All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
A sign outside of Old Oak Coffeehouse on Niwot's 2nd Avenue heralded the return of limited indoor dining, after the Colorado Dept. of Public Health moved Boulder and other high-risk counties to the less restrictive orange level on the state's COVID dial, effective Jan. 4
Diners venture into the Garden Gate Cafe on Monday, Jan. 4, after all counties on the red level of the state's COVID dial, including Boulder, were moved to the less restrictive orange level.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment recently announced that businesses and communities can now apply for a COVID certification program that allows certain areas of the community to open up to a less-restrictive level.
The 5 Star Certification Program is voluntary, and it is up to each county to determine whether or not to implement it. According to the program's site, it is "set up at the county level through an administrative committee... It encourages businesses to implement safety measures beyond what is already required by public health orders."
Niwot resident Scott Firle, a member of the Boulder Chamber of Commerce staff and the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee (LID), said this program is geared more toward the town's restaurants, personal business industries (i.e. salons, gyms, etc.) and even local events.
"Those are the ones limited... If we're at orange, they can move up to yellow and whatever the yellow parameters are," Firle explained.
Corine Waldau, Senior Director of Economic Vitality with the Chamber of Commerce elaborated by saying, "A program like 5 Star rewards those businesses that implement enhanced safety measures and become part of the solution to our health crisis... Businesses will be asked to look at everything from cleaning to HVAC systems to signage to occupant behavior to screenings."
While Boulder County is at an overall (total number of tests/cases reported) red level, the two-week cumulative level (number of cases for every 100,000 in the past two weeks) is currently at orange and the two-week average positivity rate is down to the green level. For more details about how to read the COVID dial, please visit the CDPHE's webpage.
Due to an order from the governor, public health departments are to put their resources toward COVID treatment and vaccine disbursement. As such, Boulder County Public Health has declined to lead the county's efforts to obtain the 5-Star Certification, but will be part of the administrative committee, while another group will be responsible for executing the program. The Boulder County Chamber and Longmont Economic Development Partnership are currently looking into the logistics of implementing it.
These two entities have come together with local chambers of commerce, economic developers and representatives of municipalities, as well as will be meeting with the Administrative Committee to submit the 5 Star certification by the end of the week.
This is despite an announcement on Dec. 17 that said the county is not yet eligible for the program. To be eligible, the county must have a two-week sustained decline in cases, a positivity percentage of 10% or less for the past two weeks, fewer than 90% of ICU beds in use and a steady or declining rate in hospitalizations.
Based on the facts that the two-week average has gone down from red to orange and that the positivity percentage is in the green range (less than or equal to 5%), the county should become eligible if these trends continue.
"I think we're really close," said Firle. "I think the only thing we're not [meeting the standards in] is the ICU beds right now."
All Boulder County businesses will have the opportunity to apply for certification. Those applicants will then have a live inspection before being certified. However, due to the Governor's recent order moving the county down to level Orange as of Monday, the eligibility requirements have changed.
"The dial metrics do not track over time and are not completely aligned with the metrics used to qualify for this program," said Waldau. "The key for our community to qualify for this program and to increase capacities in general... is to not let our guard down and to continue to try to get our COVID-19 incidence metrics down and keep them down by keeping our distance, not gathering and wearing masks."
This program is potentially a turning point for the county if it's able to meet all those requirements. Firle said, "Boulder County is all about community coming together. You have businesses themselves who are wanting to step up, and I'm looking forward to it."
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