Pitkin County is ready to launch COVID-19 affidavit for visitors to the Aspen area

Lodges and businesses as affidavits are ready to be mass-distributed in Pitkin County, admitting visitors to the area with a negative COVID-19 test and asking them to understand local public health orders. Will be available on December 14th.

This is due to county manager John Peacock, who provided the Aspen City Council and County Commissioners with the latest COVID information at a joint session on Tuesday.

The goal from now to December 14th is to make guests aware of the requirements before they arrive. This creates the burden of collaborative communication between industry representatives and the government.

“One of our challenges is that we are the only county in Colorado that has this kind of requirement,” says Peacock. “Therefore, we need to work with all our partners to further promote it to ensure that our guests are aware of it. These requirements are preferably before coming, but otherwise at least after arriving here. “

The affidavit includes confirmation that the visitor has shown a negative test result within 72 hours of travel, or will be quarantined for 14 days on arrival or until a negative test result is obtained at the cost of Pitkin County. Will be.

Visitors are also asked to prove that they are asymptomatic 10 days before the trip and that they are dependents traveling with them.

Visitors are people who come all night from outside Pitkin, Eagle, or Garfield County.

This week, Pitkin County’s IT department is preparing a web-based affidavit for widespread access prior to December 14. Businesses and governments begin to send messages to those who book to come here in the future.

The affidavit will be available at local lodges, short-term rentals at check-in, and at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport, Peacock said.

“We are also working with airlines that have agreed to work with us to ensure that the affidavit requirements are part of their communication …. We are truly multi-channel. I’m trying to approach it, “said Peacock. “We are really aiming for voluntary compliance first. Next, from a public health perspective, we’ll show you how to do spot checks and how to do random sampling to request test results and more. “

Authorities recognize that it can be difficult to enforce and it will depend on the individual’s responsibility to follow the COVID protocol. But if someone tests positive in the county, they will be put under quarantine orders through the public health department, Peacock said.

The key is to limit the risk of someone coming to the area with the virus, but to manage an increasing number of cases in the neighboring Eagle and Garfield counties, where most of Aspen’s workforce lives. There is little you can do locally.

“I think we have the best possible system for our visitors, but frankly, the elephants in the room and I’m worried about the county and the county 30 miles away. It’s a commissioner who ignores the science in front of us and seems to know that much of our workforce is moving in RFTA or carpools, “said George Newman, Pitkin County Commissioner. Garfield County’s recent backlash against the state.. “This is a problem we are exposed to because other counties are reluctant to make these difficult choices … it puts us at risk and our business at risk.”

Peacock said that Pitkin County’s jurisdiction is for equal and impartial enforcement of COVID restrictions on restaurant capacity and other restrictions, as the mayor representing the front-range city pleaded with Governor Jared Polis on the same issue. Replied that it may be necessary to lobby.

Meanwhile, Aspen and its surroundings are following an increasing number of incidents that could turn Pitkin County into Rebel Red with the state’s COVID-19 dial. This means more restrictions.

Currently the state has Pitkin County Level orange There are some other voluntary restrictions. The restaurant is limited to 25% capacity and the retail is 50%. The last call at the restaurant is 9:30 pm and a curfew at 10 pm is valid at these facilities.