After Governor Polis issued his stay-at-home order on Wednesday, March 25, the Tri-County Health Department responded to this development by rescinding its own public health order on March 26.
All residents should consider the Governor’s order to be the official guide to addressing the COVID crisis. However, Tri-County Health is currently working with the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) to clarify which exceptions to the order—such as for houses of worship or commercial construction, among others—will be allowed in Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties.
On Thursday, Tri-County Health officials said, “After much discussion and consideration, our three local health departments have decided to rescind our local level orders and formally adopt the state’s order. We believe this action will ensure social distancing requirements are consistent across the state, and that our communities are not confused by multiple orders.”
The Governor’s office has released a list of FAQs about the public health order. We urge everyone to read all these materials to get a clear understanding of what the stay-at-home order entails.
The purpose of all these actions remains unchanged: They are designed to slow or halt the spread of the coronavirus, and by doing so, to keep our health care systems from becoming overwhelmed with new patients.
This is a rapidly evolving situation, and all government employees and entities are working diligently to minimize confusion while providing accurate and timely information. The Arapahoe County Commissioners are supporting these efforts in every possible way.
We recognize the hardship and uncertainties this predicament is placing on all our residents, employees and businesses. None of us have ever witnessed a public health crisis like the one we’re facing now. But because it affects all of us, we’re confident that we all can work together to find our way through it, and we will continue providing regular updates about the situation.
Please remember that Arapahoe County is still open for business, and many of our services are still available by phone or through our websites. Thank you for your patience and cooperation during this difficult time; we are more honored than ever to serve as your commissioners.
