DENVER – Colorado will expand access to vaccines to 60-64 year olds starting March 5, Governor Jared Polis announced at a news conference Friday.
Also included in the extended access – known as Phase 1B.3 – will be agricultural processing plant workers, grocers, and Coloradans aged 16-59 with two or more co-morbidities.
Comorbidities include cancer, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Scott Bookman, COVID-19 incident commander for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, an estimated 958,000 people will be part of Phase 1B.3, including 200,000 grocery workers and 400,000 people aged 16-59 with comorbidities.
The state also hopes to make the vaccine available to people 50 and older by the end of March, a stage known as 1B.4. Vital workers such as postmen, higher education teachers, faith leaders and direct caregivers for the homeless will be among those eligible in Stage 1B.4.
Polis announced a target date of March 21 for access to the vaccine for ages 50 and older on Friday, although that may change depending on the offer.
Polis also reiterated: all Coloradans aged 65 and over are now eligible for the vaccine and can schedule an appointment to receive a dose.
Polis said that about 67% of Coloradans aged 70 and older have received a dose of the vaccine; Colorado’s goal was to vaccinate 70% of the 70-and-older Coloradans by the end of February. Vaccination events take place at the weekend, including one in Thornton, where 1,700 places were still available on Friday afternoon.
Polis strongly encouraged all eligible Coloradans to sign up for the vaccine. Coloradans can visit cocovidvaccine.org for information on how to sign up for the vaccine.
With access to the job-specific vaccine occurring in late March, Polis estimated that vaccination access for the general public could be as early as late April or early May, depending on supply.
Colorado Brigadier General Scott Sherman, who coordinates the state’s vaccine distribution, said Colorado supplies should get a big boost once the one-time Johnson & Johnson vaccine is approved for use. Colorado should receive about 400,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine by the end of March, Sherman said, if 20 million doses become available nationwide.
Sherman said the state expects a White House announcement in the coming week about the expected increase in vaccine supply.
Polis warned Coloradans to stay safe, despite an increase in vaccine distribution. The governor didn’t say whether he would renew the last statewide mask mandate when it ends next week, but he urged Coloradans to wear a mask anyway.
“The journey is not over yet, the race is not over yet,” said Polis. “We have to be patient.”