Special to the Surveyor

Larimer County Public Health has issued a public health order requiring face coverings for employees and customers to enter businesses in Larimer County. 

All employees who interact with the public or other employees are required to wear face coverings. All individuals entering or in line to enter businesses must cover their nose and mouth by wearing a mask or other form of facial covering. Businesses include but are not limited to schools, recreational facilities, retail businesses, manufacturing, places of worship, and personal service establishments. 

The public health order requires face coverings for anyone over two years old. Anyone who has an underlying health condition is at higher risk for contracting COVID-19 and should remain at home during this safer at home phase. 

Larimer County residents have done a great job flattening the curve and it is important to keep up the social distancing and face covering requirements. These measures can help slow the spread of COVID-19 in the community and help Larimer county move to the next phase of COVID-19 response. 

The CDC recommends the widespread use of face coverings as a mechanism to slow the spread of COVID-19.  The primary transmission of COVID-19 is now known to be by respiratory droplets, and the transmission largely occurs in the first seven days after infection, when people are largely asymptomatic.

“Our businesses have done a great job keeping their employees in face coverings to protect customers. But we need our customers to also be protecting the employees,” says Tom Gonzales, Public Health Director for Larimer County. “Face coverings are not perfect, but paired with social distancing, we know they slow the spread of COVID-19.”

Local municipalities can be more stringent in their face covering orders. Follow the local guidance set by municipalities if it exists.

You can help slow the spread of viruses by:

• increasing distance between people to six feet to help reduce spread,
• washing hands frequently with soap and water,
• covering coughs and sneezes,
• wearing a face covering in public
• staying home,
• avoiding close contact with anyone who has cold or flu-like symptoms.