Co-Parenting During COVID-19 with a Parent in Eagle or Summit County

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, another complicating factor for many Colorado families is the reality that one parent may reside or work in Eagle County, Summit County, or one of the other areas that are more heavily affected by the virus. It’s fair for divorced parents to be concerned about where their children are staying – as of today, Summit County has confirmed at least eight cases of COVID-19 and documented community spread. Eagle County has also declared a Local Disaster Emergency related to COVID-19, and even issued an order regarding social distancing and events.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) is strongly recommending that anyone who lives in (or has recently visited) Eagle, Summit, Pitkin, or Gunnison counties reduce contact with other people, whether or not they are experiencing symptoms. However, that does not mean that people who live in or have visited those counties cannot exercise their parenting time.

As the outbreak continues to grow, parents should talk to one another and work together to come up with reasonable adjustments to parenting time that might make sense. If a parent has only visited one of those counties, it may make sense to agree to wait until that parent demonstrates a lack of symptoms before exercising parenting time. If a parent lives in that county but is asymptomatic and follows appropriate social distancing, it may not be necessary to adjust parenting time at all.

It is definitely a good idea for all parents to be more aware of where children are going and what they are doing during parenting time to make sure children are not exposing themselves or others to this virus. At The Harris Law Firm, we’re here answer any questions you may have regarding child custody orders and co-parenting plans throughout the COVID-19 crisis. If you find yourself in this situation and need advice or help navigating parenting time, we are happy to speak with you.

Call (303) 622-5502 or contact us online to speak with our family law attorneys today.