Jeffco Rescinding Mask Mandate, But State Officials Urge Caution

GOLDEN, CO —Though the Jefferson County Board of Health voted Thursday to rescind the public health order requiring masks in all public indoor settings and schools on Feb. 18, state health officials still are encouraging Coloradans to wear masks and urging caution at this time.

Speaking to reporters just hours before Jefferson County's vote, Colorado state health officials expressed cautious optimism about the downward trends of COVID-19's transmission, and they even agreed with the end of mask mandates in several local jurisdictions —mask orders ended Friday in Denver and Broomfield and on Saturday in Adams and Arapahoe County.

But Scott Bookman, the state's COVID-19 incident commander, said Coloradans should keep wearing masks indoors, staying home and getting tested when they are sick and getting vaccinated against the virus.

"(The counties) are making the right decisions for their jurisdictions at the right time," Bookman said.

"There's a very big difference between a mandate and a continued recommendation to wear masks indoors," he said.

Dr. Rachel Herlihy, state epidemiologist, said Colorado is emerging from its worst surge of new infections, but is hardly out of the woods.

"Right now, I think things are looking promising," Herlihy told reporters.

However, she added that there is "still a lot of COVID-19 that is circulating in our community right now."

Herlihy said the contagious omicron variant still is spreading in the state, and that three cases of its BA.2, omicron's subvariant, had been detected in Colorado.

According to Colorado health officials, as of Thursday afternoon, the seven-day average positivity rate had dropped to below 16 percent, its lowest point since Dec. 28. The state has averaged 4,438 new COVID-19 cases each day over the past week, also the lowest since late December, The Gazette reported.

Additionally, Herlihy told reporters that hospitalizations also are dropping. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reported that 1,162 people were hospitalized on Thursday, which was down from 1,195 people hospitalized a day earlier.

Based on these numbers, and more targeted local data, the Jefferson County Board of Health voted to end its mask mandate —PHO 21-006 —later this month. However, the board also said it would review updated data at its regularly scheduled meeting on Feb. 15.

"The data in Jefferson County shows promising trends, with decreasing case rates, hospitalizations and deaths," said Christine Billings, head of the Office of Pandemic Response at Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH). "We are getting closer every day to COVID-19 no longer being a pandemic, but being endemic (present, but controlled) within our community."

In a release, Jefferson County officials explained why they've chosen to keep the mask order in place until 12:01 a.m. on Feb. 18.

"The Board of Health believes (by keeping the order in place until Feb. 18) we can reach a safer state within our community and allow different sectors within our community to ensure layered mitigation strategies and safer environments for the medically fragile," the board said in a statement.

"In addition, monitoring data throughout this period will allow a higher level of confidence within the Jeffco community as we move forward without mandatory face coverings."

Of course, just like in the areas where the mandate will expire this weekend, Jefferson County schools and private businesses will be allowed to make their own decisions about masks.

"Without the public health policies in place, most restaurants are not going to require masks. Now that said, some restaurants will ask you to wear a mask," Colorado Restaurant Association spokesperson Denise Mickelsen told Fox 31 when asked about the expiration of Denver's mask mandate.

Fox 31 also reported that places like Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Metropolitan State University and King Soopers all planned to still require masks in Denver beyond the expiration of the mandate.

Jefferson County officials also reminded the public that federal mask requirements will remain in place even after the mandate expires locally. That means individuals still will be required to wear a mask when using public transportation, at Denver International Airport and on flights.

Even after the mandate ends, Jefferson County still will require unvaccinated individuals to wear masks in specific settings, including: medical and long-term care facilities, homeless shelters, prisons and jails.

"(Thursday's) decision by the Jefferson County Board of Health shows a respectful commitment to compromise and truly consider all sides of an issue," said Cheri Jahn, president of the Jefferson County Board of Health.

"There are many things to consider when we look at these kinds of decisions. The board takes very seriously the best interests of our schools, businesses, healthcare facilities and members of our public, as well as the rapidly changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic. By officially adding an expiration date to PHO 21-006, we are showing a commitment to moving forward through this pandemic, while renewing our promise to the community that we will always do what is in the best interest of public health."

More information about public health orders, testing and vaccines are available on the JCPH website.