COVID In Colorado: The State's New "Dial 3.0" Goes Into Effect Today

DENVER (CBS4) - New lessened COVID restrictions go into effect in Colorado statewide. The move comes as more Coloradans become eligible to get vaccinated, and numbers of those who have gotten vaccinated continued to rise.

The loosening makes it easier for counties to move to Level Green, the lowest on the dial. Those that must remain in Level Blue will also see loosened restrictions. The biggest change are the metrics. With Dial 3.0, any county with up to 35 COVID cases per 100,000 people can move to Level Green. As counties can maintain that status for one week, they will be eligible to move to Level Green. The certification process to do so has been removed.

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The threshold for Level Blue is any number of cases between 36 and 100 per 100,000 people.

Bars can now open at 25% or 75 people, whichever is fewer. Retail, office, and non-critical manufacturing can increase their in-person workforce up to 75%, up from 50% under Dial 2.0.

Counties are now given autonomous control over outdoor events. State-level capacity restrictions for outdoor events have been completely removed. Personal gathering size restrictions, indoor or outdoor, have also been completely removed.

5 Star restaurants and gyms in Levels Blue and Green can operate at 100% capacity if 6 feet of social distancing can be implemented.

Indoor events, seated or unseated, that are 5 Star-certified can operate at 50% of capacity with a Level Blue limit of 50%. 5 Star seated indoor events in Level Yellow areas can operate at 50% with a cap at 225 people. Unseated indoor events in Level Yellow areas are limited to 175 people.

State official shave said they expect Dial 3.0 to remain into effect through mid-April.