Industry News
Pitkin County, CO, home to Aspen’s four ski areas, will require visitors to declare that they have had a negative covid-19 test 72-hours before arriving, county manager Jon Peacock announced on Tuesday. Travelers unable to provide proof of a negative test will be required to quarantine for 14-days or obtain a test at their own cost, reports the Aspen Daily News.
The affidavit, to be enforced from December 14th, will also ask visitors to confirm that they and their party have been symptom-free for ten days prior to their visit.
A visitor is anyone who is traveling from outside of Pitkin, Eagle, or Garfield counties. If anybody arrives at their lodging without proof of a recent negative test, the quarantine measures go into effect. The county is not in a position to turn people away.
The five-paged web-based affidavit is available to sign from today but is not being enforced until 14th December to give businesses time to communicate with customers.
“One of our challenges is Pitkin County is the only county in Colorado that will have these types of requirements, and so it’s going to take an extra push in partnership with all of our partners to make sure guests are aware of these requirements, hopefully before they come, but if not, at least after they get here.”
– Jon Peacock, county manager
The county is looking at how they can enforce the affidavit, including sending consumer protection teams into the community to conduct spot checks. Covid task force teams would conduct random samplings, requiring those selected to provide evidence of their negative COVID-19 tests.
Commissioner Greg Poschman thanks having the strictest policy in the state might actually be a selling point, and appealing to winter tourists.
Pitkin County currently sits at ‘Level Orange’ on the state’s covid-19 ‘stay at home’ dial, on the brink of a ‘Level Red’ declaration from the state. That would result in the closing of all indoor dining and office and gym capacities reduced to 10%.
