COVID-19  March 16, 2020

Weld County declares public health emergency over coronavirus, but stops short of restaurant closures

Editor’s note: As a public service, BizWest is making all of its coverage of the COVID-19 virus free to read. Please consider subscribing to BizWest to support our efforts to keep you informed on Northern Colorado and the Boulder Valley’s top business news.


GREELEY — Weld County declared an epidemic within its borders as the number of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus increased, but didn’t outright prevent restaurants from seating diners.

In a notice Monday afternoon, Weld County public health director Mark Wallace ordered residents to practice social distancing, or staying at least six feet away from one another, and ordered all public events with 10 or more people to cancel. Events at schools, day-care centers, community recreation centers and libraries are also canceled.

SPONSORED CONTENT

The order is in effect until April 8. State health officials have confirmed five cases of the COVID-19 virus in Weld County as of Sunday afternoon.

Businesses were exempted from the order, but the department is urging restaurants to limit seating or become take-out only. That position is lighter than Denver’s all-out ban on dining in at restaurants for the next eight weeks.

Health department spokesman Eric Aakko told BizWest the county commissioners and authorities didn’t want to stop restaurants from seating customers if they can accommodate fewer than than 10 customers and provide the six feet of space.

He said the public is being asked to follow the orders on the honor system.

“If there is a large gathering we would be concerned and we would probably send a letter or something to that effect,” he said. “In events like this, it tends to be self-enforcing. People don’t want to be spreading disease unnecessarily.”

Aakko said the department can extend the order as it deems necessary.

 

© 2020 BizWest Media LLC

 

Editor’s note: As a public service, BizWest is making all of its coverage of the COVID-19 virus free to read. Please consider subscribing to BizWest to support our efforts to keep you informed on Northern Colorado and the Boulder Valley’s top business news.


GREELEY — Weld County declared an epidemic within its borders as the number of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus increased, but didn’t outright prevent restaurants from seating diners.

In a notice Monday afternoon, Weld County public health director Mark Wallace ordered residents to practice social distancing,…

Related Posts

Sign up for BizWest Daily Alerts