The Pitkin County Board of Health during a special meeting Monday voted unanimously to ban indoor dining. The public health order will go into effect at 12 a.m. Sunday.
At Monday’s virtual meeting, to which more than 1,000 people tuned in, restaurateurs and members of the service industry made their plea for keeping local eateries' and watering holes' doors open. A petition vying to keep restaurants in Aspen open garnered nearly 3,400 signatures as of 6 p.m. Monday.
"Pitkin County has the second highest incidence rate in the state, which means one in 35 residents are currently infected with COVID-19. This is impacting our ability to reach agreed-upon community goals that include in-person learning, indoor economic activity (restaurants/retail), increased transportation capability and winter tourism," a Pitkin County press release reads.
Takeout, curbside and delivery services will continue, as will outdoor dining, albeit only until 8 p.m. and only among tables shared by individual households. Lodging, too, will be limited to single households per unit and the sector will experience a 50% capacity cap.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
