It was a busy afternoon news conference for Gov. Jared Polis on Monday.
The governor announced that the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has determined that C&C Coffee and Kitchen in Castle Rock is causing an imminent health hazard by opening for in-restaurant dining in violation of health restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic. The state has suspended the license of the business indefinitely, he said.
C&C as been the focus of local and national attention after a journalist with Colorado Community Media tweeted out video of a crowd inside C&C on Mother's Day.
Also, Polis today provided an update on the state’s response to COVID-19 and a timeline for decision-making during the Safer at Home phase.
“I’m sharing Colorado’s decision making timeline and factors because I want to be as transparent as possible as to what the next few weeks will look like," the governor said. "Just as retail stores had some time to prepare to reopen after we announced it in April, our restaurants need a few days to get ready and be as safe as possible. We control our own destiny and our decisions will depend on what the data is telling us about how people are succeeding at wearing masks and staying apart during Safer at Home,."
He added: “If folks are doing a good job at social distancing, staying at home, and wearing masks or facial coverings when going out, it will show up in the data, and we will excitedly remove additional restrictions on our economy. If not, some communities could be forced to look at implementing additional temporary restrictions.”
As Colorado continues Safer at Home, there are a number of criteria the governor is considering when making decisions on what can be reopened safely.
• What level of suppression of the virus has been achieved?
• What is the ability to do testing and containment?
• Will this decision put vulnerable populations at significantly greater risk?
• Does the health care system have the capacity to handle a surge?
• What’s the level of risk vs. societal / economic / psychological reward?
• Is the policy sustainable?
May 25 will be a big date for decision making. Polis said data will be analyzed over the next two weeks to make those decisions.
On that date:
• May 25 - the state will decide whether ski resorts can be open for spring skiing. Resorts will only open if the host county wants them open.
• May 25 - the state will decide if restaurants can begin reopening and at what level.
• May 25 - the state will decide if summer residential and day camps can open in June, and if so, under what conditions.
• After June 1 - the state will decide if the Safer at Home order can be further modified to phase in other things like summer activities and public spaces like libraries.
Starting May 12, Coloradans can begin booking campsites in state parks. Host counties can make decisions about whether or not to open the campgrounds. Camping will be reservation only and social distancing will be in place.
And there was big news about Rocky Mountain PBS in the news conference. The governor announced a partnership with our station, Gary Community Investments, and the Colorado Education Initiative called Colorado Classroom: Read with Me at Home!