Colorado is set to lift its stay-at-home order on Monday, but Gov. Jared Polis has encouraged local health officials to implement their own strategies for the gradual reopening based on what is best for their communities.
Counties are making the decision based on a few factors, including available testing, how densely populated the county is, and current local trends related to the coronavirus.
READ MORE: Colorado governor issues 'safer at home' order outlining how some businesses can begin re-opening
READ MORE: Front Range counties taking different approaches to end of Colorado stay-at-home order
These are the counties that have extended the local stay-at-home order:
Denver County
Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock has extended the city’s stay-at-home order through May 8.
During a press conference Friday, he said "we need a little more time" to ramp up testing and provide specific guidance to residents. He said Polis has been making helpful moves for the state as a whole, but every elected leader must approach recovery from the angle of what’s best for their community.
Hancock said he believes Denver can achieve the goal of 1,000 tests performed per day in Denver. He said they should be able to do 750 tests a day soon.
“The governor is responding to data just as we are,” Hancock said. “I believe that’s why they’re taking appropriate time to put orders out to ease into this slowly. My … optics are focused on Denver and the uniqueness of our population and economy.”
Jefferson County
The Jefferson County Public Health has issued a public health order extending the stay-at-home order through May 8.
The order has a key difference compared to the state order. The Jefferson County extension will allow critical businesses to begin to offer curbside delivery of products. Traveling to pick up those items is also included in the definition for necessary travel.
The public health department said this move is necessary because the county hasn’t had a decline in daily COVID-19 cases and it doesn’t have sufficient testing capacity.
Boulder County
Boulder County announced Friday around noon that it will extend the stay-at-home order through May 8.
Jeff Zayach, Boulder County Public Health executive director, said it is their responsibility to protect their residents by controlling the coronavirus spread. This local order is slightly different than the statewide order. The Boulder order will allow non-critical businesses to start offering curbside delivery of products — and travel to pick up those items — starting April 27.
“We have increasing cases of COVID-19, insufficient access to testing, and too few case investigators to consider anything else than extending the current stay-at-home order," he said. "We want to avoid relaxing restrictions only to have to reimpose them if there’s a new surge in cases.”
Adams, Arapahoe Counties
The Tri-County Health Department board voted to authorize the director to extend the stay-at-home order for Adams and Arapahoe counties through May 8 but not for Douglas County, which will move ahead with the statewide safer at home guidance, according to department spokesperson Becky O’Guin.
The health department had said it was working with local public health agencies to develop a strategy to gradually reopen businesses in the three counties.
As of Thursday, Arapahoe County had the highest number of deaths in the state, at 101. Adams County had 50 deaths and Douglas County had 18. Arapahoe County also has the second-most confirmed cases in the state.
Adams and Arapahoe counties will also allow for curbside delivery at non-critical businesses and the necessary travel.
“We want to get people back to work as soon as it is safer to do so,” said John M. Douglas, Jr., MD, Executive Director of Tri-County Health Department. “This extension in Adams and Arapahoe will give us more time to do several things: expand public health measures such as testing and contact notification, develop and implement strategies in partnership with our business community on how to safely reopen, and to encourage the public to practice social distancing and other safety measures---all of which should hopefully reduce the spread of this disease.”
Broomfield County
Broomfield also on Friday extended its stay-at-home order through May 8 with an exception to allow retail businesses to offer curbside services starting Monday, April 27.
“There are no easy answers. This recommendation and decision has not been made lightly, the immediate implementation of the Governor’s Safer-At-Home Order does not allow Broomfield the time to ensure a structure and implementation to best protect the health of our residents, short term and long term,” said Broomfield Public Health Director Jason Vahling.
San Miguel County
San Miguel County says it will continue its current public health order through May 1 and then align with the governor’s “safer at home” order starting May 2.
Pitkin County
Piktin County officials say they will lift the county's stay-at-home order on May 9, in order to bring the county "into closer alignment" with the state's safer at home order.
Through May 8, all residents of and visitors to Pitkin County must continue to follow the guidance outlined in the last amended Pitkin County Stay-At-Home Order enacted on April 23, which was set to originally expire on April 30. The order was extended to allow the county to develop strategies and guidelines to prevent a surge of COVID-19 cases when the community moves to the "safer at home" phase on May 9.
Other county plans
Douglas County
The Tri-County Health Department board voted to authorize the director to extend the stay-at-home order for Adams and Arapahoe counties through May 8 but not for Douglas County, which will move ahead with the statewide safer at home guidance, according to department spokesperson Becky O’Guin.
The health department wrote in a news release that since Douglas County has had case numbers level off in recent weeks it would not be subject to the stay-at-home extension.
“We want to get people back to work as soon as it is safer to do so,” said John M. Douglas, Jr., MD, Executive Director of Tri-County Health Department. “This extension in Adams and Arapahoe will give us more time to do several things: expand public health measures such as testing and contact notification, develop and implement strategies in partnership with our business community on how to safely reopen, and to encourage the public to practice social distancing and other safety measures---all of which should hopefully reduce the spread of this disease.”
Eagle County
As Eagle County begins to gradually loosen restrictions starting Monday after getting a variance from the CDPHE, officials have updated their public health order to include some changes.
--Gatherings of up to 10 people will be allowed if social distancing requirements are met.
--Some outdoor recreational facilities will be allowed to reopen.
--Short-term lodging operations remain restricted except for in emergencies
--Some non-critical businesses can reopen if they create and post a social distancing protocol showing how they are achieving social distancing, sanitization and cleaning.
--Travel into and around Eagle County will remain restricted to local residents only – those who own, maintain, or live in a home within the county.
“Gatherings of up to 10 people are okay as of April 27, but they still require some responsible choices. In these circumstances, folks should continue to maintain distance from people outside of their immediate household. Remember, we are connected as a community through the choices we make individually,” the county said in a statement.
More guidance from the county can be found here.
Weld County
According to Weld County Commissioner Mike Freeman, Weld County is prepared to allow all of its businesses to open Monday, including restaurants and retail establishments, under new safer-at-work practices.
This will be a gradual reopening, according to the county. In preparation for Monday, the county board of commissioners and Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment has published a set of safer-at-work practices for employers and businesses. These guidelines ask businesses to continue social distancing and to sanitize work areas. More guidelines are forthcoming, the county said.
“It is crucial that businesses reopen gradually and responsibly for the safety of their employees and their customers,” Freeman said. “No one should expect businesses to be operating at full capacity for a while, but it is important to let businesses at least start the reopening process.”
But Greeley Mayor John Gates says the city, which is in Weld County, supports safer at home and will extend the closures of city facilities until June 2.
“Based on the medical and scientific data, and the high number of cases in Weld County, the City of Greeley strongly supports following the ‘Safer at Home’ philosophy,” Gates said in a statement. “This approach protects lives, flattens the curve, and is a step in the right direction for getting our community back to a fully operational economy.”
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
