El Paso County moves to less COVID-19 restrictions for events and businesses
State dial framework ended on April 15, mask order remains in place. Read the news release here.
While you wait for your COVID-19 test results
Quarantine is separating an individual who has been exposed to a communicable disease, such as COVID-19, from other people who are not sick and who have not been exposed. Someone who is exposed to COVID-19 has a higher chance of becoming ill with the disease. When someone quarantines, this can prevent the disease from spreading if the individual becomes ill.
These instructions are for people who need to quarantine because they have been exposed to COVID-19 and are not fully vaccinated. Three options for quarantine are allowable in the state of Colorado. They are listed here with the safest option first. Regardless of the option selected, if you develop symptoms at any time in the 14 days after your exposure, you should seek testing for COVID-19 and you must begin isolation for illness with COVID-19. Your quarantine should start after the date of your last exposure.
Length of quarantine? | Is testing required? | Who should use this option? |
14 days | No | People who have regular close contact with high-risk individuals. This includes people who live or work in residential or congregate living facilities. People who had close contact with a case infected with a COVID-19 variant virus |
10 days | No | This quarantine period is appropriate for most people who do not have contact with high risk individuals. |
7 days | Yes | The 7-day quarantine with testing is the least preferred option and not recommended by EPCPH in most cases. People who do not have contact with high-risk individuals and have a negative test collected 48 hours before the quarantine is discontinued (on day 5 or later). |
Isolation is for sick people and people who test positive for COVID-19. It means people should be in isolation (stay away from others) until:
Please see our testing information page.
Distancing and wearing a mask significantly lowers the risk, similar to wearing a helmet while playing football or wearing a seatbelt in a car, however, these steps do not eliminate risk entirely. This is why quarantine may still be necessary even if someone is doing everything “right.”
Individuals have different quarantine lengths of time based on the last day they were in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. Different end dates simply mean they were last in contact with someone who has COVID-19 on different days.
Our goal is to protect you, your friends, family and our community. We understand that staying at home or not going to work is a difficult ask, but it protects our community by preventing the spread of illness.
Yes. Masks lower, but do not completely prevent transmission. Maintaining social distancing and proper hand hygiene are also other prevention methods. It is important to remember that one prevention method should not be used alone.
Being sick with or exposed to COVID may cause many different and strong emotions that may feel hard to manage on your own. There are many resources available to help. Please click here for more information and for local resources that are available.
A negative test result during quarantine does not end the quarantine early because it can take up to 14 days to become ill and test positive.
Some employers are required to allow paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave during this pandemic under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Any private employer with less than 500 but more than 50 employees are covered under this act, but there are some exceptions. The US Department of Labor has more information. You can also try calling the Colorado Unemployment Office at 303-536-5615. This call center for pandemic related assistance is open Monday to Friday from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M.