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Release Date: March 17, 2021

Boulder County COVID Update 3.17.21

Boulder County Public Health email dated 3.17.21

 

IMPORTANT NOTES:

  • Vaccine distribution group 1B.3 began on March 5th and group 1B.4 will begin on March 19th.  More information on those groups and resources are below, including a frontline essential worker form to connect with COVID-19 vaccine providers - http://bit.ly/FrontlineEmployerVaccine. Six community sites are opening statewide and information on those sites can be found at Where can I get vaccinated? | Colorado COVID-19 Updates.
  • CDPHE released the eighth amended public health order, and a summary of business-relevant changes are below.  Changes impact restaurants, recreation, indoor events, performances, and 5 star certified businesses.
  • 5 Star certified businesses in Boulder County may now operate in Level Blue.  BOCO will be adding checklists for outdoor events and large indoor / outdoor events as early as next week.  More information below, including the application link, but do not hesitate to email your questions to corine.waldau@boulderchamber.com.
  • Boulder County continues to be in YELLOW, with increasing average cases recently. For more information on the Dial, go to COVID-19 dial | Colorado COVID-19 Updates.  For more information on capacities and level restrictions in YELLOW, go to COVID-19 dial dashboard | Colorado COVID-19 Updates. 

 

INDUSTRY SUPPORT SESSION SCHEDULE

Our weekly sessions are on Thursdays at 1:00 pm.   

Cross-Industry Support Session – Thursday, March 18 at 1:00 pm – register at http://bit.ly/BCPHIndustry0318

Cross-Industry Support Session – Thursday, March 25 at 1:00 pm – CANCELLED DUE TO SPRING BREAK

Cross-Industry Support Session – Thursday, April 1 at 1:00 pm – register at https://bit.ly/bcph-industry  

 

PREVIOUS RECORDINGS

3/11 Cross-Industry Session (English): https://youtu.be/ddAoq2OrR5o

3/11 Cross-Industry Session (Spanish):  https://youtu.be/Bw8PDs7MjO8

 

All previous recordings can be found at Boulder Chamber - YouTube

All previous Spanish recordings can be found at https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt0Et7VAC9IbWSxrqKJZdrFaOiCJfIN3V

 

VACCINE UPDATES

State of Colorado Vaccine Information: For Coloradans | Colorado COVID-19 Updates

Boulder County Vaccine Update Information: COVID-19 Vaccines - Boulder County

 

List of Vaccine Providers and Community Vaccination Sites: Where can I get vaccinated? | Colorado COVID-19 Updates

Frontline Employer Vaccine Connection Survey: http://bit.ly/FrontlineEmployerVaccine (This form is for eligible businesses/entities representing "Frontline Essential Workers" who need assistance connecting with a COVID-19 vaccine provider or making a COVID-19 vaccination plan for their employees or members)

 

Phase 1B.3 began on March 5th for vaccine distribution in Colorado and now includes the following groups (there are changes!):

 

Phase 1B.4 will open on Friday, March 19th and includes the following:

  • People age 50 and older.
  • Frontline workers in the following fields:
    • Higher education: The intent of this classification is to prioritize current educators who work in close contact with many people especially indoors, including all student-facing staff in community colleges and colleges. Student-facing staff includes instructors, professors, vocational educators and staff providing safety and other support services offered inside the school.
    • Food/restaurant services: The intent of this classification is to prioritize current workers who cannot maintain physical distance from others at their place of employment, who work in close contact with many people, especially indoors, including but not limited to restaurant cooks, dishwashers, servers, and other workers in restaurant settings; and food pantry/assistance workers.
    • Manufacturing: The intent of this classification is to prioritize workers in manufacturing settings who cannot maintain physical distance from others at their place of employment and workers who work in close contact with many people, especially indoors and in places with poor ventilation.
    • US postal service: The intent of this classification is to prioritize current workers who work for the US postal service in positions where they cannot maintain physical distance at work and work in close contact with many people, especially indoors. This includes post office clerks and mail sorters.
    • Public transit and specialized transportation: The intent of this classification is to prioritize current workers in public transit and who have specialized transportation staff who cannot maintain physical distance from others at their place of employment, workers who work in close contact with many people especially indoors including but not limited to bus drivers, specialized transportation staff who work in our tunnels, specialized transportation staff such as air traffic controllers, train conductors, pilots, and airline stewards.
    • Public health: The intent of this classification is to prioritize current workers in governmental public health agencies with public facing duties and heightened risk of exposure. This includes public health and environment staff, including inspectors, engaged in direct public health service delivery.
    • Human service workers: The intent of this classification is to prioritize current workers who cannot maintain physical distance at their place of employment in the course of their work, such as those who work in close contact with other people, especially indoors. This includes but is not limited to social workers, community health workers, those who work in client homes, in community locations, and at human services work locations, and others who provide direct or in-person services to elderly and disabled populations, at domestic violence advocacy organizations, or in-person resource providers.
    • Faith leaders: The intent of this classification is to prioritize those who in the course of leading faith services cannot easily maintain physical distance and must come into close contact with other people indoors. This includes current faith leaders who must enter hospitals or other care facilities to perform last rites, who officiate life rites such as weddings and baptisms, and who lead worship services.
    • Direct care providers for Coloradans experiencing homelessness: The intent of this classification is to prioritize workers who work in close contact with many other people, especially indoors, including but not limited to those who work and provide direct services in shelters for people experiencing homelessness.
    • Journalists: The intent of this classification is to prioritize journalists who in the course of their work cannot easily maintain physical distance and come into contact with the public in the course of their work while conducting interviews or covering live events, especially indoors.
  • Continuity of local government
  • Continuation of operations for state government
  • People age 16 to 49 with one of the following higher risk conditions: The intent of this classification is to vaccinate Coloradans who have risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19. It includes Coloradans with one condition listed in 1B.3 or asthma (moderate-to-severe), Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain), Cystic fibrosis, Hypertension or high blood pressure, Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids, or use of other immune weakening medicines, Neurologic conditions, such as dementia, Liver disease, Pulmonary fibrosis (having damaged or scarred lung tissues), Thalassemia (a type of blood disorder). 
  • Adults who received a placebo during a COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial.

Further clarification of frontline essential workers and these other categories in 1B.4 can be found on the following site: COVID-19 vaccine | Colorado COVID-19 Updates.

 

List of Vaccine Providers and Community Vaccination Sites: Where can I get vaccinated? | Colorado COVID-19 Updates

Frontline Employer Survey: http://bit.ly/FrontlineEmployerVaccine

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE COVID-19 VACCINE, PLEASE CALL: 1-877-CO VAX CO (1-877-268-2926)
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Answers available in multiple languages.

 

BOULDER COUNTY 5 STAR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
APPLY TODAY AND OPERATE IN BLUE! Colorado officially met the state-wide goal of vaccinating 70% of all Coloradans aged 70 and above.  In Boulder County, those numbers are even higher.  The successful attainment of this goal means certified 5 Star certified businesses in Boulder County, which is currently in Level Yellow, may now operate with LEVEL BLUE allowances.  Those allowances can be found at the following site: COVID-19 dial dashboard | Colorado COVID-19 Updates

 

Up-to-date information on the Boulder County 5 Star Certification website, including the list of currently certified businesses, can be found at the following website - http://bit.ly/BOCO5STAR. 

  • NOW LIVE! 5 Star Business Application Form (English, Spanish)
  • NOW LIVE! Multi-Tenant Application (English) – for businesses that wish to certify more than one licensed facility under the same roof (example – hotel that wishes to certify indoor event space, spa and licensed restaurant)   
  • 2/5 5 Star Certification Recorded Session (English): https://youtu.be/WZGsx9eyJmY

 

UPDATED PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER – 3/7

EIGHTH Amended Public Health Order 20-36: EighthAmended20-36.030721.pdf - Google Drive
(https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KPNMKVzWx2KbAqAjja-lGfO6v4CqFOZ7/view)

 

REMINDER: Check out all the order guidance by industry sector - Guidance by sector | Colorado COVID-19 Updates

 

Please note that despite capacity increases with the new public health order that was released on Sunday for some industries, distancing requirements are still in place within the order.  Tables at restaurants, equipment at gyms, desks at offices, etc. should still be distanced at least 6 feet apart. The best place to get your information is within the guidance for your sector and not to rely simply on the capacity charts…

 

Restaurants - https://covid19.colorado.gov/restaurants-food-services

Indoor Events - https://covid19.colorado.gov/indoor-events

Outdoor Events - https://covid19.colorado.gov/outdoor-events

Personal Recreation - https://covid19.colorado.gov/recreation

Personal Services - https://covid19.colorado.gov/personal-services

Limited Healthcare - https://covid19.colorado.gov/limited-health-care

Retail - https://covid19.colorado.gov/retail

Manufacturing - https://covid19.colorado.gov/non-critical-manufacturing

Offices - https://covid19.colorado.gov/office-based-businesses

Organized Sports - https://covid19.colorado.gov/organized-sports  

Outdoor Recreation - https://covid19.colorado.gov/outdoor-recreation

Field Services and Real Estate – https://covid19.colorado.gov/field-services-and-real

Grocery Stores - https://covid19.colorado.gov/grocery-stores

Places of Worship - https://covid19.colorado.gov/worship-guidance

 

Summary of changes for the Eighth Amended PHO 20-36: 

GENERAL

  • Section II.A.1: implementing a disease incidence metric buffer that allows counties to exceed their Dial level's disease incidence metric and remain in that level as long as  they do not exceed the minimum of the next more restrictive Dial level's incidence  rate by more than 15% for 5 consecutive days 
  • Section II.B.2: clarifying that public/private gatherings are also included in the  capacity and person caps in Level Green 

RESTAURANTS

  • Section II.C.2.h: clarifying that Restaurants in Level Blue may expand capacity to 225 without using the distancing space calculator, and expanding last call to 2 AM
  • Section II.D.2.h: clarifying that Restaurants in Level Yellow may expand capacity to 150 without using the distancing space calculator, and expanding last call to 1 AM 
  • Section II.E.2.h: expanding last call in Level Orange to 12:00 AM. 
  • Section II.F.2.h: updated last call in Level Red to 10 PM 

INDOOR EVENTS

  • Section II.C.2.k: authorizing Indoor Events in Level Blue to expand capacity to 225 for  seated events without using the distancing space calculator 
  • Section II.D.2.k: authorizing Indoor Events in Level Yellow to expand capacity to 150  for seated events without using the distancing space calculator  
  • Section II.F.2.k: authorizing Indoor Events in Level Red to calculate distancing for  seated events without using the distancing calculator 
  • Appendix I, Section I.A: clarified that seated indoor events in Level Red do not  require the use of the distancing space calculator 

RECREATION

  • Section II.C.2.m: clarifying that outdoor pools in Level Blue are subject to the same capacity limits as indoor pools 
  • Section II.D.2.m: clarifying that outdoor pools in Level Yellow are subject to the same capacity limits as indoor pools 
  • Section II.E.2.m: clarifying that indoor and outdoor pools in Level Orange are subject  to the same capacity limits 

PERFORMANCE

  • Section III.C.1: authorizing face coverings to be removed in a school classroom setting  for the purpose of playing a musical instrument that cannot otherwise be played while  wearing a face covering 
  • Appendix H, Section I.A.2.e: allowing performers who are wearing masks to be a  minimum of 12 feet distanced from spectators, and maintaining that performers not  wearing masks must be a minimum of 25 feet distanced 

5 STAR

  • Appendix M, Section V.A and V.C.3: clarified that when a certified 5 star entity is  operating at the Dial level one above the where the county is operating, they are able  to operate using both the restrictions and allowance (e.g. last call time) for the next  less restrictive level 
  • Appendix M, Section V.C.3: authorized 5 star certified businesses in Level Blue to  expand person caps by 50 people above the Level Blue person caps

 

GOVERNOR POLIS EXTENDS FACE COVERING ORDER: D 2021 056 Mask Extension.pdf - Google Drive

 

STEP UP BOULDER COUNTY CAMPAIGN

#StepUpBoulderCounty

Join the #StepUpColorado campaign! Download an easy-to-use social media kit encouraging customer compliance with public health guidelines by wearing masks and keeping physical distance to slow the spread of COVID-19, including a new sub-campaign specifically for Boulder County. View and Download the Social Media Kit (scroll down halfway to the Boulder County content)

 

RESOURCE SIGNS

Other General Best Practices ENGLISH  - https://bit.ly/genericEN

Other General Best Practices SPANISH - https://bit.ly/genericSPAN    

 

PUBLIC BCPH SESSIONS

https://www.bouldercounty.org/families/disease/covid-19/covid-19-community-updates/

When: every other Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. (updates will begin at 3:40)

Where: Virtually via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89944708819

(Spanish interpretation available). Zoom capacity is limited to 500 participants.

 

OUTBREAK / SICK EMPLOYEE RESOURCES

 

EMPLOYEE SYMPTOM SCREENING

The symptom screen sheet says, “Exclude staff until they are fever-free (without medication) for 24 hours and 10 days have passed since their first symptom unless they have a clear alternative diagnosis from a medical provider.”  In general, BCPH advises…

 

1 or more major symptoms:

Fever/chills/rigor

New loss of taste or smell

New cough

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

 

Or

 

2 or more low risk/minor symptoms:

Sore throat

Runny nose/congestion

Muscle or body aches

Fatigue

Headache

Nausea / vomiting/ diarrhea

 

Symptom screening form: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s4rLEibiFR6AIVbu7X-_B0VmrkOlKqjR/view

 

TESTING RESOURCES

  • Drive-Up Testing Site at Stazio Ballfields: Gerald Stazio Softball Fields, 2445 Stazio Dr, Boulder. Take Arapahoe Rd. (Valmont Rd. will be closed) to 63rd St; turn north onto 63rd and follow the road to Stazio Drive; turn left onto Stazio Drive and follow signs for testing.
  • Testing at Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont: The Boulder County free testing site is now at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont . Testing is available for anyone who would like to be tested, and individuals do not have to have symptoms to be tested. Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Rd, Longmont. Pre-registration is highly recommended to reduce wait times and speed up the return of results. Go to the Mako Medical website, or download the flyer with a code you can scan. Hours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., 7 days per week.
  • Drive-Through Testing in Lyons & Nederland: available through the end of the year - https://www.bouldercounty.org/families/disease/covid-19/testing/
  • CovidCheck Colorado: Home | COVIDCheck Colorado

 

REPORTING CONCERNS (VIOLATIONS)

  • If a gathering is in progress and needs to be disbursed, contact local non-emergency dispatch
  • Boulder: 303-441-3333
  • Longmont: 303-651-8501
  • On CU Campus: 303-492-6666
  • Unincorporated Boulder County, Lafayette, Louisville, Erie, Jamestown, Lyons, Nederland, Niwot, Superior, Ward: 303-441-4444
  • All other concerns/violations – report to Call Center for BCPH enforcement follow-up - 720-776-0822 
  • You can also report online here using the BCPH form

 

BCPH CALL CENTER

For further questions, please use the following information.

COVID-19 Call Center

720-776-0822 

COVIDbiz@bouldercounty.org

Monday – Friday

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

www.boco.org/covid-19

 

Do not hesitate to contact us with questions.

 

Corine Waldau

Senior Director of Economic Vitality

Cell: 303-915-1166 | corine.waldau@boulderchamber.com  

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