The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has approved today Jefferson County’s request for a variance to the statewide Safer-at-Home and in the Vast, Great Outdoors order with some modifications. The county’s variance request addresses: gathering size; places of worship; gyms; indoor retail malls; outdoor recreation; indoor and outdoor museums and educational experiences; graduations; brew pubs, distilleries and other similar places; event centers; and some additional businesses not specifically provided for in the state’s order.
The county’s variance allows certain things that are not yet in the state order, such as:
- Gatherings:
- indoor settings can have up to 50% occupancy or 50 people (whichever is less) in each confined indoor space.
- In outdoor settings, the variance allows for 125 people.
- Indoor malls can begin to open, with a plan approved by Jefferson County Public Health.
- Graduations can take place, with a plan approved by Jefferson County Public Health.
- Gyms or places for personal recreation can have up to 50% occupancy or 50 people (whichever is less) in each confined indoor space.
This collaborative effort is a credit to the on-going efforts of Jeffco elected officials, the public health department, county attorney, community, cities, businesses and county staff – all led by the Jeffco Board of County Commissioners.
“This approval will help us responsibly continue the process of re-opening Jefferson County,” said County Manager Don Davis. “We hope that everyone will follow the new guidance to ensure a safe and timely economic recovery.”
As required by the state for variance applications, Jefferson County Public Health approved the COVID-19 suppression plan in the application. As the county’s economy slowly reopens, Jeffco must continue to protect our community, especially those most vulnerable, from COVID-19. Jefferson County asks that everyone continues to follow all public health orders – including staying six feet away from others, wearing a cloth face covering, washing hands, getting tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19, and self-isolating if test results are positive.
Jefferson County created an annotated version of the state’s public health order to show where the Jeffco variance approvals interact with the state’s order. See the annotated version for the details. You can also view the state’s approval letter on the Jefferson County variance.