There have been a number of Executive Orders released by the governor this month and the legal language used can be hard to understand. We have provided this information, written for the rest of us, about what they mean and who is affected.
Social Distancing
PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER 20-23 IMPLEMENTING SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES (includes amendments)
What it does: Limits gatherings to no more than 10 people.
Why: To limit the spread of COVID-19. COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that spreads through person-to-person contact, or (less likely) by contact with surfaces contaminated with the virus. People infected with COVID-19 may become symptomatic anywhere from 2 to 14 days after exposure. Limiting the number of people gathered in one area limits the spread of disease, reduces the number of people who become severely ill and protects our health care system.
All public and private gatherings except for those specifically exempted by the order.
- The Colorado General Assembly, legislative bodies of municipal governments, and Colorado state and municipal courts.
- Airports, bus, and train stations, health care facilities, and grocery or retail stores, pharmacies, or other spaces where 10 or more people may be in transit for essential goods and services.
- Restaurants may continue to offer delivery and take-out food services in accordance with Public Health Order 20-22.
- Offices, state, county, and municipal government buildings where essential government services are offered.
- Factories where more than 10 people are present but social distancing measures of maintaining at least 6 feet between individuals is standard.
- Newspaper, television, radio, and other media services.
- Child care facilities, except for public preschools operated on public school campuses, which are addressed in Executive Order D 2020 007.
- Homeless shelters.
- Any emergency facility needed to respond to COVID-19 in Colorado.
Can more than 10 people gather in a public park to participate in an activity?
Ten or more people cannot gather in a park or other venue to participate in an activity together if it would put them within 6 feet of each other at any time.
Business closings
PUBLIC HEALTH ORDER 20-22 CLOSING BARS, RESTAURANTS, THEATERS, GYMNASIUMS, CASINOS, NONESSENTIAL PERSONAL SERVICES FACILITIES, AND HORSE TRACK AND OFF-TRACK BETTING FACILITIES STATEWIDE (includes amendments)
What it does: Closes certain types of businesses where people tend to gather in groups, and restricts food service to carry-out, delivery, drive-up, and room service.
Why: To limit the spread of COVID-19. COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that spreads through person-to-person contact, or (less likely) by contact with surfaces contaminated with the virus. People infected with COVID-19 may become symptomatic anywhere from 2 to 14 days after exposure. Limiting the number of people gathered in one area limits the spread of disease, reduces the number of people who become severely ill and protects our health care system.
- Restaurants, food courts, cafes, coffeehouses, and other places that serve food and drink to the public onsite.
- Bars, taverns, brew pubs, breweries, microbreweries, distillery pubs, wineries, tasting rooms, special licensees, clubs, and other public places that serve alcoholic beverages onsite.
- Cigar bars.
- Gymnasiums and other places that offer fitness, dance, and group exercise classes.
- Recreation centers, bowling alleys, pools, and other indoor athletic facilities.
- Movie and performance theaters, opera houses, concert and music halls.
- Casinos.
- Non-essential personal services facilities. This includes hair salons, barbers, nail salons, spas, and tattoo parlors.
- Horse tracks’ off-track betting facilities.
- Grocery stores, markets, and convenience stores
- Pharmacies and drug stores.
- Hardware stores
- Food pantries
- Room service in hotels
- Health care facilities, residential care facilities, congregate care facilities, and juvenile justice facilities
- Airport concessionaires.
- College and other higher education dining halls that students and staff members access using campus identification,
- Grab-and-go food services at higher education institutions hut in place social distancing measures that keep at least six feet between people.
- Fitness centers and nonessential personal services included in residential facilities, such as hotels, apartment or condominium complexes or similar housing arrangements, that are limited to use only by hotel guests or residents of the housing who are following social distancing requirements of at least 6 feet between individuals, and the hotel or property managers are performing frequent environmental cleaning.
- Any emergency facilities necessary for responding to COVID-19 in Colorado.
Can my gymnasium remain open if I only provide personal training services or teach classes with fewer than (10) individuals?
No, gymnasiums are closed regardless of the number of individuals participating in an activity.
Can I serve drinks at my restaurant or bar to people who are picking up their to go orders?
No, food or drinks may NOT be consumed on the premises of restaurants or bars.
Does a salon include a barber shop?
Yes.
Does the order apply to hardware stores?
No. Hardware stores can remain open, but must take measures to increase social distancing.
Does this order define what are essential services?
No, it closes nonessential personal services, like nail or hair salons, but does not otherwise define what is an essential service.