Late Friday afternoon Chaffee County Director of Public health Andrea Carlstrom announced a new Chaffee County Public Health Order — officially Amendment Four — that supersedes all previous public health orders covering the public health emergency created by the coronavirus known as COVID-19.
The amendment follows on Governor Jared Polis’s announcement that by the end of June the state will move to the next phase of reopening being called “Protect Our Neighbors,’ as long as the state continues to meet the criteria for falling case counts and safe conditions. More information about the county’s public health orders can be found here.
A microscopic image of the COVID-19 virus. Image courtesy of the Rocky Mountain Laboratories of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
As of this week, Chaffee County has confirmed 76 cases of COVID-19 and the number is holding steady.
“All the tests this week came back negative,” said Carlstrom. “How amazing is it that our community is doing so well to keep our case count low. This next phase is about living with what COVID-19 is. Across the state, we are increasing the public health workforce to track exposure, preparing for intensive contact tracing, and resource coordination.”
The county is continuing to lift resources that were restricted under phase II Safer at Home: it will begin to allow indoor and outdoor events of larger sizes and overnight kids camps. The Salida indoor Aquatic Center will be allowed to reopen Monday, June 22. the county is still strongly encouraging that people maintain social distancing, wear facemasks (which are required by all retail establishment employees), and for those with health issues, to continue to remain mostly at home and limit the number with whom they come in contact.
The state’s public health order frequently references the” Social Distancing Space Calculator” — which designated a six ft. social distance around each person within indoor and outdoor spaces. Maintaining this distance is considered critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19.
“Our amended health order matches where the state is,” said Carlstrom. “I and my team are spending lots of our time on walkthroughs, and plans. We’re coordinating with our schools, as well as our court system, our fairgrounds. Dut to the state beginning to lift restrictions on group size, our requested variance on group sizes at this point is probably null. Based on information from the Governor’s meeting on Thursday, we’re setting up to help our Fun Arcade (Salida) open this weekend.”
On North F Street in Salida, Eye Candy expands their offerings out onto the street to allow shoppers more room for social distancing. Merrell Bergin photo
Highlights of the state’s COVID-19 public health order that by the end of June will move the state to the Protect Our Neighbors” phase:
- Organized adult and youth sports can be played with 25 players both indoors and outdoors
- A 25 percent up to 50 person cap in gyms excludes staff and allows lockers to be open
- Person caps on certain outdoor recreation activities do not include staff
- A new section addressing indoor and outdoor events, capped at 100 people per room indoors and 175 per designated activity outdoors, calculated using the Social Distancing Space Calculator
- Removal of language in the state order prohibiting some activities that are now authorized to be open; such as sports tournaments, rodeos, fairs, festivals, parades, and car, motorcycle and horse races with spectators
- Extra-large venues can expand to up to 100 people if calculated pursuant to the Social Distancing Space Calculator
- Section II.C and Appendix I of the Governor’s order: authorized bars (without food) to open at 25 percent capacity up to 50 people, and authorized extra-large restaurants and bars to operate indoors up to 100 people if calculated pursuant to the Social Distancing Space Calculator, required performers in these settings to maintain a minimum of 25 feet distance from patrons, made clarifying amendments regarding the closure of self-service stations and communal seating and bar seatin.g
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Moonlight Pizza and Brewery and outdoor patio at 242 F Street in Salida. Photo by Merrell Bergin
Non-critical manufacturing is authorized to operate at 50 percent capacity up to 50 people
- Residential camps are authorized to open following the summer camp requirements
- Extra-large houses of worship will be allowed to operate indoors up to 100 people, if calculated pursuant to the Social Distancing Space Calculator
- Some healthcare settings will be allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity not to exceed 50 people
- Personal services entities can now provide for services to the face that require removal of the customer’s face covering, and required individuals, providing these services wear both a face mask or covering and a face shield
- Postsecondary institutions can operate at 50 percent capacity up to 50 people per room, and extra-large rooms may operate indoors up to 100 people if calculated pursuant to the Social Distancing Space Calculator
- Indoor markets and malls can operate provided they meet indoor event requirements and guidance. Outdoor markets can operate following outdoor event requirements and guidance, and individual vendors in these settings must follow Retail requirements and guidance
- Conforming amendments throughout the Governor’s order shift to not require the use of a face covering or mask if doing so would inhibit the individual’s health. IN those instances it recommends reasonable accommodation to maintain the safety and health of all parties.
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