Residents might be getting too lax in following COVID-19 safeguards, potentially hurting Boulder County’s chances of graduating into an almost restriction-free summer, Lexi Nolan, Boulder County Health’s interim executive director said Wednesday.
“We still have a lot of work to do to move into Level Clear,” Nolan said during a webinar for the public. She said she is concerned that the level of vaccinations in Boulder County are starting to level off and transmission controls — including mask-wearing and social distancing — are also waning.
“Whether we move to the clear level in May, all depends on what happens next,” Nolan said.
Boulder County moved to Level Blue earlier this month after the state removed its Dial Order completely. Level Blue allows slightly increased capacity indoors and encourages businesses and individuals to move in-person interactions indoors, according to the Boulder County Public Health webpage.
Boulder County will remain on Level Blue for 30 days and plans call for the county to move to Level Clear and remain there for 90 days — May 16 through August 16, the webpage states.
Level Clear does not have any capacity restrictions or mandatory mitigation requirements for businesses or gatherings. But if hospitalization admissions exceed state COVID standards over a seven-day period, Boulder County will move to a more protective level and apply level restrictions according to the hospitalization rate, the webpage states.
“If we see an uptick in admissions, we will move back to a more protective level if need be,” Nolan said.
She said she is heartened that over 60% of Boulder County residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The county is also administering 3,850 doses a day, Nolan said.
Over 34% of the county’s Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) have received at least a partial course of the vaccine, according to the webpage. Nolan said the county, along with partners like the city of Longmont, has worked hard to get vaccine clinics to people without the usual access to health care.
The Longmont clinic at the Lashley Street Station runs twice a week, she said. “We want everyone to feel comfortable and welcome,” Nolan said.
