City of Denver lifting mandatory mask and vaccine requirements for businesses

[madville]

The city of Denver will lift many of its indoor mask and COVID-19 vaccine mandates later this week. “Beginning Friday, people will no longer be required, under a public health order, to wear a mask or show proof of vaccination for entry into a business" in the city, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock (D) wrote in a tweet.

“Organizations that serve vulnerable populations, other businesses and venues may decide to continue to require masks or proof of vaccination. They are well within their rights to do so, and we should support them. Please do not give them a hard time,” Hancock tweeted. “Don't get too comfortable. This virus is something we’re still going to have to manage and learn to live with.”

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/592184-denver-dropping-mask-vaccine-mandates-this-week



The mayor said the current public health order would expire Friday and would not be renewed at this time. However, he and Denver Department of Public Health and Environment Executive Director Bob McDonald said masks will continue to be required at schools and child care facilities.

McDonald said modeling from the state indicates that lifting the face covering requirement this week would have “little change” on the trajectory of the number of cases and hospitalizations in Denver and in the metro area, which have fallen sharply in recent weeks.
“Omicron has run out of fuel within our community,” McDonald said, adding that between the levels of vaccination and boosters in Denver, and the levels of infection from the omicron variant, indicated that this week would be a safe time to lift the requirements.

https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/coronavirus/denver-to-drop-mask-or-vax-requirement-friday-for-businesses-still-required-in-schools

[CrispyQ]

1. I guess the whole world has just given up on trying to contain this.

I'll be masking up for a long time.

[beaglelover]

2. Good news. It's time for the USA to do this nationwide.

Hopefully more and more cities will follow Denver's lead shortly.

[Ace Rothstein]

4. A bunch of counties in the Baltimore area dropped their restrictions.

California is expected to expire in 2 weeks. I'd really like to see them drop the testing requirements for the vaccinated returning home on international flights.

[AntivaxHunters]

7. No this is awful news

and will cause more infection. It also puts people who are immunocompromised at risk.
None of this is good.

[liberal_mama]

33. It is awful for immune compromised people like myself. I'm so sick of these babies whining about

wearing a mask to protect the vulnerable. Maybe soon these whiners will be immune compromised themselves and they will see how it feels.

[Shrek]

15. +1

I would also like to see mask requirements dropped for air travel.

[beaglelover]

16. Me too. I still may wear one on a flight during cold and flu season. But wearing one should

be voluntary NOT madatory.

[Raine]

22. Agree 👍 I hope others follow too. nt

[BootinUp]

3. Seems a little optimistic to me, but wha do

I know.

[BeckyDem]

5. This makes no sense to me.

[Hotler]

6. Money interest leaning on the mayor is my guess. Seems too soon and odd. nt

[gldstwmn]

9. I'm sure that's it. Denver likes it's tourism dollars.

Adams and Arapahoe have for profit jails. They have always been about the money. Arapahoe borders Douglas County which went complete MAGA, anti vax, freedom Jesus, no masks ever a while ago. They even removed themselves from the Tri County health department. The school board down there in the news today for some kerfuffle which I'd bet stems from masks or Vax or both. Sigh.

[Hotler]

26. Douglas County, West Texas of Denver. nt

[gldstwmn]

29. For real. Lol.

[gldstwmn]

8. It's still in effect in Boulder, Broomfield and Jefferson counties.

I wouldn't go anywhere where there is a large group of unmasked people unless I had to. I wonder if the airport is included in this. I feel bad for service industry and retail workers in Denver, Arapahoe and Adams counties.

[Vinca]

10. I guess the whole "I'm done with Covid" uttered by Maher's guest is catching.

Just wait until they realize Covid isn't done with them.

[Ace Rothstein]

11. Looking at a lot of responses here, the next few weeks are going to be tough for a lot of posters.

This is likely only the beginning of the rolling back and expiration of mandates. I don't expect much to be left by Easter.

[beaglelover]

12. From your mouth to God's ears. Here's hoping!!!

[Wingus Dingus]

14. It's a little difficult to suddenly stop wearing a mask--

you feel kinda naked without it. I stopped wearing one last spring, post-vaccination but before Delta was everywhere, and it felt weird. Then I got used to NOT wearing one, and by mid-August I was wearing one again. But my husband has gotten over Omicron as of this week, I was exposed to it but testing negative, we're both triple-vaxxed so we're gonna be done with masking unless a place wants us to.

[Dorian Gray]

23. I think you're right

and I'm trying to wrap my brain around it. Transmission is still high in NYC. I think I'll certainly keep wearing my mask in public.

The good news is we have a) masks that work to protect you. If you are concerned and want to keep masking, an N95, KN95, KN94, FFFP2 all work to protect the person wearing the mask, even if others aren't masked around you. That is a positive thing.

b) Therepuetics are increasing.

c) Hospitalizations and deaths are down.

Masking for me is no big deal. I work from home, so I don't have to mask all day. My daughter and her teachers do, though. While I think most of them will continue to mask at school far beyond when the mandate is lifted, I also think that it's time to start announcing the lifting of mandates. Especially tied to safer infection/hospitalization/death rates.

People are really fatigued. This has been hard for everybody.

[mnhtnbb]

13. I wish it would run out of fuel around here.

We still have almost 30%positivity rate, although number of cases is down a lot. Masks still mandated in my county and two neighboring counties.

[madville]

17. My prediction is we see more relaxing before the midterms

Everyone is tired of it, anyone can get vaxxed for free, wear a mask if you want to, if you’re high risk continue to distance and take more precautions. Most people just seem to be over it and kids need to get back to normal routines for their mental health.

[beaglelover]

20. I agree with your post 100%!

[LuckyCharms]

18. Sure. Why not. a good portion of Americans are too whiny and weak

to do something that may help someone else stay safe anyway.

You know, it's too hard for them to wear a mask.

A fabric.

Too hard for them to put a piece of fabric over their face.

Can't say I blame them.

It's a teensy bit uncomfortable.

[madville]

19. The science is showing that masking

Is less and less effective as the virus variants become more contagious. That’s not saying that N95 and double masking are not effective in controlled environments like healthcare, they are very effective.

But making people wear just a simple cloth mask or the loose fitting disposable “surgical” masks just to show they are wearing something is on the way out. It is what it is but I think the politicians are tired of it too, ready to just give up.

[Dorian Gray]

24. I mean

if people really want to protect themselves and others, they shouldn't be wearing fabric masks anymore.

And wearing an N95 mask all day is hard.

But let's mock people.

[LuckyCharms]

25. Ok, let's.

I wear an N95 covered with a surgical mask for hours when I am in a public setting.

I also wear one when exerting myself if I am anywhere near anyone else.

Why exactly is it "hard"? How do surgeons manage? How do nurses manage?

But I agree with your first sentence, I've never worn solely a fabric mask to begin with.

The point I'm trying to make is this. People have been through a lot throughout history. Soldiers have sacrificed their lives and limbs. The people I'm mocking are the "patriots" who believe that wearing a mask is all about them. They are the people who are actually mocking everyone else who has sacrificed far more, FAR MORE than having to wear a mask. And if wearing a mask can make someone else feel just a bit safer in this hellish landscape, I'm certainly willing to do that even if for THEIR benefit.

My real beef is what I just stated, as well as I believe that not only should masks be mandated while this virus is still staging as a pandemic, but the TYPE of mask should be mandated, and the PROPER wearing of it should be mandated. Maybe then, we wouldn't be looking forward to the next variant, followed by the next variant, followed by the next. It's not real hard to find N95's these days, and KN95's are practically falling out of the sky. As someone with multiple conditions, I bristle when a person who does not want to wear a mask tells me that people like me need to take more precautions when they are whooping it up because the government tells them they don't have to wear a mask anymore.

[BootinUp]

27. The problem is this is not just a medical decision for many

but a political one. I am against changing guidance for political reasons.

[LuckyCharms]

28. Agreed. n/t

[Dorian Gray]

31. I understand why you're bristling

I've said in this thread that I wear a mask and I will continue to wear a mask even if there aren't mandates.

But, it is difficult for younger kids to wear an N95 mask all day. Breathing is harder for people in them, especially if they're running around or getting out of breath, as kids often do.

My daughter (11) wears a KN95 to school. She's fine in it. But it sucks for her when she's doing basketball in it. Hard to breathe. Exertion makes it harder for kids to breathe.

I live in the bluest area of Brooklyn. People here will mask and get boosted and boost their kids and get their under 5s vaccinated ASAP.

But the reality is that people in other areas aren't doing the same. I can take the subway to many NYC neighborhoods where it's night and day. And forget about suburbia. Most people from my hometown in suburban NJ don't wear masks when they go into stores at all.

The mandates will go. People won't wear them. It's scary. It's going to require more of people who want to protect themselves. Like you said, N95 masks, as well sas KN94, KN95 and FFFP2 masks, which all work well to protect individuals, are widely available for those of us who do want to continue to mask.

I have asthma and thrombophilia. I don't want Covid. I will continue to protect myself with everything that comes my way and I hope those things will protect people all around us too. Being angry about people not taking this seriously will only get us so far. We need to figure out what we can do to help ourselves as the restrictions are going to be loosened.

[LuckyCharms]

34. +1 Thank you, and I understand.

Best wishes and best of luck to you, and to us.

[Texaswitchy]

21. Well we be having booster shots for a long time.

I will wear my mask.


It doesn't bother me.


The virus will just mutant.

[LowerManhattanite]

30. We really have been feckless f*cking babies about this...

…in this country from jump.

Large swaths of this country BARELY put any restrictions in order. Some did for a few weeks. Many more did so in word and willfully opted not to enforce. But you’d think folks were oppressively Winston Smith-ed out here or something with the ‘Homigawd—IT WAS JUST TOO MUCH!”-ing.

What this pandemic exposed is just how tough we are NOT, how selfish we ARE, and how utterly unable we are to deal with real adversity.

We are very much, to a person—all out here on our own. A “nation” in borders only. Answerable to the pressure of the dollar only. Good luck to those “tired” (from jump) of caring.

[Cha]

32. Good to know.. my hometown is

on it!

TY

[Dial H For Hero]

35. Fine with me. I reside in nearby Jefferson County, and tomorrow they'll decide whether or not

to follow suit.