DENVER (KDVR) – The City of Denver and the state of Colorado are both hitting some major milestones when it comes to masks and vaccines.

With 80 percent of all eligible Coloradans now at least partially vaccinated, the state has dropped its vaccine requirement for large gatherings. Additionally, Denver is expected to let its indoor mask mandate expire Feb. 3.

However, with the positivity rate still high compared to other recent months, the Problem Solvers are asking health experts if rules are being relaxed too soon?

“If you look at things the way we did in 2020 then the answer is yes,” said Dr. Lyn-Kew, a critical care pulmonologist with National Jewish Health.

However, Lyn-Kew added that 2022 is a much different story than 2020 was.

“Obviously vaccination is a big part of it, the number of people that have been infected whether it’s by delta, omicron, or previous variants and we’re starting to have the new oral antivirals come into place,” he said.

Lyn-Kew said a one-size-fits-all solution to public health orders does not exist.

“It’s either going to burdensome people or not protect other people and it’s trying to find that balance between those two is what our public health officials are trying to do,” Lyn-Kew said.

Lyn-Kew told the Problem Solvers it is impossible to know if another variant is on the horizon.

“The questions I have are we truly going to continue this trend or are we going to run into new problems going forward?” Lyn-Kew said.

According to Dr. Lyn-Kew, health officials had the same questions and concerns when case numbers began to drop last fall before the larger spikes of Delta and Omicron.

“So while they’re starting to come down, that inability to detect the future makes it hard,” Lyn-Kew said.

Ultimately, he advises Coloradans to get vaccinated and to do what makes sense for their individual health needs, while at least following the current public health orders.