A video shared by Boulder County Public Health shows a large group gathered at Boulder Creek on May 19, making a mockery of recommendations to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Boulder County has one of the toughest mask rules in Colorado, for all the good it did.

In the clip, dozens of young people wearing next to nothing — and certainly not facial coverings — party as if the novel coronavirus were a book about a fictional pandemic rather than an infection that's killed more than 90,000 Americans, including at least 968 in Colorado, according to the latest data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

This embarrassing display prompted the following statement from Jeff Zayach, BCPH executive director: "I know it’s been difficult, but the video of people clearly gathering along the creek not only shows groups larger than ten people, but there was also not adequate social distancing. Situations like these not only violate the state and local public health orders, but they put our whole community, our businesses, and our economy at risk."

Zayach added: "Please remember that it takes up to fourteen days before we see who will become sick and spread the disease from this large gathering of people along the creek. Please take this virus seriously and limit gatherings to ten people or less and remain at least six feet from each other. Individual actions are putting our businesses and our most vulnerable in the community at further risk."

Here's the video:


Also weighing in was the Boulder Police Department, which maintained that the BPD "is continuing to focus on a strong educational approach that emphasizes wearing a facial covering and practicing proper physical distancing of six feet. The City is actively exploring additional ways we can address the current public health and safety concerns."

No arrests related to the get-together have been announced — and even though Boulder is home to the University of Colorado's flagship campus, the education approach doesn't seem to be working, at least for this collection of dumbasses.

By the way, Boulder has established a phone line where you can report unsafe behavior in the county. The number to dial is 720-776-0822.