State health department releases guide to help people make decisions  

As restrictions on gatherings are loosened, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has released a guide to help people understand the potential risks of travel and a variety of other optional activities. 

In Colorado, most things that can be done with prevention precautions in place are open. While there is no way to ensure zero risk of infection, deciding whether an activity is worth the risk is an individual decision. 

“People need to be informed, then use their judgement to make individual decisions about what works best for them, their household members, and their communities,” said state epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy, CDPHE. “We really need everyone’s help to contain COVID-19 in Colorado. We all need to have fewer interactions with fewer people while maintaining social distancing.” 

People should first consider whether they or the people they live with have any extra risk of serious illness from COVID-19, Herlihy said. People with extra risks should aim to limit in-person interactions with others as much as they can, and carefully consider the risks and benefits of activities in which they choose to participate. 

After that, there are a number of important considerations, including whether the activity is indoors or outdoors, the group size, and the amount of time spent doing the activity. And there are a number of ways to make activities safer, including wearing a face covering, spending less time, and maintaining physical distance. 

Visit the department’s risk and benefits web page to learn more. Continue to stay up to date by visiting covid19.colorado.gov.