DENVER – Public health restrictions for places like restaurants and gyms are set to be eased in the much of Colorado starting next week.
Gov. Jared Polis announced the change on social media late Wednesday, citing sustained improvement in the state’s COVID-19 data, including intensive care units operating below capacity. He said he is asking the state health department to move counties with Level Red restrictions, including Denver and the rest of the populated Front Range region, to Level Orange starting on Monday.
“This is a direct result of Coloradans stepping up and taking the steps to protect themselves and others,” he said, noting that the state has tried to balance dealing with the pandemic and the resulting economic crisis.
The announcement came a day after Colorado said it had confirmed the United States’ first case of a new and apparently more contagious variant of the coronavirus.
Level Red, Colorado’s second-highest level of restrictions, limits public gatherings and bans indoor dining. In counties rated as Orange, restaurants can have in-person dining limited to 25% capacity or 50 people and gyms can increase their capacity to 25% or 25 people. Gatherings of up to 10 people from no more than two households are also allowed.