Gov. Polis renews mask mandate, but with big changes for some rural counties

DENVER — Governor Jared Polis announced April 2 that he will be expanding the statewide mask mandate, but the new order allows for residents in more than 30 Colorado counties to abandon their masks in most public indoor spaces.

Under the modified order, which you can read here, Coloradans who live in a county under Level Green status on the state’s COVID-19 dial dashboard only have to wear a mask in schools, child care centers, indoor children’s camps, state government buildings, health care settings, prisons, jails, and at personal services like hair salons.

Coloradans in all other levels on the dial must also wear a mask at the above locations, as well as in “public indoor settings where 10 or more unvaccinated individuals or individuals of unknown vaccination status are present,” according to CDPHE.

Here is an FAQ sheet about the newest order.

As of April 2, 31 Colorado counties are in Level Green. But just 238,286 people live in those counties.

The 33 other counties in the state, which includes Denver, are home to more than 5.5 million people.

The governor’s announcement comes a couple days after Colorado officially passed 1 million fully vaccinated residents. According to the governor’s office, 27% of the state’s population is immune to COVID-19 either through vaccination or prior infection.

“I look forward to the day when immunity reaches a level that we no longer have to wear masks. In the meantime, we must continue practicing vigilance by wearing masks especially if you aren’t yet fully vaccinated, practicing social distancing when in public and in the company of people with unknown vaccine status,” Polis said in a statement. “This modified mask order is a step towards the light at the end of the tunnel, and it acknowledges a transition away from most requirements for those counties in level green with very low transmission, 35 cases or less out of every 100,000, and the great achievement they have made towards ending the pandemic.”

The mask mandate has been in place since July 2020. Unless it is renewed again, the order is set to expire May 2.

Earlier this week, President Joe Biden urged state leaders to keep mask mandates as cases surge in some parts of the country.

In Colorado, COVID-19 hospitalizations have plateaued in recent weeks. More COVID-19 data are available here.