Gov. Polis renews mask mandate for an additional 30 days

Governor Jared Polis announced November 9 he is extending the statewide mandatory mask mandate for another 30 days.

The mask mandate has been in effect since July 16.

“We just need to have the resolve to reduce your exposure risk and the exposure risk of loved ones,” Polis said during his press conference.

The announcement comes as Colorado is in the middle of the worst period of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The state is currently averaging over 2,800 cases per day, and the seven-day positivity rate of COVID-19 tests is over 11%. The World Health Organization recommends getting that figure below 5% for at least two weeks before reopening.

The latest COVID-19 stats for Colorado are available here.

In addition to the mask mandate renewal, Polis announced that state employees, with limited exceptions, will be working remotely until at least the end of November.

“We were hoping that we could be back and have that limited water cooler talk by November,” Polis said. “There is value in seeing one another, but the light is there at the end of the tunnel. We’re almost at the end of the marathon.”

The governor also announced there would be at least 10 “curative kiosks” and mobile testing vans through the month of November. Currently, there are two testing kiosks in the state: one in Greeley at UNC, and another at Denver International Airport.

“We have the tools to fight the virus, but at the end of the day it’s up to you, no matter what your state or local government has or hasn’t put in place,” Polis said. “Colorado, we need to cancel our social plans with others outside of our household. It’s just that simple.”

Polis admitted cancelling social plans is difficult from a psychological standpoint, but he said isolation is key to changing the “status quo” of the virus.

For Coloradans who live alone, Polis recommended picking two or three people to “bubble” with.

“The grim reaper is the ultimate enforcer,” Polis said. “More Coloradans will die if Coloradans don’t simply cancel their social plans and wear a mask in public, and I know that we can do it.”