by Amanda Mayle | Mar 25, 2020 | COVID19, E-cigarettes, infectious disease, Public Health Recommendations
Governor Polis: Now is the Time to Stay at Home
Updated: We are beginning to learn more about the stay-at-home order, and some definitions of essential services. You can read the full Public Health order here and we’ve outlined some of the details below.
The order emphasizes Social Distancing Requirements for all exceptions to the order. To reduce the risk of disease transmission, individuals shall maintain at least a six-foot distance from other individuals, wash hands with soap and water for at least twenty seconds as frequently as possible or using hand sanitizer, cover coughs or sneezes (into the sleeve or elbow, not hands), regularly clean high-touch surfaces, and not shake hands.
New information also defines “Stay at Home” in the following way:
[blockquote author=”” link=”” target=”_blank”]”To stay in your place of residence, which includes hotels, motels, and shared rental facilities, and not leave unless necessary to provide, support,
perform, or operate Necessary Activities, Minimum Basic Operations, Critical Government Functions, and Critical Businesses.”[/blockquote]
Critical Businesses
Critical Business. Any business, including any for profit or non-profit, regardless of its corporate structure, engaged in any of the commercial, manufacturing, or service activities listed below, may continue to operate as normal. Critical Businesses must comply with the guidance and directives for maintaining a clean and safe work environment issued by the CDPHE and any applicable local health department. Critical Businesses must comply with Social Distancing Requirements and all PHOs currently in effect to the greatest extent possible and will be held accountable for doing so. Critical Businesses do NOT include health clubs as
defined in C.R.S. § 6-1-102(4.6), fitness and exercise gyms, and similar facilities, or any of the other businesses required to close by PHO 20-22.
“Critical Business” means:
1.)Healthcare Operations, Including:
● Hospitals, clinics, and walk-in health facilities
● Medical and dental care, including ambulatory providers
● Research and laboratory services
● Medical wholesale and distribution
● Home health care companies, workers and aides
● Pharmacies
● Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies
● Behavioral health care providers
● Veterinary care and livestock services
● Nursing homes, residential health care, or congregate care facilities Amended Public Health Order 20-24
● Medical supplies and equipment manufacturers and providers, including durable medical equipment technicians and suppliers
● Blood banks
2. Critical Infrastructure, Including:
● Utilities and electricity, including generation, transmission, distribution and fuel supply
● Road and railways
● Oil and gas extraction, production, refining, storage, transport and distribution
● Public water and wastewater
● Telecommunications and data centers
● Transportation and infrastructure necessary to support critical businesses
● Hotels, and places of accommodation
● Businesses and organizations that provide food, shelter, social services, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged, persons with
access and functional needs, or otherwise needy individuals
● Food and plant cultivation, including farming crops, livestock, food processing and manufacturing, animal feed and feed products, rendering,
commodity sales, and any other work critical to the operation of any component of the food supply chain
● Any business that produces products critical or incidental to the construction or operation of the categories of products included in this
subsection
3. Critical Manufacturing, Including:
● Food processing, manufacturing agents, including all foods and beverages
● Chemicals
● Computers and computer components
● Medical equipment, components used in any medical device, supplies or instruments
● Pharmaceuticals
● Sanitary products
● Telecommunications
● Microelectronics/semiconductor
● Agriculture/farms
● Household paper products
● Any business that produces products critical or incidental to the processing, functioning, development, manufacture, packaging, or delivery of any of the categories of products included in this subsection
● Any manufacturing necessary to support a Critical Business
4. Critical Retail, Including:
● Grocery stores including all food and beverage stores
● Farm and produce stands
● Gas stations and convenience stores
● Restaurants and bars (for take-out/delivery only as necessary under Executive Order D 2020 011 and PHO 20-22, as amended)
● Marijuana dispensary (only for the sale of medical marijuana or curbside delivery pursuant to Executive Order D 2020 011)
● Firearms stores
● Hardware, farm supply, and building material stores
● Establishments engaged in the retail sale of food and any other household consumer products (such as cleaning and personal care products)
● Establishments engaged in the sale of products that support working from home
5. Critical Services, Including:
● Trash, compost, and recycling collection, processing and disposal
● Mail and shipping services, and locations that offer P.O. boxes
● Self-serve laundromats and garment and linen cleaning services for critical businesses
● Building cleaning and maintenance
● Child care services
● Automobile rental, auto supply and repair (including retail dealerships that include repair and maintenance, but not retail sales)
● Warehouse/distribution and fulfillment, including freight distributors
● Funeral homes, crematoriums, and cemeteries
● In-person pastoral services for individuals who are in crisis or in need of end of life services provided social distancing is observed to the greatest
extent possible
● Storage for Critical Businesses
● Animal shelters, animal boarding services, animal rescues, zoological facilities, animal sanctuaries, and other related facilities
6. News Media
● Newspapers
● Television
● Radio
● Other media services
7. Financial Institutions, Including:
● Banks and credit institutions
● Insurance, payroll, and accounting services
● Services related to financial markets
8. Providers of Basic Necessities to Economically Disadvantaged Populations, Including:
● Homeless shelters and congregate care facilities
● Food banks
● Human services providers whose function includes the direct care of patients in State-licensed or funded voluntary programs; the care,
protection, custody and oversight of individuals both in the community and in State-licensed residential facilities; those operating community
shelters and other critical human services agencies providing direct care or support
9. Construction, Including:
● Housing and housing for low-income and vulnerable people
● Skilled trades such as electricians, plumbers
● Other related firms and professionals for who provide services necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation, and critical operation of residences, and
other essential services
10. Defense
● Defense, security, and intelligence-related operations supporting the State of Colorado, local government, the U.S. Government or a contractor for
any of the foregoing
● Aerospace operations
● Military operations and personnel
● Defense suppliers
11. Critical Services Necessary to Maintain the Safety, Sanitation and Critical Operations of Residences or Other Critical Businesses, Including:
● Law enforcement
● Fire prevention and response
● Building code enforcement
● Security
● Emergency management and response
● Building cleaners or janitors
● General maintenance whether employed by the entity directly or a vendor
● Automotive repair
● Disinfection
● Snow removal
12. Vendors that Provide Critical Services or Products, Including Logistics and Technology Support, Child Care and Services:
● Logistics
● Technology support for online and telephone services
● Child care programs and services
● Government owned or leased buildings
● Critical Government Functions
Business Operations
Critical Businesses, are exempt, subject to certain limitations, from this PHO and are encouraged to remain open. Critical Businesses must comply with Social Distancing Requirements at all times and implement tele-work or other strategies, such as staggered schedules or re-designing workplaces, to create more
distance between workers unless doing so would make it impossible to carry out critical functions. Critical Businesses that serve the public such as grocery stores and other Critical Retail shall comply with Social Distancing Requirements at all times including, but not limited to, when any customers are standing in line.
The Entire Order with more definitions and clarification can be read here.
Previously released:
Late this afternoon, Governor Polis announced temporary stay at home orders for all residents of Colorado. “Now is the time to stay at home,” Polis said in a news briefing.
Exact language of the order has not yet been released, but based on information from the Governor’s press conference, it will require the state’s nearly 6 million residents to avoid unnecessary travel and interaction with non-essential services. We know there will be exceptions, and as soon as the language of the order is sent we will be able to provide industry-specific guidance.
In addition, Mesa County Public Health has been notified of an additional positive case of COVID-19. This brings the total number of cases in Mesa County to six. The latest positive result is a male over the age of 60.
