October Newsletter

GOVERNMENT
COVID-19 UPDATE
we’re all in this together!
WEAR YOUR MASK PLEASE!
IT’S THE LAW AND THE RIGHT THING TO DO
At the time of the publication of this Newsletter, the State
Mask Mandate is in effect that requires people in Colorado
to wear a mask. Anyone, over the age of 10 years old, must
wear a mask when entering or moving within any public
indoor space. The state-wide mask mandate also requires
people to wear a mask outdoors while using or waiting to
use public transportation services such as bus, light rail,
ride shares or taxis.
To keep up-to-date on the State’s Mask Mandate, please
visit covid19.colorado.gov.
CDPHE RELEASES
COLORADO’S DIAL FRAMEWORK
FOR PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORS,
SAFER AT HOME, AND STAY AT HOME
In September, in an effort to manage the pandemic in
Colorado, the Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment (CDPHE) released a new dial graphic to help
local governments and communities have a simple tool to
make life amidst the pandemic more sustainable until we
have a major breakthrough in testing, treatments, or a
vaccine.
This dial includes five levels, from least to most restrictive,
and counties move between levels based on three metrics:
1. Protect Our Neighbors: Local public health agencies are
able to contain surges in cases and outbreaks through
testing, case investigation, contact tracing, isolation,
quarantine, site-specific closures, and enforcement of
public health orders.
2. Safer at Home 1: Cautious – This is less restrictive than
Safer at Home Level 2, for counties with low virus
Current Arapahoe County level at the time of publication.
transmission but that have not yet achieved Protect Our
Neighbors.
3. Safer at Home 2: Concern – The baseline. While we are
all still safer at home, we are also able to practice greater
social distancing in our great outdoors than in confined
indoor spaces.
4. Safer at Home 3: High Risk – This is more restrictive
than Safer at Home Level 2, for counties experiencing
increases in the metrics. Action is needed, but Stay at
Home may not be warranted.
5. Stay at Home: Everyone is required to stay at home
except for grocery shopping, exercise and necessary
activities. Only critical businesses are open.
Metrics that Counties move between levels based on these
metrics:
Number of new cases. The case count provides information
on how prevalent the virus is circulating in communities.
Percent positivity of COVID tests. The percent positivity is
a clear indication if enough testing is being done.
Impact on hospitalizations. Hospitalization data provides
information about health care capacity.
To move to a less restrictive level (e.g., Level 2 to Level 1),
counties need to meet and sustain all three metrics for two
weeks. Counties must engage in a consultation process with
CDPHE, which may entail moving to a more restrictive
level, when they are out of compliance with any of the
metrics for more than two weeks.
The dial replaces most variances. CDPHE will continue to
consider applications for site-specific variances for unique
facilities, stadiums, or other extra-large venues or events.
Variance requests must conform to CDPHE requirements
and be submitted by the local public health agency.
For more information, please visit:
covid19.colorado.gov/data/covid-19-dial.
PG. 12 GV NEWSLETTER | OCTOBER 2020