Boulder County Updates Mask Order: What To Know

BOULDER COUNTY, CO — Boulder County updated its mask order Wednesday to allow small, vaccinated groups to gather in low-risk settings without covering their faces. The updated order will remain in effect for 30 days.

People are still required to wear masks — regardless of their vaccination status — in businesses, healthcare centers and other public indoor spaces, Boulder County Public Health said.

"In certain lower risk settings that are not public facing such as office areas, individuals may remove their face coverings when there are nine or fewer unvaccinated individuals or individuals of unknown vaccination status present in the space," the agency said in a news release.

"Face coverings may also be removed in such lower risk, non-public-facing settings such as an office or a private event if at least 80% of those individuals are fully vaccinated and have shown proof of vaccination."

Businesses and event organizers still need to ensure that everyone is wearing masks the entire time they are in a public indoor space, unless an exception applies, public health officials said. Signs that notify customers of mask requirements must remain at the entrances of businesses.

“As restrictions gradually ease, it is important to continue assessing our individual risks when it comes to face coverings,” said Lexi Nolen, Boulder County Public Health acting executive director. “While we are making great strides, we need to protect those who are not able to get vaccinated yet, such as children.”

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Around 67 percent of eligible Boulder County residents have received at least their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, officials said.

“We still recommend that people age two and older and who have not been vaccinated continue to practice social distancing, handwashing and using face coverings whenever they are near members of other households,” Nolen said. “It is also very important that we continue to get vaccinated because all of these strategies will help us stop this pandemic.”

Boulder County Public Health posted the following list of settings in which people must wear masks — regardless of their vaccination status or group size:

• Preschool through 12th grade (including extracurricular activities), childcare centers and services, and indoor children’s camps, regardless of whether a license is required for such activities.
• Public areas of state government facilities, county or municipal government facilities, and areas of such government facilities where members of the public come into contact with government employees.
• Congregate care facilities, including nursing facilities, assisted living residences, intermediate care facilities and group homes.
• Prisons and jails.
• Emergency medical and other healthcare settings, including hospitals, ambulance service centers, urgent care centers, non-ambulatory surgical structures, clinics, medical offices and non-urgent care medical structures.
• Retail stores, grocery stores and the public-facing portion of any other business.
• Personal services, such as massage, hair salons, barbers, etc.
• Limited healthcare settings, such as acupuncture, athletic training, audiology services, etc.
• When 100 or more unvaccinated people or individuals of unknown vaccination status are in a room in a public indoor space.
• As required by the CDC, Children ages two years or older must wear masks while on conveyances and at transportation hubs, such as shared rides and public transportation.

>> Anyone with questions about the mask order is asked to contact the Boulder County Call Center at 720-776-0822 or view the COVID-19 information on the county's public health website.