Businesses in Denver, Arapahoe, Douglas and Adams counties that qualify for looser restrictions can further open up, officials said Wednesday, thanks to the state hitting vaccination targets. The change also allows last calls for alcohol to be moved back to midnight, from 11 p.m.

The loosened restrictions apply to those restaurants and other public-facing businesses that have previously been approved for the Five Star Program. Officials for the counties announced the changes Wednesday.

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That effort allowed businesses that undertook strict public health measures to open for more patrons.

With this latest change, restaurants can have 50% capacity, up to 175 people. Approved gyms can also increase their capacity, from 50% or up to 50 people to up to 175 people. 

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Denver officials said in a statement that the capacity limits can be expanded because the state successfully inoculated 70% of its 70-and-older population. Gov. Jared Polis announced Tuesday that the target was met over the weekend.

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The rest of Denver remains under tighter COVID restrictions. The city needs to maintain lower levels of COVID spread for a week before it can be given more latitude.

Officials said last week that Denver had missed on that target by one day.

The news comes days after restaurant owners criticized Polis, who bumped their employees down in the vaccine priority list. Though industry officials say they were repeatedly told they’d be eligible beginning March 5, Polis said last week that they would in fact be added to the vaccine pool on March 21.

Restaurant owners told the Gazette earlier this week that, in order to survive, they had no choice but to continue opening up to the maximum capacity allowed by the state. That will continue after this latest change to restrictions here.