Staff at Bagalis in Frisco sets up for limited in-person dining Dec. 21 after it was cleared to reopen under Summit County’s 5 Star Business Certification Program. The two new Summit County commissioners expressed concerns Tuesday, Jan. 12, that public health rules among industries are not equitable.
At Tuesday’s Summit County Board of Health meeting, newly sworn-in Commissioner Tamara Pogue spoke bluntly, saying she knows many people feel public health decisions are “arbitrary and difficult.”
Pogue said she “has confidence” in Public Health Director Amy Wineland, County Manager Scott Vargo and prior commissioners who steered the county’s response to the novel coronavirus pandemic since March. That said, she added, “I really want to fight for balance here.”
Photo by Libby Stanford /estanford@summitdaily.com
Summit County’s move to level orange on the state’s COVID-19 dial means fewer restrictions for short-term lodging businesses, but some in the industry are still struggling to fill reservations.
While the county was in level red, gatherings were limited to one household. In level orange, gatherings are able to include up to two households or 10 people. The change in gathering size impacts short-term lodging facilities as well, allowing more than one household to stay together in the same location.
Still, interest has not increased much since the move to level orange on Monday, Jan. 4, according to Toby Babich, president of the Breckenridge Lodging Association.
Wild and Free, an indoor playground, is one of 13 gyms, fitness and recreation centers that have expanded capacity under the state’s 5 Star Business Certification Program.
Summit County opened the state’s 5 Star Business Certification Program to gyms and fitness centers Monday, Dec. 28, allowing expanded capacity. As of Thursday, Dec. 31, 13 centers have received the certification.
The process of certifying fitness centers comes after a major effort to certify more than 130 restaurants across the county in a single weekend. While there are fewer businesses seeking certification in the fitness industry, the expanded capacity that certification allows can make a big difference for local businesses.
Eagle County is getting ready to join the state’s new 5 Star Business Certification program, but it’s going to take a while.
The Eagle County Commissioners this week talked about establishing a framework for the program, which allows participating businesses to basically drop a level from a county’s current status on the state’s COVID-19 dial.
Summit County as of this Monday had cleared 134 restaurants to open. Summit County is currently in the state’s red classification, which tightly restricts business occupancy. Restaurants there who meet the threshold of the 5 Star program can now operate at 25% of capacity, or 50 people, whichever is fewer. That’s in accordance with the state’s orange classification.
Photo by Taylor Sienkiewicz / tsienkiewicz@summitdaily.com
Summit County’s 5 Star Business Certification Program allowed 134 restaurants to open to indoor dining over the weekend.
The program allows restaurants to reopen to in-person dining at 25% capacity or 50 people, whichever is fewer, despite the county being in level red on the state’s COVID-19 dial. The catch is that restaurants have to comply with more stringent regulations than those required for in-person dining in level orange, including spacing tables and parties at least 10 feet apart, screening customers and employees for symptoms, and gathering contact information to help with contact tracing.
If Summit County eventually moves into level orange, businesses in the five-star program can operate at capacities associated with level yellow.