The Tri-County Health Department is working with local public health agencies to develop a strategy to gradually reopen businesses in three Denver metro area counties, keeping in mind that moving too fast could be "detrimental," according to the department's executive director.
Colorado’s stay-at-home order will expire on Sunday, and the safer-at-home phase will follow. Gov. Jared Polis has directed health officials to implement strategies for a gradual reopening based on collected data to best meet the needs of individual communities.
Executive Director of Tri-County Health Department John M. Douglas Jr. said reopening could look different for communities in Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas Counties.
“Many parts of the state do not have growing numbers of COVID-19 cases and it makes sense for them to open, but in the more densely populated counties in the metro area, opening too soon could be detrimental to keeping us healthy and open moving forward,” he said.
The Tri-County Health Department is currently reviewing trends and the possibility of extending the stay-at-home order until May 8 for specific locations that are still seeing high numbers of people testing positive for COVID-19. Douglas said the department will decide on this, and what other steps should be taken to slowly reopen local businesses, by Sunday.