Governor Jared Polis’ Safer-at-Home executive order outlines options to local governments. Reportedly, Yuma County’s governmental entities are taking advantage of that to come up with a Yuma County plan.
Yuma County Administrator Andrea Calhoon told the Pioneer the county, the cities of Yuma and Wray, the town of Eckley, and the county’s two hospitals were working on a draft earlier this week. It was not completed prior to press time, but will be made available on the Pioneer’s website as soon as it is available.
The goal was to present Yuma County’s plan to the Northeast Colorado Health Department on Friday.
Local governments have two options, if not simply following the state’s guidelines.
They are being allowed to go further than the state, including but not limited to stay-at-home orders or additional protective measures.
Local governments also can relax guidelines more than the state. To do so, a local government will need to demonstrate proof of 14 consecutive days of decline of infection of COVID-19 in the county. They also must submit an application to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment that includes a written COVID-19 suppression plan approved by the appropriate local public healthy authority, all hospitals within the jurisdiction and elected leadership.
Look for more on the Yuma County plan later this week, as well as in next week’s edition of the Pioneer.
