Denver area to declare all-clear on COVID

The Denver area plans to lift all local public health rules in coming days.

Driving the news: By Monday, Jefferson, Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder and Broomfield counties will move to "Level Clear" — dubbed the "new normal" by public health officials.

• At this level, there are no local mask requirements or limits on capacity.

What to watch: Denver will announce its next public health phase today. It is expected to follow its neighboring counties, but officials declined to elaborate ahead of the announcement.

The statewide state of play: Colorado's limited mask mandate — and other requirements on distancing and capacity — expires at the end of the day Saturday.

• State officials are likely to adopt a lower level of restrictions after the CDC ended mask requirements for fully vaccinated people yesterday.

Right now, the state still requires masks in schools, child care facilities, health care settings and other venues.

• Certain indoor events with 100-plus people still require social distancing, and large events require approval under the current order.

The bottom line: Eric France, Colorado's chief medical officer, told Axios that moving forward "every Coloradan should assess their level of comfort with the potential risk of still being exposed."