Click here for updates on this story
Denver, CO (KCNC) — As coronavirus cases continue to rise in Denver, there will be more restrictions that impact restaurants and retail spaces. Last week, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock put tighter restrictions in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Group gatherings were limited to five people, instead of 10 and face coverings were required outdoors.
Denver has adopted Colorado’s COVID-19 dial dashboard which tracks the progress of each county using key metrics. As of last week, Denver was at Safer At Home Level 2 “Concern.” That has now changed because of Denver’s 7.3% positivity rate.
“I don’t believe this is Denver’s failing. It is rather failing by those who still refused to believe in science, and those who do not take it seriously,” said Hancock.
The escalation to Level 3 “High Risk” means that all retail and restaurants will be limited to 25% capacity. Large group gatherings will be limited to 75 people. What remains unclear is whether gyms or fitness centers will revert to virtual or outdoor classes in groups of 10 or less.
“We saw the first spike in May. And you can see what the case numbers were at that time. And then shortly after July we saw another spike. And now, we are up here at a cumulative incident rate of two week period of 385 cases per 100,000 in the City of Denver,” said Bob McDonald, Executive Director Denver Department of Public Health. “We need to get down to 175 cases per 100,000 for a two-week period.”
“To get back to Level 2, we must reduce our positivity rates and hold those numbers for two weeks,” said Hancock during a news conference on Tuesday morning.
Hancock said that variances previously given to arts and cultural centers will remain in place.
“We’re seeing an increase in all age groups, but the highest percentage of those that are tested as positive continue to remain in our younger population,” said McDonald.
Level 3 is more restrictive than Safer at Home Level 2, according to the State of Colorado website for COVID-19 guidelines. The qualifiers for Level 3 include:
15% positivity rate or less.
175-350 cases per 100,000.
Greater than two new COVID-19 hospital admissions per day.
In a tweet Monday afternoon, Denver officials said the recent increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations could force the city and county into another Stay at Home order. Officials said, “Denver’s #COVID19 situation is looking bad. Really bad. No seriously, what we are doing isn’t working.”
This escalation in restrictions comes amid other counties in the Denver metro area, like Adams and Arapahoe, reacting to help prevent the spread of coronavirus as their counties also experience a rise in COVID-19 cases.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
Regulators authorized AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine for use in adults throughout the European Union on Friday, amid criticism the bloc is not moving fast enough to vaccinate its population.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A former FBI lawyer was sentenced to probation for altering an email that the Justice Department relied on during its surveillance of an aide to President Donald Trump during the Russia investigation.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Tony Evers lashed out Friday at rival Republicans who tried to repeal his statewide mask mandate, saying killing the order would be a ridiculous move comparable to abolishing speed limits.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — As some conservatives in South Carolina celebrated getting a bill that would ban almost all abortions in the state past a legislative barrier and likely becoming law, they said they are not finished trying to end all abortions.
A Moscow court on Friday put the brother and several allies of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny under house arrest for two months as authorities sought to stymie more protests over the jailing of the top Kremlin foe.