Pueblo County lifts all COVID-19 requirements for businesses and events

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- There's no more dial system in Pueblo County, all local COVID-19 restrictions and requirements have been lifted for businesses and events as of Monday, according to Pueblo County Public Health.

This means all capacity restrictions have been lifted, and masks aren't required in many settings across Pueblo County.

The Pueblo County Board of Health made the decision to "align with most recent state executive and public health orders," according to a statement sent out on Monday.

However, Public Health Director Randy Evetts did note that businesses can implement their own restrictions.

"This pandemic is not over, COVID-19 is still circulating in Pueblo County and across the nation, and until more individuals are vaccinated, we should continue to take actions that prevent the spread of the disease," Evetts said in a statement.

While the goal is to get Pueblo County, and the state, to 70% of eligible people being vaccinated, as of Monday, only 48.4% of eligible people over the age of 16 have been vaccinated in Pueblo County.

You can sign up to get a COVID-19 vaccine by clicking this link.

Pueblo issued the list of the following changes to its COVID-19 guidelines, according to Monday's news release:

• Encouraging community members to protect themselves with a vaccination
• Mask are not required, yet encouraged when not vaccinated or around others who do not live in your household
• In schools, mask are to be worn per state executive order D2021 103
• Isolation and quarantine continue per federal and state disease reporting requirements and to reduce the spread of disease
• PDPHE will continue to monitor COVID-19 illness in community including closely monitoring hospitalizations to determine the severity of COVID-19 infections. Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment does have authority to require additional restrictions if necessary.
• Businesses can make the decision and set more restrictive requirements, even if they are not required by the county or state
• Under 500 people may gather without restrictions, per Second Amended Colorado Public Health Order 20-38