Jefferson County will move into the second-mildest level of COVID restrictions Friday, as Denver County narrowly missed out on its chance to follow suit. 

Jefferson County’s move will be official at 6 a.m. Capacity limits for restaurants, gyms, indoor and outdoor events and other businesses will be eased. Last call will be bumped to midnight, but bars must remain closed. 

“Working hard to stay safe and continuing to follow precautions is how we have come this far. While the move to Level Blue is a positive step, and one we can all feel hopeful about, if we don’t continue to operate cautiously we could quickly lose the ground we have gained,” Dawn Comstock, the executive director of the county health department, said in a statement.

“The virus is still out there and we still need to take steps to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our community. We should look at Level Blue not as a ‘free for all,’ but rather a step in the right direction.”

There was buzz earlier this week that Denver might be on the road to moving into the same low restriction level.

Denver held its COVID metrics in check for six days, a spokesperson for the state Department of Public Health and Environment said in an email.

But the state requires seven days, and Denver faltered on the seventh day, the spokesperson said.