Boulder Chamber Update: Business Resources, Testing Sites, Networking

Boulder Chamber Update: Business Resources, Testing Sites, Networking

BUSINESS INPUT SESSIONS (BED): We need your input!

To understand the impacts of COVID-19 on our regional economy and specific industries, Boulder County chambers and economic development agencies are convening a series of inclusive and comprehensive input sessions throughout Boulder County. The purpose of these sessions is to gather input from businesses / industries and better understand the economic situation coming out of the crisis.   Your input will provide crucial data as we work with regional partners to develop and implement economic recovery plans for Boulder County.   These meetings will include business-to-business sharing and facilitated conversations around immediate and long-term economic recovery needs. Please try to have representation from your company in this important conversation.

Upcoming Sessions

Thrift Store Workgroup – September 24 @ 1:00pm – http://bit.ly/bocothrift0920

Tech Industry (Tech Talent Boulder / Broomfield) – September 29 @ 8:30am – http://bit.ly/bocotech0920Retail – September 29 @ 9:30 am – http://bit.ly/bocoretail0920

Healthcare Industry – October 1 @ 3pm – http://bit.ly/bocohealth0920

Bioscience Industry – October 5 @ 3:30pm – http://bit.ly/BOCObioscience1020

Hospitality Industry – October 7 @ 11:30am – http://bit.ly/BOCOhospitality1020

We will be scheduling new industries this week and doing round two of other industries.

ENERGIZE COLORADO UPDATE – from Suzi Bahnsen

Energize Colorado Gap Fund round one applications have closed.  Applications will reopen October 5th.  More info at https://energizecolorado.com/gap-fund/.

Round 1 Information…At the state level::  Energize Colorado Gap Fund Stats — – 3,816 applications submitted; SBDC network was asked by the Fund and lenders to support the high scoring applications that need to provide better financials, etc.(we are waiting to find out the number of applicants that need help)

• $24,000 avg application request (this would mean $15,000 as a grant and $9,000 as a loan)
• $92M total funding was requested, $25M funding available
• 893 applications from rural businesses
• 492 applicants identify as Hispanic/Latino
• 1,156 identify as a racial minority
• 2,183 identify as women
• 305 identify as veteran

PUBLIC HEALTH UPDATE

A reminder for this week’s public health support session on Wednesday at 3pm – https://bit.ly/bcphindustry2020.  With the increase in cases within Boulder County and the introduction of the new Colorado Dial Framework, it may be a good time to check back in and listen to any impacts these changes may have on your business in the coming weeks. Once a business is put on the list, we will continue to send industry-specific and cross-industry updates as they happen.  Please continue to stay engaged with us as we navigate the continued changes in this public health crisis.  Do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions about this process – corine.waldau@boulderchamber.com.

UPCOMING SUPPORT SESSIONS

Cross Industry Support – September 23rd at 3:00pm – more information / register at https://bit.ly/bcphindustry2020

LAST WEEK’S WEBINAR RECORDINGS

9/16 General Cross-Industry Webinar (English): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAbo2u2YP3k

9/16 Places of Worship Webinar (English): https://youtu.be/eMwFuSr3TxI

9/17 General Webinar (Spanish): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhw-BDMMaA8&feature=youtu.be

All past webinar recordings available at … https://www.youtube.com/user/boulderchamber/videos

NEW! COLORADO DIAL FRAMEWORK

Boulder County Currently at Level 2: Concern – https://www.bouldercounty.org/families/disease/covid-19/state-dial-framework/

The State of Colorado has moved to a new dial framework that allows countries to reopen their economies to the fullest extent possible while protecting their communities. This tool will provide transparency and predictability for local governments and allow for a visual representation of a county’s success in suppressing the virus. 

 The dial framework has five levels, from least to most restrictive, to guide county response to COVID-19:

1.     Protect Our Neighbors:​​ Local public health agencies are able to contain surges in cases and outbreaks through testing, case investigation, contact tracing, isolation, quarantine, site-specific closures, and enforcement of public health orders.
2.     Safer at Home 1- Cautious:​ This is less restrictive than Safer at Home Level 2, for counties with low virus transmission but that have not yet achieved Protect Our Neighbors.
3.     Safer at Home 2 – Concern:​ The baseline. While we are all still safer at home, we are also able to practice greater social distancing in our great outdoors than in confined indoor spaces. (BOULDER COUNTY’S CURRENT LEVEL)
4.     Safer at Home 3 – High Risk:​ This is more restrictive than Safer at Home Level 2, for counties experiencing increases in the metrics. Action is needed, but Stay at Home may not be warranted.
5.     Stay at Home:​ Everyone is required to stay at home except for grocery shopping, exercise and necessary activities. Only critical businesses are open.

Currently Boulder County is at Level 2: Concern, which is the status quo to all activities and capacities Boulder County has been operating under up to this point. Track Boulder County’s progress and current status here.

Counties move between levels based on three metrics:

1.     New cases: ​How much the virus is circulating in a county.
2.     Percent positivity​: Whether there is sufficient COVID-19 testing to capture the level of virus transmission.
3.     Impact on hospitalizations​:​ Whether hospitalizations are increasing, stable, or declining

Visit the CDPHE COVID-19 Dial page for more information on the dial metrics, levels and capacity limits, and FAQs

View the full state COVID-19 Dial Dashboard to the ratings for Boulder County and other counties in Colorado.

Learn more at this week’s webinar – https://bit.ly/bcphindustry2020

 COVID-19 TESTING

NEW! In response to the increase in new COVID-19 cases in Boulder, free testing will be available in Boulder for anyone who would like to be tested from Sept. 16 – Oct. 2 with the possibility of extending if needed. Residents do not have to have symptoms to be tested.

• Walk-Up Testing Site: Pleasant Street Parking Lot, 1205 Pleasant St. (one block West of Broadway), Boulder. View the map.
• Drive-Up Testing Site: Gerald Stazio Softball Fields, 2445 Stazio Dr, Boulder. Take Arapahoe Rd. (Valmont Rd. will be closed) to 63rd St; turn north onto 63rd and follow the road to Stazio Drive; turn left onto Stazio Drive and follow signs for testing.

Additional Testing Site Locations:

• Testing Sites in Boulder County: https://www.bouldercounty.org/families/disease/covid-19/testing/
• Testing Sites in Colorado: https://covid19.colorado.gov/are-you-sick/testing-for-covid-19
• Manufacturer’s Edge partnered with COVID Check Colorado to provide manufactures with a dedicated testing program that is drive-up, 48-hour testing results for $12.  Here’s a link to more info:  https://www.manufacturersedge.com/wp-content/uploads/CCC-Deck-2020.8.24-Pitch-deck-for-Employers.pdf

REMINDER: If you have a suspected positive case within your business, do not hesitate to contact Boulder County Public Health at covidbiz@bouldercounty.org to discuss next steps.  And outbreak is two or more cases, but do not wait until you have an outbreak to contact BCPH. 

OTHER PUBLIC HEALTH UPDATES / RESOURCES

Self-Quarantine in Effect for CU Students: https://www.colorado.edu/covid-19

 HVAC Webinar: Watch the recording!

 Sector-by-Sector Guidance: Reminder for your sector’s checklists for re-opening – https://covid19.colorado.gov/guidance-by-sector

 TRACK THE DATA!

• Boulder County COVID-19 Data: https://www.bouldercounty.org/families/disease/covid-19/covid-19-illness-and-recovery/

• State of Colorado COVID-19 Data: https://covid19.colorado.gov/covid-19-data
• Boulder County Dial Framework Tracking: https://www.bouldercounty.org/families/disease/covid-19/state-dial-framework/
• Protect Our Neighbors: Boulder County Public Health has created a new website to track the county’s progress toward meeting the criteria required to move to Protect Our Neighbors – https://www.bouldercounty.org/families/disease/covid-19/state-protect-our-neighbors-status/

 OUTBREAK RESOURCES

• COVID-19 Outbreak Guidance: https://assets.bouldercounty.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/COVID-19-Outbreak-Guidance-for-Business.pdf
• COVID-19 Outbreak Reporting Form for Business: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XedRlgn7JmeJD9gVhRgnPmpVlXsVm4hd/view

 For further questions, please use the following information.

COVID-19 Call Center

720-776-0822 

COVIDbiz@bouldercounty.org

Monday – Friday

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

www.boco.org/covid-19

Feedback to Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment: To provide general feedback / concerns to the state, please visit the following site – https://covid19.colorado.gov/CovidConcerns.