REMOTE, (March 23, 2021): As more Coloradans are eligible to get vaccinated and choose to do so, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has released the latest update to Colorado’s COVID-19 dial framework: Dial 3.0. The updated dial public health order goes into effect Wednesday, March 24. State officials expect that Dial 3.0 will remain in effect until mid-April, at which point the state plans to retire the dial and implement a new public health order that gives greater control over capacity restrictions to local public health agencies.
CDPHE shared a draft of the new dial on Friday, March 19, and Coloradans, partners, and stakeholders offered feedback over the weekend.
Dial 3.0 makes it easier for counties to move into Level Green: Protect Our Neighbors, the least restrictive level on the dial. It also removes many of the restrictions that currently apply at that level. Additionally, several restrictions in Level Blue are loosened in Dial 3.0. “Coloradans have made great sacrifices to protect ourselves and our communities from COVID-19 over the past year,” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, executive director, CDPHE. “While this is still a time for caution, these changes to the Dial better reflect where we are in the pandemic today, and the balance we are trying to strike between disease suppression and economic hardship.
Dial 3.0 metrics are further simplified and capacity limits are less restrictive. Download a PDF of the updated metrics and capacity limits. The state will work with counties to confirm their metrics under the new framework.