El Paso County Coronavirus Update: Courthouse Staff Member Tests Positive, Variance Scaled Back
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4) - Operations at the El Paso County Courthouse have been largely put on hold because a member of the court staff tested positive for COVID-19. The news came across on Monday along with the update that the county also has had to walk back parts of their coronavirus health variance. Changes had to be made after a rise in coronavirus cases.
Indoor capacity in El Paso County has been reduced to 100 people. More testing has to be made available, and teleworking has been strongly advised by city and county leaders.
The courthouse operations are now limited "to essential functions only for at least the next two weeks." CBS4 partner KKTV reported that there will now be a contact tracing effort launched to try to limit the spread of coronavirus.
"After notifying the El Paso County Department of Public Health ... about the exposure, he instructed us to notify all individuals in the courtrooms where the staff member was present to quarantine for 14 days from date of exposure. We are working closely with the Department of Health to gather additional information and to make these contact tracing notifications. To do so most effectively, and in the interest of public safety, all jury trials and most other in-person hearings are now postponed until further notice," Chief Judge William Bain said.