Douglas County Moves Into Level 2 As Coronavirus Cases Exceed Level 1 Parameters
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- Douglas County has moved into the Safer at Home Dial Level 2 as coronavirus cases continue to rise. This follows Adams County moving into Level 3 and El Paso and Arapahoe counties moving into Level 2, along with Denver moving into Level 3 earlier this week.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is allowing Douglas County to move into Level 2 even though they have enough COVID-19 incidents to qualify for Level 3 on the state's dial. Those incidence rates are:
● Two-week cumulative incidence rate: 235.54/100,000 people
● Percent positivity: 6.23%
● 2-week COVID-19 case count (new cases): 828
CDPHE has allowed Douglas County to move into Level 2 as part of a gradual implementation of restrictions that went into effect on Oct. 29 and will be complete by on Nov. 4.
The Board of Douglas County Commissioners issued the following statement regarding the notification by CDPHE of Douglas County's COVID-19 Safer at Home Dial Level Change:
"On Thursday, Oct. 29, we learned the state of Colorado moved Douglas County from Level 1 to the more restrictive Level 2 on the state's Safer at Home Dial effective immediately, based primarily on COVID-19 case numbers, positivity, and incidence rate. Our Board's focus is on the health of our citizens and our economy, paired with a renewed request to state decision-makers that they also consider actual severity (hospitalizations and deaths), a more accurate layer of science to enhance the Dial metric's validity, and which public health experts have continued to request. Douglas County will continue to partner with Tri-County Health Department and like-minded local, regional and statewide leadership for this science-driven severity metric, while also advocating aggressively for the behaviors that reduce COVID-19 transmission."
Additional information From Douglas County:
Summary of Capacity Differences Between Level 1 and Level 2 in Douglas County, Colorado:
Effective immediately, must be completely implemented no later than 5:00 PM on November 4
Business or Activity Safer at Home Level 1 with Variances Safer at Home Level 2
- Events (receptions, conferences, etc.) 50% capacity per room up to 175 or 250 outdoors 100 indoors per room or 175 outdoors
- Gyms 50% capacity per room up to 175 25% capacity up to 50 per room
- Indoor Mall 50% capacity per room up to 175 Same as Level 1. Park Meadows variance stays in place.
- Indoor Pools 50% capacity per room up to 175 25% capacity up to 50 per room
- Libraries 50% capacity per room up to 175 100 indoors per room
- Office-based Business, Critical Must follow social distancing requirements and statewide mask mandate Same as Level 1
- Office-based Business, non-critical Allowed to operate with staff at up to 50% capacity Same as Level 1
- Personal Services (spas, salons, etc.) 50% capacity per room up to 50 Same as Level 1
- Places of Worship and Life Rites 50% capacity per room up to 175 50% capacity per room up to 50. Extra-large spaces (at least 30k SF) up to 100
- Restaurants 50% capacity per room up to 175 50% capacity per room up to 50
- Retail, Critical (groceries, home improvement, pharmacies, etc.) Must follow social distancing requirements and statewide mask mandate Same as Level 1
- Retail, Non-critical 50% capacity Same as Level 1
- Social Gatherings Up to 10, no more than 2 household Up to 10, no more than 2 household
- Team Sports Up to 50 players Up to 25 players