Photo by Jason Connolly / From Summit Daily Archives
Summit County officials reported a coming expansion to other local industries for the state’s 5 Star Business Certification Program on Tuesday, Dec. 22, after the program allowed more than 100 county restaurants to reopen indoor dining amid level red restrictions.
Barring an uptick in the county’s COVID-19 case rate, the five-star program will expand to gym, fitness and yoga studio businesses beginning Monday, Dec. 28, said Summit County Public Health Director Amy Wineland. She said these businesses should be able to begin applying for the program on Monday.
The application process for recreation businesses will be the same as restaurants, where businesses apply through their towns, with the towns responsible for completing business inspections. Summit County Manager Scott Vargo said all towns in the county are on board for this expansion of the program.
Skiers and riders board the Centennial Express Chair at Beaver Creek earlier this month. While neighboring counties are feeling the pinch from Level Red restrictions, Eagle County has managed to remain in the less-restrictive Level Orange during the critical holiday period for the local economy.
Chris Dillmann/cdillmann@vaildaily.com
Colorado mountain towns along Interstate 70 face a range of public health restrictions during a traditionally busy holiday time for visitors during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Some counties are in the Level Orange, a high-risk category on the state’s COVID-19 dial, while some are in Level Red, a severe-risk category. Others are now operating in hybrids between the two.
Photo by Taylor Sienkiewicz / tsienkiewicz@summitdaily.com
Summit County’s 5 Star Business Certification Program allowed 134 restaurants to open to indoor dining over the weekend.
The program allows restaurants to reopen to in-person dining at 25% capacity or 50 people, whichever is fewer, despite the county being in level red on the state’s COVID-19 dial. The catch is that restaurants have to comply with more stringent regulations than those required for in-person dining in level orange, including spacing tables and parties at least 10 feet apart, screening customers and employees for symptoms, and gathering contact information to help with contact tracing.
If Summit County eventually moves into level orange, businesses in the five-star program can operate at capacities associated with level yellow.
The Summit County Public Health Department is investigating an outbreak of at least 16 cases among sales team members and contracted workers at Breckenridge Grand Vacations.
According to a news release, the department began investigating the outbreak Nov. 25 after receiving several positive test results from employees, all of whom were tested between Nov. 18 and Dec. 1.
While company management had implemented rules for the sales office requiring masks, symptom checks and disinfecting some employees were disregarding those rules, according to the news release.
4. Vail Resorts cancels some guest reservations at Breckenridge
Additional capacity restrictions and limited open terrain are causing headaches at ski areas across Summit County, leading to canceled reservations at Breckenridge Ski Resort last weekend.
Diners peruse the menu at Modis while seated in the restaurant s outdoor dining area. The restaurant has added heaters and a tent to keep customers warm while indoor dining is not allowed. The new five star program will allow indoor dining for restaurants that qualify.
Summit County restaurants are now able to apply for the 5 Star Business Certification Program, allowing them to open with less restrictive capacity measures than are currently allowed in level red.
Although the program was included in Summit County’s amended public health order, which will go into effect Saturday, Dec. 19, the county is still in the process of applying for a variance to implement the program locally.