Coloradans 65 and older will soon have vaccine access

Beginning Feb. 8, Gov. Jared Polis is moving Colorado into its 1B-2 Phase, which allows individuals 65 and older to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Colorado is among the states with the highest amount of vaccinations given, having administered 521,879 doses as of Friday. It has administered 64% of what it has received from the federal government so far.

 

 

“This process is about saving lives and ending the crisis as quickly as possible,” Polis said. “Colorado has made remarkable progress towards vaccinating a majority of Coloradans ages 70 and older who account for 78% of COVID deaths. Given the progress we have made together as a state and community, Colorado will be ready to begin vaccinating anyone aged 65 and up on February 8th, and also start vaccinating educators and child care workers.”

The newly eligible population will also include PreK-12 educators, who are encouraged by Polis’ office to sign up through their employers come Feb. 8.

The administration estimates that Coloradans over 50, frontline workers and Coloradans over 16 who have two or more high-risk conditions will have access to the vaccine in early March.

Friday saw 393,421 new COVID cases and 4,928 COVID-related deaths in the state. There are currently 596 Coloradans hospitalized for COVID-19 — the state’s first time below 600 hospitalizations since Oct. 28 — and ICU capacity is at 76%. Colorado was named the third safest state in the country for COVID in a recent study by WalletHub.

“Colorado’s COVID-19 hospitalization rates are much lower overall in comparison to the rest of the U.S. If we can maintain our current level of transmission control, that is the best way to limit the impact of COVID and prevent hospitalizations and deaths,” said Dr. Rachel Herlihy, State Epidemiologist at the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment on Tuesday.