COVID In Colorado: Level Red Violation Protocols Vary By County
DENVER (CBS4) - As of Friday night, 15 Colorado counties moved to Level Red restrictions in an effort stop the spread of COVID-19. Five more counties, Alamosa, Otero, Prowers, Pueblo, and Weld, are making the move Sunday.
Larimer County goes red on Tuesday. All this means new restrictions on in person gatherings and businesses.
Tri-County Health Department, which serves Arapahoe, Adams and Douglas counties, says even before Level Red, they have been busy with reports of businesses and people not following regulations put in by the state and county.
"We've gotten written complaints. We get emails to random staff. It's everything," said Brian Hlavacek the Environmental Health Division Director for Tri-County Health. "Pretty much since day one back in March."
No matter where you live or visit, if you see a Level Red violation it is not the state or even law enforcement's responsibility to enforce the rules. That falls to individual counties. So if you see a violation, you have to figure out who to contact.
If you are in Denver, you can call 311. Tri-County Health has a webpage specifically dedicated to reporting COVID concerns. So do Larimer County and Boulder County counties.
Jefferson County doesn't, but they do have an online form to contact their health department. Weld County issued a statement Friday saying they just aren't going to be enforcing state orders.
Tri-County Health says they know times are tough, and these restrictions are taking their toll, but they also say hope is on the horizon thanks to promising vaccine news.
They just want everyone to hang tight.
"We just encourage the community and encourage businesses to really remain diligent," said Hlavacek.
If you live in a different county and you want to report a violation, you can find a link to your county's public health agency webpage on the CDPHE website.