In-person classes to resume as county amends restrictions
University of Colorado Boulder will resume some in-person classes next week as coronavirus cases among students have steadily decreased following stringent university restrictions and public health orders.
Chancellor Phil Distefano announced the change Wednesday, following a Boulder County Board of Health meeting where the board approved two new public health orders scaling back restrictions on gatherings of 18to 22-year-olds and people living in collegiate group homes.
In a letter to campus, Distefano praised the “amazing job” done by students in abiding by public health orders to bring the number of new cases down.
“We expect most classes to fully return to their original fall 2020 instructional modes by this date, with exceptions based on specific public health requirements and individual faculty requests, subject to department chair and dean approvals,” Distefano wrote.
Boulder County Public Health Executive Director Jeff Zayach also praised the efforts of young people in reducing the number of new cases.
“The reason it’s working is our students have really stepped up and taken responsibility for the behaviors that are needed to drive this down,” Zayach told the Board
of Health on Wednesday. “That is what’s allowing us to be on a downward trend right now.”
Public health officials in mid-september banned gatherings of more than two 18- to 22-year-olds amid a surge of coronavirus cases among off-campus students, and new cases among that age group have steadily decreased since. The new public health orders go into effect at noon today.
The public health orders were approved by the Board of Health on Wednesday, though not immediately published online. Boulder County Public Health provided summaries of the orders on its website.
The first public health order gives a framework for restrictions on group sizes for 18- to 22-year-olds, which will vary based on the twoweek average of new cases per 100,000 people for that age group, 14-day positivity rate and testing rates. The rules around groups of young people does not apply to in-person learning, though group sizes now apply to people living in the same house.
For now, restrictions on group sizes will remain the same — up to two 18- to 22year-olds to gather for social gatherings, dining or any other regulated gatherings like fitness classes or university events. Boulder County Public Health will evaluate changing to a less restrictive level on Tuesday, according to Distefano’s letter.
Boulder County Public
Health still has approximately 200 open case investigations related to the CU Boulder outbreak, Zayach said.
If metrics improve to Level B, 18- to 22-year-olds will be able to gather in groups of up to four people as well as participate in fitness classes, university activities and other regulated events regardless of group size.
If the 14-day average for new cases among 18- to 22year-olds falls below 250, the case positivity rate is below 5% and testing rates are consistent with the broader population, that age group can return to “baseline” restrictions, which lines up with what’s in place for the county and/or state as a whole.
But increasingly high cases, positivity rates and less testing will result in higher levels of restriction and smaller group sizes. The county will use a five-day average for new cases and case positivity when looking at moving into more restrictive levels. The data will be made public three times a week and the level can only be changed once every two weeks.
The county also will consider other outbreaks, public health order violations, compliance with contact tracing and surveillance testing rates when moving to different levels.
The second public health order states that collegiate group homes — mainly fraternities and sororities — can be released from stay-athome orders after Oct. 12 if they submit and Boulder County Public Health approves a plan for isolation, disinfection and infection prevention.
Boulder County Public Health targeted 37 properties with a mandatory stayat-home order, among which were Greek houses and several properties cited for egregious public health violations, like throwing large parties.
There have been no citations at any of the properties for violating public health orders in the last two weeks, according to Boulder County Public Health.
Six of the properties that are not collegiate group homes will have their stayat-home orders expire today.
Group living requirements include weekly testing for residents who have not had coronavirus in the past three months; an agreement to cooperate with public health officials in contact tracing and containment; limitations on visitors and weekly check-ins with the city of Boulder to assure compliance. Group homes are defined as five or more higher education students in group living arranged by a third party.
Boulder on Wednesday also amended an emergency order regarding last calls for alcohol. The order banning alcoholic beverages being sold after 10 p.m. will remain in effect until at least Oct. 15. The order had been set to expire today.