Gov. Jared Polis thanked Mesa County on Friday for starting its unique program to help keep businesses open while a pandemic rages around them. Started over the summer, the countyâs Variance Protection Program, also known as Five Star, has allowed businesses, including restaurants, to operate under a COVID-19 pandemic alert level lower than where counties are rated. As a result, the first restaurants and other businesses outside of Mesa County that will operate under a new statewide version of the program will be in Summit County starting this weekend. Larimer County is expected to be approved as the second county early next week.