Colorado is once again revamping its coronavirus vaccine distribution plan, this time putting older and sick people in line and removing most of the essential workers who are due to start vaccinating next week.
The main changes, announced by Governor Jared Polis at a news conference on Friday afternoon, will mean that people aged 60 to 64 and people aged 16 to 64 with two or more high-risk illnesses will be eligible to receive one. vaccine when the state moves to Phase 1b.3 on March 5.
Previously, people aged 60 to 64 were in Phase 2 of the Colorado vaccine distribution plan.
Grocery and agricultural workers will also be eligible to receive the vaccine starting next week, when 1b.3 is scheduled to start. It is estimated that about 950,000 people are part of the new priority group 1b.3.
Polis also announced on Friday that Coloradians aged 50 and over will have access to the vaccine from late March, possibly on March 21.
The changes mean that there will be a delay, probably several weeks, in receiving the vaccine for thousands of other essential workers who are due to begin inoculation on March 5. This group of essential workers – which is now under the newly created Phase 1b. 4 – includes people working in industry and public transportation, as well as US Postal workers, religious leaders, higher education officials facing students, restaurant workers and journalists.
People in Phase 1b.4 are now due to start receiving vaccines on March 21, said the governor, alongside Coloradans aged 50 and over.
Scott Bookman, the commander of the state incident, estimates that 2.5 million people are in Phase 1b.4.
“Since the beginning of this pandemic, we have approached the process of distributing the vaccine equitably, saving the maximum number of lives and ending the public health crisis as soon as possible,” said Polis when explaining the changes.
The governor said essential workers are not being removed – although they are now at a later stage and receiving the vaccine at a later date.
“It is simply a consequence of ensuring that supply and demand are aligned,” said Polis.
Brig. General Scott Sherman, the Colorado National Guard soldier who leads Colorado’s vaccine distribution efforts, said the state expects the White House to announce an increase in vaccine doses sent to states next week. He believes this will translate into larger shipments to Colorado from late March or early April.
The Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine is expected to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use as early as this weekend. This means that doses of this vaccine may arrive in Colorado as early as next week.
“Please be patient,” said Sherman. “You will have your turn to get the vaccine”.
Polis said that just because someone is qualified “does not mean you can get it in a day or two”.
Polis and Sherman also announced on Friday that Colorado hopes to open a series of mass vaccination sites across the state in mid-March to distribute the booster in doses and deal with major phases.
These locations include the Ball Arena in Denver, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, the Grand Junction Convention Center, the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs, the Ranch Events Complex in Larimer County and the Pueblo Mall.
People with questions about how to be vaccinated can call the state’s vaccine hotline at (877) 368-2926.
The high-risk conditions that make someone eligible for the Phase 1b.3 vaccine include:
People receiving treatment for cancer or who received treatment in the previous month.Chronic kidney disease.Chronic pulmonary obstruction disease.Diabetes.Down’s syndrome.Heart problems such as heart failure, cardiomyopathies or coronary heart disease.Obesity.Pregnancy.Sickle cell anemia.Organ transplant recipients.People with disabilities who require direct care at home.People with disabilities that prevent them from wearing a mask.More than 1 million coloradans received at least a first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, including at least 67% of coloradans aged 70 and over.
About 37% of coloradanos aged 65 to 69 years received the first dose, as well as about 64% of elementary and high school educators and caregivers of children.
Bookman, the incident commander, said the general public will be vaccinated once Phase 1b.4 is completed. He is not sure when this will happen.
Polis, however, said the general public in Colorado could have access to the vaccine as early as late April or early May. “We want to end all these complex phases as quickly as possible,” he said.
The governor said there was still a lot of “breeding ground” for the virus to spread if the coloradans allowed it. He called for continued vigilance and caution.
“The journey is not over. The race has not yet been won. We need to be very patient, ”said Polis.
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