Denver Moves COVID19 dial to “Level Blue” Starting Friday

Mayor Hancock and other officials held a COVID19 press update today in which they announced that starting Friday, April 16, the city and county of Denver would be moving to the “blue level” on the state’s COVID-19 dial. Denver is lifting its current mask mandate and now requiring masks only in indoor settings and on public transportation, effective today.

Level Blue on Colorado’s COVID19 dial:

• Bars can operate at 25 percent capacity or 75 people, whichever is fewer
• Restaurants can operate with 100 percent capacity with six feet of spacing between groups
  • The last call for bars and restaurants will be at 2 a.m.
• Gyms can operate with 100 percent capacity with six feet of spacing
• Retail, offices, and non-critical manufacturing can now operate at 75 percent capacity
• Outdoor events no longer have state-capacity restrictions, counties can decide

The state has also made changes to COVID restrictions as Colorado’s COVID19 dial is now optional, handing control over to county health departments.

Although there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel, city and health officials warned of rising case numbers in younger populations, as well as new COVID variants being documented around Colorado. Mayor Hancock encouraged citizens to talk to their friends and family about vaccine hesitancy.

“Vaccine hesitancy, especially among certain segments of our communities of color, remains a challenge that we’re working hard to overcome. If you have family, friends, or neighbors who are hesitant to get the vaccine, talk to them about it. Support them. Encourage them,” he said during the press update.

Even with the current pause on the single-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine, Colorado is seeing amply supply come in from the remaining two-dose vaccines. Currently, Denver is seeing 22.8 percent of its population fully vaccinated, and around 41 percent half vaccinated. Similar numbers are coming in from Colorado as a state and the country as a whole.

“Even with these first steps in a measured relaxation of limits, we still need everyone to keep doing their part: wear your mask, social distance, avoid large groups, get vaccinated,” read a statement on the City of Denver’s Facebook page.