Polis urges Coloradans to wear masks, social distance during Fourth of July

The office of Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday issued the following press release about personal responsibility over the Fourth of July weekend:

Governor Jared Polis urged Coloradans to be safe, to wear masks, follow social distancing requirements, and to wash their hands this July 4th holiday weekend.

“Whether Coloradans are enjoying our great outdoors or having a cookout, people should celebrate this 4th of July by staying on the trail that leads to suppressing the virus and rebuilding our economy. That means wearing masks, practicing social distancing and good hygiene, and avoiding risky activities,” said Gov. Polis. “This Independence Day is a time to celebrate our freedom that so many fought to gain, but with freedom comes responsibility, so please exercise personal responsibility, use common sense, and err on the side of caution.”

Here are a few guidelines that Coloradans should follow:

• Make It Safer: If you choose to participate in in-person activities, keep it small, keep your distance from others, wash your hands frequently, and wear a mask. Consider a smaller gathering than in years past, and try to stay outside where transmission of coronavirus is less likely. Don’t be afraid to change your plans if you feel uncomfortable about the risk.

• Know Before You Go: Check fire bans and local COVID-19-related rules at your destination. If you plan to play in the great outdoors, be prepared with appropriate supplies. Just because we’re in the middle of a pandemic doesn’t mean we can ignore other safety rules that are meant to keep us all healthy and safe.
  
• Prevent Fires:  It’s fire season, and this year we need to be even more careful due to added threats due to COVID-19. We want to prevent situations where people have to evacuate their homes, firefighters have to deploy to camps, and the resulting smoke worsens summer air quality, which would be very bad in the middle of a pandemic where the disease attacks your respiratory system. So please skip the fireworks and campfires this year.
• How families can safely have holiday cookouts and gatherings : Summer gatherings this holiday should look different compared to a typical summer. It’s important to keep your distance and keep gatherings small. We’re asking you to continue to have less interactions with less people and do so in a safe way by wearing a face covering, remaining 6ft away from others, and washing your hands frequently. Additionally, being in an outdoor environment is ideal – we have the benefit of climate and sunshine to modify/decrease transmission.

Learn more about the risks and benefits of everyday activities