Fremont County moves to Level Orange coronavirus restrictions
FREMONT COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Fremont County Department of Public Health says the county will be moving to Level Orange restrictions this week in an effort to prevent the growing spread of COVID-19.
The official move takes place on Friday, according to public health officials. Fremont County will stay in Level Orange restrictions for at least 30 days, according to a statement issued on Wednesday.
However, this announcement comes at a time that Fremont County's two-week incidence rate puts the county well into Level Red territory. The threshold for Level Orange restrictions is 175-350 cases per 100,000 people, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health. As of Wednesday, Fremont County's incidence rate was 2,258 cases per 100,000.
"Fremont County officials have been working with CDPHE and state officials on mitigation efforts for several weeks in an attempt to protect our community without further restricting our businesses," said a statement from Fremont County public health. "After careful consideration, Fremont County officials have agreed to move to a stricter level on the dial."
Level Orange restrictions means limited capacities at most businesses and establishments. Click here to see a list of guidelines. However, the restrictions aren't as harsh as Level Red, which forces restaurants to close indoor dining.
“We do know these restrictions place an additional burden on our businesses and our community,” said County Commissioner and Board of Health Chairman Debbie Bell said. “We have taken that into consideration when moving to orange instead of red, which is much more restrictive."
