Organic Alternatives would like to inform or remind all of our customers about the City of Fort Collins and Larimer County’s Public Health Orders that just went in to effect. All customers using the to-go window for cash transactions will be REQUIRED to wear a mask! We are strongly encouraging every curbside pickup customer utilizing our drive thru to wear a mask as well. Every Organic Alternatives employee has been and will continue to wear masks and gloves until further notice! We appreciate your understanding and support of these policies. Please see the Public Health Orders from the City of Fort Collins and Larimer County below…..
CITY OF FORT COLLINS NEWS RELEASE
Fort Collins to require face coverings in most buildings open to the public
FORT COLLINS – The City of Fort Collins will require people to wear face coverings in most enclosed buildings open to the public beginning Monday, May 4.
Face coverings will be required in the following places:
• Any enclosed area, including retail and commercial businesses or on-site service providers, to which the public is invited or in which workers, including volunteers, from more than one household are present,
• Any City of Fort Collins building or indoor City facility;
• Any public transportation, including City Transfort buses and bus shelters; or
• Any other public indoor place where persons are unable to maintain safe social distancing (six or more feet separation) from others not of their own household.
Exemptions to the order include:
• Persons under the age of 10 years or children within a childcare facility;
• Persons for whom a face covering would cause impairment due to an existing health condition documented by a medical professional;
• Persons working in an office or other workspace who do not have any face-to-face interactions with or share workspace with other persons;
• If the person is undergoing a medical or dental procedure that requires access to the person’s mouth or nose;
• Property owned or operated by the federal, state or county governments; and
• Persons who are customers of banks, financial institutions, and pawn shops. However, employees of these places must still wear face coverings.
The order is meant to help protect employees, assist healthcare workers and emergency personnel in responding to the coronavirus outbreak, and slow the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
Face coverings that meet the City’s requirements must cover the nose and mouth and remain affixed without the use of hands. Examples include bandanas, medical masks, cloth masks, and gaiters. The public is discouraged from acquiring healthcare-grade or industrial-grade masks that would be used by healthcare workers.
All businesses must post signage in a prominent area informing the public about the policy. The City has created signs that may be downloaded and used by businesses. Those signs are available at fcgov.com/coronavirus.
Businesses must also make reasonable efforts to obtain and provide face coverings for employees. Any person who does not wear a face covering where required and who does not leave the premises when asked to do so may be charged with a misdemeanor. Any person in charge of a property where face coverings are required who does not enforce the order may also be charged with a misdemeanor.
Violations of the face covering policy may be reported online at www.fcgov.com/accessfortcollins or by
calling 970-416-2200. Do not call 911 to report a violation.
City Manager Darin Atteberry signed an emergency order authorizing the face covering requirement on
May 1.
For more information about the City’s response to COVID-19, visit fcgov.com/coronavirus
Larimer County Public Health Order
I. ORDER:
Effective May 3, 2020 at 12 p.m.,
All employees who come into contact with the public or other individuals are required to wear face coverings beginning on May 2, 2020 and continuing until May 30, 2020.
All individuals entering or in line to enter businesses including but not limited to in person retail services, personal services, critical businesses, curbside and takeout restaurants, must cover their nose and mouth by wearing a mask or other form of facial covering beginning on May 2, 2020 and continuing until May 30, 2020.
Facial Coverings or masks include medical grade masks (non- N95 type) that are made of cloth, fabric, or other soft or permeable material, without holes, that covers the nose and mouth and surrounding areas of the lower face. A Face Covering may be factory made, or may be handmade and improvised from ordinary household materials. The Face Covering should fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face, include multiple layers of fabric, allow for breathing without restriction, and be able to be laundered and machine-dried without damage or change to shape. Face Coverings need to cover the nose and mouth at all times and should remain in place until taken off safely. Due to the scarcity of medical grade masks, non-medical grade masks are recommended for all non-healthcare workers to allow medical grade masks to be saved for healthcare workers.
This order does not apply to those individuals who have medical conditions which make wearing of a mask or covering a risk to their health or that will interfere with their breathing. During the safer at home phase, susceptible individuals with underlying health conditions should remain at home, as they are more at risk for contracting COVID-19.
This order does not apply to children under the age of two. Childcare facilities should continue to follow state guidelines. Other specific industries or situations which already have specific guidelines with regard to masks or face coverings should continue to follow federal, state, and local regulations relating to their specific industry.
Local municipalities can be more stringent in their face covering orders. Follow the local guidance set by municipalities if it exists.
II. FURTHER GUIDANCE
Further guidelines for face coverings and social distancing are available at
www.larimer.org/health
