Vaccine and Testing Requirements Updated In Public Health Order
DENVER, CO — The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment released an amended version of Public Health Order 20-38 Monday, extending the order through March 14.
Masks remain required for "unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated patients, residents, and visitors, and medical-grade face masks are required for unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated staff" in homeless shelters, prisons, jails, emergency medical and healthcare settings and public transit services, the order says.
The order also reduces the scope of state contractor vaccination and testing requirements, according to a news release. Only those state contractors who provide services in residential or "congregate care" state facilities are required to be vaccinated. A testing requirement remains in place for only those state contractors who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated and are working in those residential or congregate care state facilities.
The release added that there are no longer mask, vaccine or testing requirements for those state contractors who will not enter residential or congregate care state facilities.
The order found that, as of Sunday, Colorado has had 1,311,061 total reported cases of COVID-19 with nearly 60,000 hospitalizations and more than 12,000 deaths. Currently, 369 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, though 964 hospital beds are unoccupied across the state.
The order also found that 87 percent of the state's intensive care beds and 89 percent of its medical/surgical beds are currently occupied.
"With the pandemic ongoing, it remains critical for individuals, communities, businesses, and governments to remain vigilant regarding the spread of COVID-19," the order states. "Individuals are encouraged to get vaccinated and boosted if eligible, remain at least 6 feet away from non-household contacts whenever possible, wash their hands, and wear a face-covering to reduce the likelihood of disease transmission."
"As we continue to combat COVID-19 in our communities, continuing some limited requirements to mitigate disease spread remain appropriate."
Read the complete 13th Amended Public Health Order 20-38 here.
This article originally appeared on the Denver Patch
