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Boulder County steering clear of vaccination mandate

Local situation is evolving
Vaccine
COVID-19 vaccine File photo

Boulder County is not requiring vaccinations or mask-wearing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, despite warning signs in the county and elsewhere of rising daily cases of the virus.

The county is also not requiring county employees to get a COVID-19 vaccine, said Angla Simental, spokeswoman for the Boulder County Public Health.

Still, the situation is evolving with the rise of the Delta variant, which comprises 95.5% of all COVID cases, Simental said via email. “... BCPH is coordinating with our state partners to monitor data and continue to make data-driven decisions based on the best interest of the health and safety of all Boulder County community members.”

Boulder County entered Level Clear on the county’s COVID dial on May 16, for a 90-day observation period, which ends Aug. 14, Simental said. To remain in Level Clear, hospital admissions must stay at 0-2 admissions per 100,000 residents for seven consecutive days over a 14-day period. “We have not exceeded that level,” she said.

County health officials are still “highly” recommending everyone wear a mask in indoor public spaces regardless of vaccination status and also is “strongly” encouraging everyone ages 12 and older to get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible, Simental said.

“As the science around the Delta variant emerges, it is pointing to a disproportionate impact on unvaccinated individuals, who are more likely to experience severe disease, hospitalizations and death,” Simental said. 

Being unvaccinated, she adds, also poses a risk to others in the community, especially for residents who are immunocompromised or not eligible for vaccination  — those under 12 years of age.

On Monday, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock announced that all Denver city and county employees, along with private-sector employees in high-risk settings, will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Sept. 30, according to the Associated Press.

The order applies to the city’s municipal workforce of more than 10,000 employees including police officers, firefighters and sheriff’s deputies. It also applies to people working in congregate settings including nursing homes, homeless shelters, hospitals, correctional facilities and teachers and staff in schools and post-secondary institutions, the AP said.

Hancock said the rate of infection and positivity remain low in Denver, but key metrics have increased, due largely to Delta variant.

“Denver is now experiencing the most infectious strain of the virus — the Delta variant, which is responsible for 90% of new cases statewide, Hancock said. “To achieve the highest level of protection and recovery from the pandemic, especially among high-risk and vulnerable groups, we need to maximize vaccinations as quickly as possible and mandates will do just that.”

Currently, Boulder County’s seven-day rolling average daily case count is 39.4 cases per day, according to Simental. This number has been rising since the end of June and is higher than last Monday’s average of 25.1 per day. The one-week cumulative incidence rate has risen to 79.5 per 100,000, compared to 51.4 per 100,000 on Monday, July 26, Simental said.

As of Tuesday, Aug. 2, there were 16 people hospitalized with COVID-19 related illness in Boulder County hospitals compared to 16 on Monday. Two hospitals have not reported since July 9 and July 21, Simental said. Statewide there are 353 hospitalized, compared to 291 last week, with confirmed COVID-19, she said.