Less-Restrictive Guidelines Released

COLORADO GOVERNOR JARED POLIS SAYS THE STATE WILL SLOWLY EASESTAY-AT-HOME RESTRICTIONS AND ALLOW SOME BUSINESSES TO REOPEN WITHSTRICT PRECAUTIONS DURING THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. YOU’RE WATCHING THELOCAL NEWS NETWORK, BROUGHT TO YOU BY DURANGO ELECTRICAL SERVICES ANDNICE ELECTRIC IN CORTEZ. GOVERNOR JARED POLIS ANNOUNCED NEWGUIDELINES THIS WEEK TO BEGIN EASING RESTRICTIONS ON COLORADANS WHOHAVE BEEN UNDER STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS FOR MORE THAN  A MONTH NOW. POLISISSUED THE STATEWIDE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER ON MARCH 19TH TO SLOW THESPREAD OF COVID-19 AND TO REDUCE THE STRAIN ON HOSPITALS. THE ORDERWAS TO END ON APRIL 26TH. BUT POLIS DECIDED THIS WEEK TO ISSUE WHATHE CALLS SAFER-AT-HOME GUIDELINES TO ALLOW THE STATE TO SLOWLY GETBACK TO BUSINESSES WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN SUSTAINABLE, HIGHLEVELS OF SOCIAL DISTANCING. THE NEW GUIDELINES ALLOW LOCAL PUBLICHEALTH JURISDICTIONS TO TIGHTEN OR EASE THE NEW GUIDELINES BASED ONLOCAL CONDITIONS. SAN JUAN BASIN PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS SAID THEYARE WAITING FOR MORE CLARITY FROM THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE BEFORE ACTINGON GUIDELINES FOR ARCHULETA AND LA PLATA COUNTIES. AND THE MONTEZUMACOUNTY COMMMISSIONERS SPENT TUESDAY MORNING DISCUSSING THE PROS ANDCONS OF EASING RESTRICTIONS WITH LOCAL HEALTH-CARE OFFICIALS. POLIS’SNEW GUIDELINES URGE RESIDENTS TO CONTINUE TO STAY AT HOME EXCEPT WHENABSOLUTELY NECESSARY AND STRONGLY ADVISE FACE COVERINGS IN PUBLIC.VULNERABLE POPULATIONS AND SENIORS 60 AND OLDER ARE ORDERED TO STAYAT HOME UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. THE GUIDELINES CONTINUE TORESTRICT GATHERINGS TO NO MORE THAN 10 PEOPLE; SICK PEOPLE MUST STAYAT HOME, AND THEY ADVISE RESIDENTS TO AVOID UNNECESSARY TRAVEL. THEGUIDELINES ALLOW RETAIL BUSINESSES TO OFFER CURBSIDE DELIVERY WITHPHASED OPENINGS WITH STRICT PRECAUTIONS. RESTAURANTS MAY CONTINUETAKE-OUT AND DELIVERY SERVICES, BUT MUST REMAINED CLOSED FOR NOWWHILE THE STATE EXPLORES GUIDELINES FOR PHASED REOPENINGS WITHREDUCED CAPACITY. [p] BUSINESS OFFICES MAY RE-OPEN WITH 50 PERCENT OFTHEIR STAFF WITH TELECOMMUTING USED EXTENSIVELY. ELECTIVE MEDICALSERVICES AND DENTAL SERVICES WILL BE ALLOWED TO RESUME AS LONG ASADEQUATE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT IS AVAILABLE. PERSONAL-SERVICEBUSINESSES LIKE SALONS, TATTOO PARLORS, DOG GROOMING AND PERSONALTRAINING WILL BE ALLOWED TO RESUME. SCHOOLS WILL REMAIN CLOSED,ALTHOUGH CHILD-CARE SERVICES MAY OPEN WITH STRICT PRECAUTIONS. POLISSAID IN A PRESS CONFERENCE ON APRIL 20TH THAT THE STATE WILL MONITORCLOSELY ANY SURGES IN COVID-19 CASES AND THAT HE WOULD NOT HESITATETO REINTRODUCE MORE STRINGENT RESTRICTIONS. YOU CAN VIEW THEGOVERNOR’S PRESENTATION ON THE NEW GUIDELINES AT COLORADO DOT GOVSLASH GOVERNOR SLASH NEWS.

I’M WENDY GRAHAM SETTLE. THANKS FOR WATCHING THE LOCAL NEWSNETWORK.

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