COVID-2019 (Coronavirus)
The City of Brighton staff continues to be in communication with local health partners, Tri-County Health Department (TCHD), and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) regarding the 2019 Coronavirus disease (COVID-2019).
Safer-at-Home and in the Vast, Great Outdoors
Adams County under Mitigation Plan due to recent rise in COVID-19 cases
To reduce the surge in positive cases, the TCHD issued a public health order for Adams County on Friday that places additional restrictions on gatherings, including prohibiting spectators at organized sporting events (including high school and adult recreational and league sports), reducing the participant size for organized recreational and league youth sports to 25 people per field (coaches excluded from this count), limiting gatherings indoors to 5 individuals and outdoors to 10 (this doesn’t apply to those living in the same household), and implementing an alcohol sales curfew of 10 p.m. The public health order will be in effect until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1, unless it is extended.
According to the public health order, the CDPHE will follow-up in ten days to access the county’s numbers and mitigation progress. If infection levels don’t improve, the county is at risk of moving from Level 2 of the State of Colorado’s Safer at Home Order to Level 3. Reverting to this level would be more restrictive, including reducing restaurant capacity, remote learning only, and potentially forcing out in-person workouts at fitness centers and gyms.
In response to the rising cases, Adams County and TCHD have launched new campaigns. TCHD’s new campaign Practice Safe Six aims to remind communities of the importance of practicing the following social distancing guidelines:
- Stay 6 feet from others
- Mask up
- Wash your hands often
- Be extra safe if you’re at higher risk
- Stay home when sick
- Get tested if you have symptoms
Adams County’s Pledge to Protect campaign urges residents to stay vigilant to help stop the spread by following social distancing guidelines.
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Per state guidelines, the City is under the Safer-at-Home and in the vast, great outdoors order. This means residents can practice social distancing in confined indoor spaces and the great outdoors.
Background: On April 26, the Tri-County Health Department extended the Stay-at-Home order to May 8 for Adams and Arapahoe counties, citing an effort to stem the on-going high level of COVID-19 virus infection in the counties. On May 9, the City of Brighton transitioned from Stay-at-Home to the state’s Safer-at-Home guidelines. The change in order means in addition to essential services like hospitals and grocery stores, many non-critical businesses, like retail shops, are able to operate in limited capacity in accordance with the state’s Safer-at-Home order.
Face Coverings
On July 16, Gov. Polis announced a statewide mandate requiring Coloradans 11 years and older to wear a covering over their noses and mouths when entering or moving within any public indoor space. This mandate excludes people 10 years and younger or those who can’t medically tolerate a face covering. This is in effect for 30 days and could be extended.
Where to get COVID-19 Testing
BRIGHTON:
Riverdale Regional Park (9755 Henderson Rd.), Brighton, CO | 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Saturdays (through Nov. 21)
- No cost, drive-up rapid nasal swab testing for residents who reside within a Brighton zip code and/or employees of a Brighton business who are currently working within the City of Brighton
- Documentation will be required (i.e. an ID card, utility bill, etc. for residents and a paycheck stub, work badge, etc. for employees)
- If you have questions regarding the testing, please call 303-655-2180
Salud Family Health Clinic | 1860 Egbert St., Brighton, CO | 8 - 11 a.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays
- Free testing via drive-thru or walk-up nasal swab testing for CO residents
- For residents with or without insurance (no co-pay required)
- Requires phone visit prior to setting an appointment - call 303-697-2583
Advanced Urgent Care | 2801 Purcell St., Brighton, CO | 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., 7 days a week
- Drive-thru testing
- Requires an appointment for testing via an online visit or by phone at 303-558-0509
- Accepts most insurance for these tests or offers reduced pricing for self-pay
ADAMS COUNTY:
Water World | 8801 N. Pecos St., Federal Heights | 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. through September (through Dec. 31)
- Up to 1,500 tests will be administered each day
- Free to get tested; No ID card, social security number or proof of insurance required to get a test
- Registration is not required, but visitors are strongly encouraged to pre-register here
The MAC Recreation Center | 3295 W. 72nd Ave., Westminster, CO | 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Aug. 13, 20, 27 (Thursdays)
- Registration is not required, no cost for the rapid test for uninsured residents
- First-come, first-served basis
- Results expected within 15 minutes of test
Former Adams County Human Services Building | 7190 Colorado Blvd., Commerce City, CO | 2 - 7 p.m. on Aug. 7, 14, 21, 28 (Fridays)
- Registration is not required, no cost for the rapid test for uninsured residents
- First-come, first-served basis
- Results expected within 15 minutes of test
Generally, if someone is experiencing symptoms and may need a COVID-19 test, they should contact their primary care provider first and get tested at a community testing site. A comprehensive list of statewide community testing sites can be found here.
For a list of TCHD testing sites and information, click here.
Closures/Reopenings
City Hall & Historic City Hall: On June 2, City Council voted to reopen Brighton City Hall and Historic City Hall. Hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. To ensure the safety of visitors, all employees are required to wear a face covering while in public areas, take their temperature upon entering city buildings and practice social distancing measures where appropriate. Any employee registering a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius will be sent home. Contact tracing will be done for every employee who tests positive for COVID-19.
Additionally, the city has taken precautionary measures to safeguard residents and visitors including sneeze guards at all customer services counters, increased sanitation and disinfection practices with EPA and CDC approved disinfectants, extra towels and spray disinfectants in communal spaces, and providing face coverings for visitors to the building if needed. Many departments are offering the opportunity to make advance appointments to eliminate waiting and lines, and many services are still available online.
Brighton Recreation Center: The Brighton Recreation Center is open to the public and as of early July, began to allow drop-ins. Some amenities still require reservation. Temperature taking and masks (per the state mandate) is required of employees, staff, and visitors who come into the facility. Those who register results of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher will have to re-test or return on a later date and test again. Hours of operation are 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Saturdays, and 12 - 4 p.m. Sundays. The Rec Center is closed twice daily for cleanings. To make a reservation, click here.
Parks and playgrounds: City parks and playgrounds and their amenities are now open to the public. According to state guidelines, playgrounds are permitted to have up to 10 people at a time. The City posted new signage at playgrounds to remind individuals of COVID-19-related health and safety measures. More here
Outdoor sport facilities for individual use (i.e. fields and tennis, basketball, and pickle ball courts): May be open to 25 people at a time per court or field. More here
City-owned parks and trails: Open, but visitors must follow social distancing guidelines of six feet between individuals and are restricted to groups of 10 or less.
Dog parks: Open, but pet owners are encouraged to wear face coverings and practice social distancing in those spaces.
Splash pads: The city’s splash pads are open. The City posted new signage at playgrounds to remind individuals of precautionary COVID-19-related health and safety measures. More here
Brighton Oasis Family Aquatic Park: Due to financial constraints related to opening the Brighton Oasis Family Aquatic Park for a shorter season and with limited capacity, City Council voted to not open the water park for the summer of 2020.
Restaurants: Per state guidelines, dine-in service may open up to 50-percent capacity, not to exceed 50 people, whichever is fewer, per room, so long as each table is at least 6 feet apart. Outdoor dine-in service is encouraged. To help maximize the number of patrons possible at each establishment, the City of Brighton is dedicated to working with restaurants, providing specific guidelines for those looking to t
emporarily expand operations safely and timely into adjacent areas including parking lots - details here.
Youth and sports camps: Per state guidelines, youth and sports camps are permitted, so long as there is adherence to guidelines set by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE). Among the restrictions are size limitations (outdoor camps of 25 people or less, indoor camps of 10 people or less) and screening of staff and volunteers for COVID-related symptoms. Click here for more.
Bars, gyms, libraries, and movie theaters: Remain closed.
Facilities that remain closed until further guidance due to state public health orders include the Eagle View Adult Center (1150 Prairie Center Pkwy.) and The Armory Performing Arts Center (300 Strong St.).
The Brighton Police Department remains open. Essential public safety services will continue and measures are in place to continue non-emergency operations.
Court sessions are suspended through at least May 31, but Court will remain open for processing cases by phone, mail, or email. All traffic tickets are eligible for the "Early Plea Guidelines" established by the City Prosecutor. All cases that aren’t eligible for this are eligible for a plea by mail at the discretion of the City Prosecutor. All Court-ordered NCTI and ISAE classes may be completed online. Restitution will be reserved in all cases for 91 days (which starts upon disposition/resolution of the case). Cases will be rescheduled to a later date when court sessions resume.
Data: Case counts, mapping, and more
Case reporting by Municipality: https://data.tchd.org/covid19/municipality/
To view case data for Adams County, visit Tri-County Health Department’s website.
To view statewide data, visit the state’s website.
To view COVID-19 cases by neighborhood and testing: https://tchdgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bcf71927e04c43dcaa4d52b445ada60e
To see COVID-19 levels by county:
https://covid19.colorado.gov/data/covid-19-dial/covid-19-dial-dashboard?fbclid=IwAR27UwTyCOp_-exuJBLp0U7fuWIQH6q0xN2dLSJqMOIB1vm7XtasdRsnZNM
To learn about TCHD's "Practice Safe Six" campaign, go to www.tchd.org/practicesafesix, https://www.tchd.org/834/Partner-Communication-Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
A list of frequently asked questions is available here. If your question is not included, please call us at 303-655-2000.
Colorado Health Emergency Line for the Public
To help answer questions about COVID-2019, the CDPHE has set up a Colorado Health Emergency Line for the Public (CO HELP) at 303-389-1687 or 1-877-462-2911. Interpretation is available in many languages including Spanish, Mandarin, and more.
COVID-19 and Water/Wastewater Treatment
Regarding COVID-19 and the city’s water and wastewater operations, coronavirus has no impact on the quality or supply of your tap water. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the COVID-19 virus has not been detected in drinking-water supplies. Based on current evidence, the risk to water supplies is low and Americans can continue to use and drink water from their tap as usual.
As required for all municipal water systems, the treatment processes used at the Water Treatment Facility removes or destroys 99.99% of all viruses.
For more information, visit the Environmental Protection Agency’s COVID-19 and drinking water web page.
News Releases
To view current news releases, go here.
COVID-19 Assistance Programs
For all current COVID-19 grants and resources, go to www.brightonco.gov/covid-19assistance.
For Residents: Household Rent and Mortgage Grant, Testing Reimbursement Grant, Child Care Assistance, etc.
For Businesses: City of Brighton Business Water and Sewer Grant, Grants for Businesses With Under 50 Employees, etc.
For Nonprofits and Community Groups: Colorado Assistance Fund
If you have any questions about these assistance programs, City Staff are ready to help, free of cost. Contact Cindy Steele at csteele@brightonco.gov or 303-655-2276.
Additional Resources
Below is reliable and up-to-date information to help you stay informed about the virus:
Safety Tips
Residents are strongly advised to continue staying at home, especially those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 (this includes people with underlying medical issues and those 65 and older). People who go out in public are urged to continue to take the following preventative measures:
Wear a face covering
Maintain six feet of distance from others
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
If you have symptoms of COVID-19, isolate yourself and contact your doctor
If you are sick, stay home
Limit non-essential travel
Here are more preventative actions recommended by the CDC - Protect yourself and others.