Public Health Orders End as Community Gets Vaccinated

Larimer County Health Department 

The Larimer County Department of Health & Environment (LCDHE) expired local public health orders related to COVID-19 at 11:59 PM on May 16, 2021. As of 12:00 AM on May 17, Larimer County is required to follow Colorado Amended Public Health Order 20-38: Limited COVID-19 Restrictions. The state order may be modified before May 17.

On April 16, 2021, Larimer County health officials issued a public health order intended to suppress transmission of the virus while supporting economic recovery efforts. The order eased restrictions on businesses and increased the allowable capacities for events. Since then, COVID-19 conditions have improved locally, with cases having decreased over 40% since the order began; these are the most significant declines since early February 2021. Larimer County health officials are confident that COVID-19 vaccination is driving the drop in cases and that this trend will continue if residents continue to get vaccinated. 

Currently, Colorado Amended Public Health Order 20-38 requires Colorado residents to wear face coverings in Public Indoor Spaces, with some exceptions for vaccinated individuals, when a county’s 7-day case rate is above 35 cases per 100,000 residents. As of May 13, the 7-day case rate for Larimer County is 121 per 100,000. Expiring local orders and moving to the state order will allow for the local capacity restrictions on business to be lifted while keeping this basic public health precaution in place. The CDC’s new guidance does not overrule individual state mandates on mask-wearing.

“We’re starting to see the positive impact of COVID-19 vaccination in Larimer County. As vaccination increases, cases and hospitalizations decrease. We need everyone’s help to cross the finish line by getting vaccinated as soon as possible,” said Public Health Director Tom Gonzales. “COVID-19 is now a preventable disease and we are grateful to our residents for the actions they continue to take to end the pandemic.” 

The Larimer County Department of Health & Environment has a webpage dedicated to helping residents find information about COVID-19 vaccination and register for an appointment at www.larimer.org/covidvaccine. The direct link to schedule an appointment to get a COVID-19 vaccine is: https://larimerhealth.secure.force.com/Vaccine/. Individuals may also call LCDHE at 970-498-5500 for assistance scheduling an appointment. Phone assistance is available in English and Spanish. Appointments are currently available for Pfizer and Moderna vaccines at sites in Loveland and Fort Collins.

Information about COVID-19 is constantly changing, and the public health response adjusts as more is learned about this virus. While there is plenty of news and media information available, LCDHE is encouraging Larimer County residents to view the latest credible information on COVID-19 at www.larimer.org/covid19 or www.CDC.gov/coronavirus. Additionally, residents are encouraged to follow LCDHE’s Facebook and Twitter accounts at @LarimerHealth.