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JeffCo issues new health guidelines to limit spread of COVID-19

The new health order was issued due to a recent spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, Jefferson County Public Health said.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colorado — Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) has issued a new public health order enacting new guidelines to combat a recent spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

JCPH said it will relinquish the county's variance and implement PHO 20-009 with the following guidelines:

  • Outdoor events are limited to no more than 75 people.
  • Indoor events are limited to no more than 25 people.
  • Events cannot have more than one room, designated activity or area.
  • Spectators are prohibited from all high school sporting events.
  • Spectators are prohibited from all adult recreational and league sports.
  • 10 p.m. last call for alcohol sales for restaurants, bars and breweries that sell food.

The health order will be in effect from 12:01 a.m. on Thursday through midnight on Nov. 29, unless the health order is extended, rescinded, superseded or amended.

JCPH said that there have been 1,815 cases of COVID-19 in the county between Oct. 14 and Oct. 28, which is the equivalent of 311.3 cases per 100,000 residents.

Over the same period, hospitalizations have increased by 80% and Jefferson County's positivity rate is 6.2%.

A positivity rate above 5% indicates that the virus is widespread in the community, and that there are likely more residents who have COVID-19 that have not been tested.

“We have a brief window of opportunity to get our cases under control, or our county will be moved to Level 3 and face even more restrictions," JCPH Community Health Services Director Dr. Margaret Huffman said. "I want to emphasize how critical these next couple of weeks are — we’ve seen other counties be moved on the Dial already, but that doesn’t have to be the path for Jeffco if we can all come together right now.”

Click here to read the full health order.

RELATED: Denver and several other counties return to stricter COVID-19 rules

RELATED: Despite similar hospitalization rates, Colorado COVID-19 deaths are about 1/3 of what they were in May

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