Denver extends mask-or-vaccinate mandate through February

Denver’s mask mandate, which was scheduled to expire on Monday, will be extended through Feb. 3.

New COVID-19 cases are rising rapidly, with about twice as many reported in Denver in the week ending Friday as were in the previous week. The percentage of tests coming back positive has also jumped, indicating that significant numbers of cases are likely going undetected.

A similar pattern is happening statewide as the omicron variant spreads. New COVID-19 hospital admissions have started to rise again, after falling for roughly four weeks.

Denver, Jefferson, Adams and Arapahoe counties announced in late November that they were instating mask mandates in indoor public spaces, while Broomfield said it would only require masks in school, child care facilities and county-run buildings. Boulder County has had a mandate since September.

All opted to extend their mandates, with some differences. Broomfield’s will expire Jan. 31, while Boulder and Jefferson counties pegged theirs to metrics like case counts rather than a date.