No decision will be made about reopening restaurants until May 25
When Gov. Jared Polis signed an executive order last week extending Colorado’s state of disaster emergency another 30 days, it served as a reminder that it will likely be quite some time before life returns to the way it was before the coronavirus pandemic.
Nevertheless, the state of Colorado continues to move in that direction. With Safer at Home in effect, residents have more freedom to move about than they did under Stay at Home. In light of that transition, data is being assessed to determine if it’s safe to further relax conditions.
Some businesses are still ordered to stay closed, but Polis offered some insight this week into when decisions will be made about reopening. Most recently, state parks received the go-ahead to begin offering camping again.
Timeline announced for reopening decisions
Many Coloradans are understandably anxious to find out when restaurants, bars, gyms and other such businesses will be allowed to reopen. Those dates have not yet been announced.
Polis did however, share a timeline for when the state plans to make a decision on dates for reopening.
“I’m sharing Colorado’s decision making timeline and factors because I want to be as transparent as possible as to what the next few weeks will look like,” Polis said.
On May 25, the state will decide whether restaurants can begin reopening and at what level. The state will also decide whether ski resorts can be open for spring skiing, but resorts will only open if the host county wants them open. May 25 is also the day that the state will decide if summer residential and day camps can open in June, and if so, under what conditions.
After June 1, the state will decide if Safer at Home can be further modified. For the time being, people still need to stay at home as much as possible, wear masks when going out, limited gatherings to 10 people and stay at least 6 feet away from others. Changes to Safer at Home will be made by Polis on a rolling basis, based on the latest data and evidence.
“If folks are doing a good job at social distancing, staying at home, and wearing masks or facial coverings when going out, it will show up in the data, and we will excitedly remove additional restrictions on our economy. If not, some communities could be forced to look at implementing additional temporary restrictions,” Polis said.
Camping allowed at state parks
As of May 12, Colorado State Parks and State Wildlife Areas are reopening camp grounds.
“I am proud of Colorado Parks and Wildlife for keeping our state parks open during this entire period to help Coloradans be safe outdoors,” Polis said. “We know Coloradans have been anxious to get back to extended stays in our beautiful state parks, but it’s important to be able to open camping safely.”
CPW is using a phased approach to reopen campgrounds with county coordination to account for specific local needs and restrictions. Some may remain closed for the time being.
It’s important to note that Coloradans who are planning to camp at CPW sites must make a reservation at cpwshop.com. Extensive guidelines for camping amidst COVID-19 response can be found at cpw.state.co.us.