Colorado loosens mask requirements under Level Green restrictions

Gov. Jared Polis’ latest public health order relaxes the state mask mandate for roughly half of the counties in the state.
On Saturday, Polis updated the state’s public health order that had required masks in public during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce the places where masks are required in counties with low enough case counts.
Under the new order, counties in Level Green on the state’s 3.0 dial, which constitutes fewer than 35 cases per 100,000 people, masks will only be required in public schools, child care facilities, government facilities, congregate care facilities, jails and prisons, healthcare settings and certain personal services.
Counties above Level Green on the dial still must require masks in all public indoor spaces and in all gatherings of more than 10 people who haven’t been vaccinated.
The order only applies to Coloradans 11 and up and allows counties and businesses to continue requiring more restrictive mask mandates if they want.
Currently, Grand County is in Level Yellow, seeing a low point in new cases at the beginning of March. On Sunday, the county had confirmed 16 new cases over the past week, for a rate of 101.8 new cases per 100,000 people, and two people were hospitalized. Grand has only seen two deaths due to COVID-19.
Some Grand County businesses are able to operate at Level Blue restrictions through the 5 Star program, which allows for reduced restrictions in exchange for businesses certifying health and safety protocols.
The county has also given over 7,700 vaccines as of Sunday, including first and second doses, with a goal to vaccinate 10,000 people so as to reach herd immunity. On Friday, vaccines were opened to all Coloradans over the age of 16.
According to the Colorado Sun, the amended public health order is expected to stay in place through May 2, when the state plans to reevaluate.

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