It’s another hour until the last call.
Governor Jared Polis and executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Human Services, Jill Hunsaker Ryan, announced on Friday that several Centennial State counties can now begin operating at a less restrictive “yellow” level on the dial COVID-19.
That includes Garfield County, and the “Dial 2.0” metric will officially go into effect at 9:00 am on Saturday – just in time for Super Bowl Sunday.
“We are on the right path, but we have not yet arrived,” said Garfield County Commissioner John Martin. “We will continue the good work, and each week counts. Maybe in the summer we can have our county fair and have all kinds of people together and everyone will be fine. “
The news arrives as the county’s two-week cumulative COVID-19 incident rate it currently stands at 445.4 cases per 100,000 people, a positive test rate of 7% and eight consecutive days with stable or declining hospitalizations, according to Garfield County Public Health figures.
Statewide COVID-19 rates have also started to fall.
“We have had a sustained real decline since November,” said Ryan.
Meanwhile, as the state continues to vaccinate residents aged 70 or over, local public health specialist Carrie Godes said – within the county – more than 70% of residents aged 70 and over have already received the vaccines.
Godes praised the county’s hospital systems for “vaccinating as many people as they do.”
“We are pleasantly surprised,” said Godes of the box drops. “Companies were really following the restrictions that were put in place and people were taking personal precautions. There seems to be a correlation with the restrictions and the downturn, and now we are cautiously optimistic about the numbers. “
With the fall, restaurants across the county serving alcohol will not have to announce their last call until 11pm. In addition, all businesses – this also includes places of worship and work facilities – can start operating at 50% capacity or a 150-person limit.
Ryan said on Friday that as soon as the state vaccinates more than 70% of residents aged 70 and over, companies currently participate in the 5-star variation program, an initiative that allows establishments to operate at less restrictive levels of COVID -19 if you strictly follow strict protocols, you will be able to operate at an even less restrictive level of blue.
The blue level in the COVID-19 dialing metric extends the last call until midnight, while companies will still have to operate at 50% capacity, but can allow up to 175 people.
With neighboring counties of Pitkin, Eagle and Mesa still operating at the orange level, however, Martin acknowledged that the county still has some economic hurdles to overcome. However, last week, the Pitkin County Restaurant Alliance withdrew a lawsuit that challenged the health council after the county lifted its red-level restrictions, which Martin said “will help”.
“The good thing about this is that the restaurants have given up on the process, so some of these workers are going back to work. This is going to be fantastic, ”he said. “They move from Garfield County – most of them – so this is going to be good. But let’s see if we can’t open some places that have been closed. We need to stop losing business. “
In Glenwood Springs, Midland Fitness owner Cathy Lee, who has incurred substantial expenses since the beginning of COVID-19, said the drop in restrictions is “definitely a step in the right direction”.
“I would like to see (the state) working on consumer confidence and public perception, because I think it has been very difficult for us in this regard, and it has affected my business more than anything,” she said. “If we change from one color to another – will it win consumer confidence? Of course, I support this for my company. “
But the county is still not clean. With two confirmed cases of the UK COVID-19 variant confirmed in Garfield County, Godes still advises everyone to wear masks, practice social detachment and wash their hands whenever possible.
“The good news is that they expect the vaccine to cover these additional strains,” she said. “This is just a good reminder for all of us to remain vigilant about the precautionary actions we are still taking – especially when we have cases of variation in our community.”
Starting on Monday, the state and municipality will begin the next phase of vaccination, which includes teachers and residents aged 65 and over.
“This is working and it will work,” said Polis on Friday. “We just have to put up with a few more months.”