Rising COVID-19 Numbers Jeopardizes Larimer County Safer at Home Level 1 Status

The Larimer County Health Department has implemented critical measures designed to slow the spread of COVID-19 within Larimer County due to recent increases in COVID-19 case rates, test positivity, and hospitalizations.

The Emergency Public Health Order went into effect on Friday, October 23, at 11 pm.

Changes required for Larimer County residents and businesses per the Emergency Public Health Order are as follows:

• Recreational sports will be limited to players who reside in Larimer County and neighboring counties (Weld, Boulder).
• Organized recreational and league sports are limited to 2 spectators per player with no more than 50% capacity, up to 100 spectators in indoor facilities, and 175 in outdoor facilities. All teams and facilities participating in recreational and league sports must submit complete rosters, schedules, location of games/practices, and contact information (to include names, phone numbers, and email addresses) of all team members or parents of youth who participate before the teams playing in any league events, including practice. Failure of parents, facilities, coaches, and/or team organizers to cooperate with contact tracing may result in the league or season being suspended or canceled.
• Personal indoor and outdoor gatherings are limited to more than 10 people from no more than two separate households.
  • Nothing in this order prohibits the gathering of members living in the same household.
  • Nothing in this order limits or prohibits access to voting centers or locations where individuals are attempting to register to vote or vote early or when individuals are accessing ballot drop-off sites.
• Restaurants and bars as permitted to operate per CDPHE Order 20-35 shall cease alcohol beverage sales to consumers for on-premises consumption and takeout at 11:00 P.M.
• All Non-Critical Office-Based Businesses are encouraged to increase remote work options further and reduce in-person work to the greatest extent possible.

Reasons for these measures include an increase in cases associated with recreational sports, people who have tested positive for COVID-19 attending private gatherings, limiting the sale of alcohol proving effective in other jurisdictions, and a growing number of outbreaks across the country related to places of employment. There is substantial evidence of the continued spread of COVID-19 throughout Larimer County.

Larimer County has a two-week incidence rate of 193/100,000 and a two-week test positivity rate of 4.1% as of Friday, October 23. The incident rate was 74/100,000 population with a test positivity rate of 2.4% on Wednesday, September 16, in addition to hospitalizations in Larimer County, which have increased to a level that has not been observed since Tuesday, May 19.

“It is critical that we wear masks and maintain social distancing and follow these protocols to keep our businesses open and maintain in-person learning in our schools,” said Larimer County Commissioner Steve Johnson. “These guidelines have worked before, and if we all pitch in and work together on this, they will work again, and we will get through this,” Steve said.

The County currently is at a Safer at Home Level 1 of Colorado’s Dial Framework with a retreat to Level 2, creating new restrictions. These new restrictions would consist of tighter capacity limits on offices, businesses, restaurants, and houses of worship, group sports, gym and bars, and even certain outdoor activities.

“As a community, we need to strictly follow the basic health guidelines to protect each other and to keep our businesses open,” said Fort Collins Mayor Wade Troxell. “I know that the Fort Collins community can step up at this time to get COVID19 positive cases back down,” Mayor Troxell said.

For more information regarding the latest credible information on COVID-19, visit: www.larimer.org/coronavirus or www.CDC.gov/coronavirus