The State of Colorado finally approved Yuma County’s requested variance to Safer at Home rules, late Friday night.
A county-wide task force including municipalities, the county and the hospitals, has been working on the plan for nearly a month, making adjustments to it at least twice before finally being approved by the state.
It should be noted this does not apply to businesses and places of worship within the City of Yuma as it currently is sticking with the state’s Safer at Home rules, though the current order does come to an end next week.
The Yuma County variance includes allowing restaurants, gyms and fitness facilities, places of worship, as well as public gatherings, to have people in their buildings, but there are many requirements to do so.
Capacity will be limited to 50 percent of the posted occupancy code limit in order to achieve social distancing. Churches may reopen to 50 percent capacity as long as they can maintain social distancing requirements. The limit does not apply to critical businesses as defined in the order.
The variance will be automatically rescinded if Yuma County has more than 10 new COVID-19 cases in a week. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment also reserves the right to modify or rescind the approval as other circumstances might warrant.
There are several steps that have to be taken in order for the above-mentioned establishments to again have people in their buildings on a limited basis.
One can find a link to the approved variance here and a link to the restaurant reopening policy here.
The plan also outlines rules for libraries, museums, places of worship, gymnasiums and more.
Read more about this, and any new developments, in the next edition of The Yuma Pioneer.
(This article has been updated from earlier today.)
