Gov. Jared Polis deserves credit for taking swift and decisive action to slow down the COVID-19 infection rate in our state by ordering residents to stay at home.

That action has been especially helpful here. The governor’s order came before the few confirmed cases in Mesa County could mushroom as they likely would have without intervention.

Such statewide orders are becoming more commonplace as governors see how quickly the virus spreads when there are no measures in place to keep people properly spaced apart.

The order Polis issued on March 25, however, wasn’t explicit enough for some people.

It directs all Coloradans to “stay at home, subject to limited exceptions such as obtaining food and other household necessities, going to and from work at critical businesses, seeking medical care, caring for dependents or pets, or caring for a vulnerable person in another location.”

The order doesn’t touch specifically on outdoor recreation, though Polis clarified later that “participating in outdoor recreation in your area (emphasis ours) at a legally-mandated safe distance of six feet or more from other parties” is OK.

Clearly, some Coloradans are leaving their home counties to play in other places, prompting the Outdoor Recreation Coalition to post a video on Facebook featuring leaders of the group taking a stand against wayward adventuring.

“The Grand Valley has received a huge influx of visitors congregating in unhealthy densities at local trailheads and recreation hot spots.

“This activity does not support our community health needs and the trajectory and style of this use must be altered.

“Please stay in your home area to enjoy your local outdoors.”

We’ve been fortunate to see a fairly flat line of infections and not the exponential curve other Colorado communities are dealing with. People flocking here from hot spots, however, is not going to help us keep the virus in check.

It’s time for Gov. Polis to prohibit leaving one’s county of residence for unnecessary travel – and giving law enforcement agencies the authority to enforce this order.

State troopers and deputies on patrol should be able to pull over a vehicle strapped with mountain bikes or a kayak – or towing campers, dirt bikes or rock crawlers – and ask the driver, “Where ya headed? You realize there’s a stay-at-home order in place with no exception that permits you to recreate beyond the borders of your home county.”

We understand why any governor would be reluctant to take this step. It smacks of martial law. But people are ignoring a necessary condition to safeguard the public health. We don’t want to see people ticketed. But we do want them to feel uncomfortable about leaving home to visit their favorite mountain biking destination.

If we want to keep the virus in flatline in Mesa County (leading to a potential lifting of the order for healthy areas) we need stronger medicine from the state during this short, critical moment.