COVID In Colorado: Counties Join Partnership To Ease Back Into Fully Reopening

DENVER (CBS4) - While state mandates for masks and limits on large-capacity, indoor gatherings remain in place, the state's COVID-19 dial will soon retire. Now, local health departments will have local control of COVID-19 health guidelines.

A Metro Denver Partnership for Health will now help map out what life looks like for Coloradans.

Participating counties include:

Boulder
Broomfield
Jefferson
Denver
Arapahoe
Adams

"We think this regional approach will do three things; first, it's going to give us an extra month  to provide our residents with more vaccinations; secondly, we think it's a smart approach balancing thoughtful caution with our desire to fully reopen; third, we think it creates predictability over the next several months," said John Douglas, Tri-County Health Department.

The state COVID-19 dial expires on April 16. After that, participating counties will move to the next least restrictive level for one month. On May 16, counties will move to level clear which means local restrictions and capacities will be lifted. During this phase, health officials will observe metrics and respond accordingly.

Tri-County Health Department told CBS4's Andrea Flores on April 12 it would implement the same framework, although it expected Douglas County to opt out of the guidelines.