The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment released an amended public health order that provides updates to the COVID-19 dial framework last week.
The new changes, effective December 7, include:
Worship and ceremonies such as weddings and funerals are classified as essential. This means that they must do their best to follow public health recommendations, but may exceed recommended capacity caps if they cannot conduct their essential activity within those restrictions. They still must require masks indoors and other prevention measures like 6-foot spacing between members of different households and appropriate sanitation. Outdoor activities are still strongly preferred.
“Pastoral service” are no longer regulated as “personal services.”
Educational institutions like museums, aquariums or zoos may open indoors in order to perform educational functions, up to 25 percent or 25 people per room, whichever is fewer.
Search and rescue operations have also been defined as essential.
Bars operating only curbside services are no longer required to serve food.
You can download a summary of the changes here.
The Colorado COVID-19 dial is a tool that allows Colorado to balance the urgent need to contain the virus with the need for localized guidance during the pandemic. Learn more about the dial at https://covid19.colorado.gov/covid-19-dial.