Angela Simental, Boulder County Public Health. Boulder County Public Health extended its Facial Covering Order to align with the Colorado Face Covering Order and Jefferson County’s order issued in May. Boulder County’s Face Covering Order will go into effect on Wednesday, May 5, and will stand for 30 days. Boulder County Public Health will continue to monitor vaccination rates, case rates and hospitalization rates during this period. 

The extended public health order continues to require face coverings regardless of vaccination status or group size in high-risk indoor settings such as personal services (hair salons, massage) and healthcare settings. The order also continues to require face coverings in grocery stores, retail stores and other public-facing public indoor spaces regardless of the number of people in the room or vaccination status. 

In certain lower risk settings that are not public facing such as office areas, individuals may remove their face coverings when there are nine or fewer unvaccinated individuals or individuals of unknown vaccination status present in the space. Face coverings may also be removed in such lower risk, non-public-facing settings such as an office or a private event if at least 80% of those individuals are fully vaccinated and have shown proof of vaccination.

This order requires businesses and event organizers to ensure all individuals, including customers, are wearing face coverings the entire time they are in a public indoor space unless an exception applies. All businesses must continue to post signs at entrance(s) instructing individuals of their legal obligation under this order and the state’s guidance. Visitors to public indoor spaces who cannot tolerate a mask should seek alternatives, such as curbside delivery, to avoid entering public indoor spaces.

“As restrictions gradually ease, it is important to continue assessing our individual risks when it comes to face coverings,” said Lexi Nolen, Boulder County Public Health acting executive director. “While we are making great strides, we need to protect those who are not able to get vaccinated yet, such as children.”

Boulder County is one of three counties leading in vaccinations. Over 180,000 residents or 67% of the county’s eligible population (16+) has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

“We still recommend that people age two and older and who have not been vaccinated continue to practice social distancing, handwashing and using face coverings whenever they are near members of other households,” Nolen added. “It is also very important that we continue to get vaccinated because all of these strategies will help us stop this pandemic.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention order requires all children ages two through 10 to wear a face covering on public transportation, but it is recommended that children ages 2 and older wear masks in all other indoor public settings. Those younger than two years old should not wear face coverings due to the risk of suffocation. Anyone who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove their mask without assistance should also refrain from wearing one. 

Summary of modifications to the extended facial covering order:

People must wear a mask at all times in the indoor settings described below whether they are vaccinated or not or the size of the group:

• Preschool through 12th grade (including extracurricular activities), childcare centers and services, and indoor children’s camps, regardless of whether a license is required for such activities. 
• Public areas of state government facilities, county or municipal government facilities, and areas of such government facilities where members of the public come into contact with government employees.
• Congregate care facilities, including nursing facilities, assisted living residences, intermediate care facilities and group homes. 
• Prisons and jails.  
• Emergency medical and other healthcare settings, including hospitals, ambulance service centers, urgent care centers, non-ambulatory surgical structures, clinics, medical offices and non-urgent care medical structures. 
• Retail stores, grocery stores and the public-facing portion of any other business.
• Personal services, such as massage, hair salons, barbers, etc.
• Limited healthcare settings, such as acupuncture, athletic training, audiology services, etc. 
• When 100 or more unvaccinated people or individuals of unknown vaccination status are in a room in a public indoor space.
• As required by the CDC’s: Persons two years or older must wear masks while on conveyances and at transportation hubs, such as shared rides and public transportation.

Anyone with questions regarding this order should contact the Boulder County Call Center at 720-776-0822 or view the COVID-19 information on BCPH’s website at BoCo.org/COVID-19