What it means for Teller County
Editor’s Note: The following announcement was submitted by the Teller County Board of Commissioners and administration. It deals with the county’s position on the mask mandate and other issues related to coronavirus restrictions. For more information, see related story in this week’s issue of TMJ.
Governor Polis has extended and amended the Statewide Mask Mandate through the new Public Health Order PHO 20-38 issued on May 2, 2021 but the requirement to wear masks has NOT been lifted, except in very narrow circumstances.
The Teller County Board of Commissioners (BOCC), do not have the authority to override Governor Polis’ amended Face Covering order. The Executive Order outlines face covering requirements for counties, with limited mask relief from the mandate. Some of those situations, per the Governor’s order, are:
- Masks are required in public indoor settings where 10 or more unvaccinated individuals or individuals of unknown vaccination status are present.
- Masking is not required in indoor public spaces if 80% or more of the individuals’ present are fully vaccinated.
- There remains no outdoor mask order.
- Restaurant employees are not mandated to wear masks if 85% of a restaurant’s employees are fully vaccinated.
The BOCC acknowledges there is no reasonable method to assure the vaccine status of individuals in Public Indoor Space, thus Teller County will not be actively enforcing the Mask Mandate. However, we encourage our citizens to exercise personal responsibility to determine whether or not to wear a face covering, based on your health needs.
We also continue to request that all citizens and visitors to Teller County continue to RESPECT the choices of individuals as they relate to the wearing of face coverings, respect private property masking policies, and respect individual choices to protect ourselves and each other.
The Teller County Board of County Commissioners, Administration, and Public Health continue to recommend that all members of our community who want to be vaccinated get vaccinated as soon as they can. Vaccines are currently authorized and available and for all adults age 16 and older through Teller County Public Health and many local partners. According to the CDC, the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, and here in Teller County, over the past several weeks, COVID-19 hospitalizations have been in our unvaccinated population. We encourage our residents to take personal responsibility for protecting their own health. For information on vaccinations please visit www.tellercovid.com.
