City and County of Denver COVID-19 Response Update

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Monday, March 16, 2020

Denver – Mayor Michael B. Hancock today announced important updates to the City and County of Denver’s response to COVID-19. The order also includes the closure of all restaurants and bars, except airport concessioners, to onsite seating, effective 8 a.m. on Tuesday, March 17, for eight weeks until May 11. Delivery, carry-out and drive-through services are still permitted and encouraged. The Denver Department of Public Health & Environment will continuously monitor the situation.

The amended order with new closure periods covers all previous closure announcements the city has made to this point, and may change in the future.

“We know these increased measures have an impact on people’s day-to-day lives, and our local businesses are being hit hard, but these are steps we must take in order to do our part to reduce people’s exposure to this virus,” Mayor Hancock said. “With these increased measures, our primary focus remains on supporting the vulnerable populations who will be most affected, and the service providers who are working overtime to help them right now.”

To support neighbors experiencing homelessness, Denver is working through existing partnerships with community-based service providers, communicating daily with partners providing overnight shelter, day shelter, street outreach, permanent supportive housing, harm reduction, and caring for other basic needs like food, showers, and laundry.  These partners need volunteers, supplies, and donations – and especially personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies.

Residents who are young, healthy and showing no signs or symptoms of the virus can assist providers, both large and small, as volunteers to help prepare meals, distribute supplies, and help keep our shelter facilities clean and safe for our guests and workers. The City and County of Denver has partnered with Mile High United Way to make it easy to help. Visit unitedwaydenver.org/COVID-relief.

Not everyone is able to volunteer in person, so a donation account is already established to accept donations to help our shelters and other service providers purchase much-needed supplies. Just visit https://secure.donationpay.org/milehighunitedway/HHSF.php and our partners at the Mile High United Way will take it from there. No matter how you contribute, the community is grateful for your support.

Residents who wish to donate cleaning supplies or masks can drop them off at La Alma Lincoln Park (880 Newport St) and Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Centers (1325 W. 11th Ave.) from 1 – 4 p.m. Monday-Friday.

The city is working on multiple options to ensure that everyone has someplace safe and clean to go to, including the city’s existing real estate inventory and other available facilities to ensure enough space for supplemental shelter and activated respite care.

Denver has installed handwashing stations throughout the city, distributed maps of their locations. The Wellness Winnie continues to distribute wellness kits and behavioral health support.

Denver is also partnering with Denver Public Schools to ensure youth 18 and under continue to receive food assistance while schools are closed. DPS will offer free, grab-and-go-style breakfast and lunch to students at 11 school locations throughout the city. Dinners will be served in a similar fashion at 18 recreation centers throughout the city . Meal service begins today and will continue through Friday, April 3. For times and locations, visit the DPS website: www.dpsk12.org . Anyone in need of food assistance benefits through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can apply through colorado.gov/peak.

To further protect the public health and safety of the community, and to help limit the spread of COVID-19, Denver’s motor vehicle branches will be closed to the public beginning Monday, March 16 until further notice. This will provide a grace period for expired vehicle registrations and for newly purchased vehicles that have not yet been registered through April 9, 2020 while the Governor’s State of Emergency declaration is in effect. Residents are urged to use online motor vehicle services available at www.denvergov.org/dmv.

The Denver Sheriff Department will temporarily be redeploying sheriff deputies away from evictions to other areas of need within the department. The department, in partnership with the county courts and to increase social distancing in our jails, will also not book certain low-level, non-violent arrestees into the jails.

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