Denver Mayor Michael Hancock speaks on Monday, March 23, 2020.
Monday, Mayor Michael Hancock issued a stay-at-home order for residents of the city and county of Denver that will go into effect on Tuesday, March 24 at 5 p.m. MDT and stay in effect until April 10 and possibly beyond.
"This isn't a recommendations any more. People need to stay at home," Mayor Hancock said. "Every effort needs to be made by all of us to conduct only those activities that are essential to health and well-being."
The Mayor has ordered all non-essential businesses to close as of 5 p.m. MDT on Tuesday, March 24 until at least April 10.
Originally, liquor stores and recreational marijuana dispensaries were to close. At around 5 p.m. MDT on Monday, March 23, however, the city and county of Denver amended the original order and will now allow those establishments "with extreme physical distancing" in place to remain open.
The full order is available here. Keep in mind the changes in the tweet below.
This is the original list of exemptions:
Full remarks from Mayor Hancock.
This is the order from the City and County of Denver.
It is also available here.
City and County of Denver COVID-19 Response Update
Mar 20, 2020
Denver– The City and County of Denver has issued an amended public health order to align with the state’s directive related to public gatherings and additional business closures.
- Consistent with current CDC guidelines and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Denver’s amended public health order now requires that all events and gatherings of more than ten (10) persons shall be canceled or postponed until May 11, 2020.
- The city is also aligning with the state’s directive to order the closure of “non-essential personal services,” which includes, but are not limited to, hair or nail salons, spas, or tattoo or massage parlors.
- The amended order strongly encourages that all people in the City and County of Denver stay home and businesses implement work from home policies and delivery of goods to the greatest extent possible. The amended order also calls for Denver Metro regional municipalities to follow the broad consensus among public health professionals that every effort should be made, by all persons, to conduct only those essential activities necessary to promote health and well-being, such as getting groceries, obtaining medical supplies or medication, and/or engaging in outdoor activities like walking, hiking or running, so long as social distancing practices are strictly followed.
“This is not a ‘shelter in place’ order, this is an update to our public health order following the new public health advice we have received over the past several days. People and businesses need to take social distancing seriously to make an impact on the spread of this virus,” Mayor Michael B. Hancock said. “The safety of our community is our priority. In a call today with regional mayors and commissioners, I urged regional awareness and coordination to make these steps work, because it can’t just be Denver alone taking this approach. I urge everyone to stay informed, have patience and keep their spirits up as we work to protect all of our residents during this time.”
See attached amended public health order for additional information.