Staff report
Colorado reached a significant vaccination milestone this week that allowed the 5-Star State Certification Program to begin Wednesday, according to a news release from Pitkin County.
The program holds local businesses that apply to a higher standard of COVID-19 safety precautions in exchange for allowing them to operate at the next lower color-coded level of restrictions than is currently in place in the county. For example, while Pitkin County currently operates under the Yellow-level restrictions, 5-Star certified businesses are allowed to operate under Blue-level restrictions.
Under Yellow restrictions, most businesses were allowed 50% capacity restrictions. Blue restrictions also limit most businesses to 50% capacity, though those limits increase depending on space available, according to state guidelines.