Industry News
Summit County, CO, has failed in its efforts to reduce new covid-19 cases, so beginning 5 pm Friday 6th November 2020 will move from Level 2 on the state’s ‘safer at home’ dial to Level 3.
The county, home to Breckenridge, Arapahoe Basin, Copper Mountain, and Keystone ski areas, introduced further restrictions and reduced the capacity of outdoor events from 175 to 75 and indoor events from 100 to 25 in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus. Summit County has one of the highest rates of new coronavirus cases in the state.
On 29th October, Summit County reported a two-week incidence rate of 539 new cases per 100,000 people and a positivity rate of 10.8%, writes Summit Daily. A week later, the incidence rate is 794 cases per 100,000 people, and the positivity rate is 14.3%.
Level 3 restrictions require that restaurants and retail stores run at 25% capacity. There is no guidance for ski areas if a county enters Level 3. However, the highest, and final level, would be a total stay at home order, essentially closing ski resorts. For this to happen, the test positivity rate has to exceed 15%; it’s currently 10.6%. A 10 pm curfew will also be enforced due to the incidence rate being so high.
The recent rise in cases can be traced back to Labor Day celebrations and gatherings, and county officials are concerned about the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.
“Really try to avoid any gathering as much as possible. Really consider whether you want to have your traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday plans.”
– Public Health Director Amy Wineland
In a recent blog post, Arapahoe Basin COO Alan Henceroth said that if we want to enjoy winter, the time to act is now. Wear your masks, maintain social distancing, and keep to small groups.
Across the pond in Europe, France, Germany, and Austria have all entered lockdowns, forcing their ski resorts to close. Just yesterday, Winter Park Resort, in Grand County, CO, announced they would be postponing their opening day due to, among other things, ‘health concerns’.
