors unseated events and entertainment
- 25% capacity or 75 people
- Outdoors seated events and entertainment
- 25% capacity or 75 people
- Outdoor guided services
- 25% capacity or 10 people
CDPHE says that when capacity limits are expressed as both a percentage of posted capacity and a total number of people, use whichever number is fewer.
Some counties have applied for or been approved for the Five Star Program in Colorado.
Five Star approval allows businesses to operate under less strict restrictions if they take additional measures to help protect staff and customers from COVID-19 and pass an inspection.
Once approved, businesses can operate under the restriction level one lower than their county’s on the state’s COVID-19 dial. For example, approved businesses in Level Red counties could operate under Level Orange restrictions.