Summit County officials are leaning towards extending the local safer-at-home public health order, a move that would keep the county-wide face covering requirement.
The county’s safer-at-home order expires on June 30. Much of the order falls in line with recommendations and mandates from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Summit County’s order requires that members of the public wear face coverings, or masks, in buildings open to the public and outside when a 6-foot distance from others isn’t possible. The state order only “urges” people to wear face coverings in public. However, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has emphasized the importance of face coverings in preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus in both social media posts and new conferences.
“Our progress in Colorado is testament to the people of the state continuing to wear a mask, keep distance whenever possible and all of the additional protections around many of our older Coloradans, who are still staying home whenever they can,” Polis said at a news conference Wednesday. At a joint meeting Tuesday, members of the county’s board of health and board of county commissioners expressed concern that letting the order expire would send a message that the county no longer cares about the mask rule.
“I do see significant value in the mask component being a mandate,” County Manager Scott Vargo said. “My big fear is that, if we turn it off, it will give folks this indication that, perhaps, the county no longer thinks there is a value to mask-wearing and I think we will see a dramatic decrease in the amount of folks wearing masks locally.”
Public Health Director Amy Wineland and county commissioners Elisabeth Lawrence and Thomas Davidson agreed with Vargo.
“I personally think the face masks are a key component of the non-pharmaceutical arsenal that we have to fight this illness,” Wineland said.
