As the unprecedented summer of 2020 nears an end, we all probably would prefer to use the Labor Day holiday to attend a party and unwind with friends and family. Unfortunately, the still-evolving COVID public health crisis means that our typical late-summer routines can’t unfold the way they usually do.

In recent weeks, Arapahoe County’s residents and visitors have done an admirable job of observing anti-COVID practices such as washing hands frequently and wearing masks and maintaining social distancing when outside the home. The ability of virtually everyone to follow these guidelines is what’s enabled the County to maintain the variance that the State of Colorado issued several weeks ago. This variance has allowed more area businesses to reopen, and it should remain in effect as long as we continue keeping our COVID case numbers under control.

But this promising streak will only be as durable as the actions of our residents. As much as we understand everyone’s desire to attend a barbecue, hang out with friends and extended family, or simply be out and about on Labor Day weekend, all these options are still risky. This doesn’t mean that you can’t leave the house, but it does mean that it’s incumbent upon all of us to redouble our efforts to maintain the practices that we know will slow or stop the spread of the coronavirus.

“Between Labor Day weekend and the recent openings of area schools, the Board of County Commissioners and public health experts remain focused on keeping our case numbers under control,” said Arapahoe County Board Chair Nancy Sharpe. “We’re urging all residents and visitors to closely follow the public health guidelines that we know will help prevent the COVID curve from spiking again. By doing so we can continue the substantial progress we’ve made over the past few months.”