Boulder County will become the latest part of the Denver metro area to have tighter public health restrictions hoisted upon them by the state as the coronavirus continues its worrying spike.

The state Department of Public Health and Environment informed local health officials that the county would be downgraded to Safe at Home level three, the penultimate lowest rating. The change will kick in on Friday, bringing with it further limitations on capacity in restaurants, houses of worship and other public-facing businesses.

“This is devastating, especially because we know that we can prevent the transmission of this virus and this change will impact our businesses severely, as well as our social and emotional health,” Jeff Zayach, the executive director of Boulder County Public Health, said in a statement.

“This comes down to all of us taking personal responsibility to avoid social gatherings, wear a mask, maintain at least feet of physical distance and to be diligent about washing hands.”

Last month, Denver and Adams counties were both bumped down to level three, and Douglas and Arapahoe counties were also downgraded, albeit to level two.

Boulder County has confirmed an average of 312 cases per 100,00 residents over the past week. The number of daily cases confirmed is the highest average since the pandemic began, setting aside the outbreak at the University of Colorado’s flagship campus there.

The statement from the county reiterated what officials have been warning about with increased intensity over the past three weeks: Under the current trajectory, hospital capacity will be stretched and potentially overwhelmed before the end of the calendar year.

At a Tuesday press conference, Zayach said the county had 60 hospitalized patients, compared to its peak of 68 in the early days of the pandemic.

“It’s so important that we act now,” he said Wednesday. “This is about supporting each other and our community by cutting down on any gatherings that aren’t absolutely necessary, even if they’re small. It’s about strictly adhering to quarantine and isolation requirements. It’s about not going out in public when you’re sick.”

At that Tuesday gaggle, Zayach and UC-Boulder officials warned against social gatherings and “COVID fatigue” — a frequent frustration from health leaders. Last week, area law enforcement responded to roughly 20 parties in the area and wrote several citations.