Current Events > Colorado to shift from stay-at-home to "safer at home"

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Colorado to shift from stay-at-home to safer at home as some businesses can begin reopening next week

https://www.denverpost.com/2020/04/20/colorado-coronavirus-covid-stay-at-home-order-ends/

The first stage of Colorados response to the novel coronavirus pandemic is ending, but the second phase will be far from a return to normal life, Gov. Jared Polis said Monday as he laid out expectations for how the state will reopen after his stay-at-home order expires Sunday.

Coloradans will need to shift from staying at home to being safer at home, Polis said, outlining how the states order will morph into strong recommendations for residents with restrictions on the businesses that are able to slowly reopen in the coming weeks.

Polis said he expects retailers will have the option to reopen with curbside pickup beginning April 27, and then will be able to reopen to limited numbers of in-store customers on May 1, as long as they have social-distancing policies in place.

Companies likely can reopen offices with 50% of their workforces the following Monday, on May 4, the governor said, although he added that telecommuting should be maximized as much as possible, particularly with older employees.

Personal service providers and elective medical providers, including hair salons, dental offices and tattoo shops, will be able to reopen with some precautions on April 27, such as hair stylists wearing masks. One-on-one real estate showings though not open houses and child care can restart then, too, Polis said.

Restaurants and bars will stay closed initially but might be allowed to open in mid-May, Polis said. Schools will not reopen immediately. The states guidance will be finalized this week and written details will be released before the stay-at-home order is lifted.

Stricter local orders, however, will continue to supersede the statewide guidance, including Denvers own stay-at-home order, which doesnt expire until April 30. Mayor Michael Hancock also has said that his order closing Denvers bars and restaurants to dine-in service will be extended past its current May 11 expiration which could put the citys eateries on a different reopening timetable than those in neighboring municipalities.

On the other hand, some counties may be able to relax restrictions earlier, the governor said, depending on their needs and local health department decisions. Eagle County, for example, has applied to ease restrictions before the statewide order expires Sunday. Polis said he looks forward to traveling to the high country later this week to grant that request.

But Polis also warned the states full reopening will be a long, painstaking process.

It is a marathon, not a sprint, he said. We are going to have to live with coronavirus for a while.

Colorado residents need to continue to reduce their social contacts for months to come even after the order lifts, Polis said. While the stay-at-home order successfully created about 75% to 80% social distancing in Colorado, the state will need to maintain about 65% social distancing in the coming months to avoid overwhelming the health care system with new COVID-19 cases.

Colorado has 10,106 lab-confirmed cases of the new virus and has seen at least 449 deaths, but public health officials estimate anywhere from 65,000 to 75,000 people may have been infected. If those estimates are close to correct, that would mean a little more than 1% of the states population has had the virus not enough to create widespread herd immunity.

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How is this different?
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If we're going to open up some places, at least keep it like this. Reading Georgia's plan is mindbogglingly dumb.

Second wave incoming.

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Sewage posted...

If we're going to open up some places, at least keep it like this. Reading Georgia's plan is mindbogglingly dumb.

Okay, I've been lazy/busy.

Where can I actually read it?

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Alakazamtrainer posted...

How is this different?

Because thought and planning went into it. They are reopening in stages and taking precautions. That's what should be done if cases are on a downward trend. I expect most of the western states to take a similar approach while issuing travel advisories for states that don't.

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I thought we were staying inside until 2021

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Babump
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REMercsChamp posted...

I thought we were staying inside until 2021

Still are for the most part

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