COLORADO — As vaccines are distributed throughout the country and here in Colorado, the process takes time. Currently, Colorado is in Phase 1A of its vaccine distribution plan with 1B allowed to start up as well.
There have been some criticisms though over the access to the vaccine for some in Colorado, including those 70 years and older. With recent developments in the last week, there's more information on how many doses have been administered and of what kind.
Colorado currently has more than 240,000 doses and providers are working to get it to those who need it most. Here's a look at how the distribution process is currently set up.
Vaccine Data
Colorado's data dashboard released this week shows there are more than 280 vaccine providers that have given out more than 127,000 first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Data also shows a majority of the vaccines administered have been the Pfizer candidate.
The following information is updated as of January 29, 2021.
Phase 1A - Winter
The very first phase of vaccine distribution includes healthcare workers interacting directly with COVID-19 patients and those living or working in assisted living/long term care facilities.
- 1A - Highest risk health care workers and individuals.
- People who have direct contact with COVID-19 patients for 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.
- Long Term care facility staff and residents.
Phase 1B - Winter
The remaining doses in the first phase include moderate risk healthcare workers, first responders, and Coloradans over the age of 65. Each county varies in the timeline when it comes to administering vaccines to elderly Coloradans. In a press conference Wednesday, Governor Jared Polis announced Coloradans in this age group account for 70 percent of all deaths and more than a third of hospitalizations.
- 1B.1 - Coloradans 70+, moderate risk health care workers, and first responders
- Health care workers with less direct contact with COVID-19 patients (e.g. home health, hospice, pharmacy, dental, etc) and EMS.
- Firefighters, police, COVID-19 response personnel, correctional workers, and funeral services
- People age 70 and older
- 1B.2 - Coloradans ages 65-69, pre-K-12 educators and child care workers in licensed child care programs, and continuity of state government
- Child care workers in licensed child care programs, teachers (full-time and susbtitutes), bus, food, counselors, administrative, safety and other support services offered inside the school
- Member of the Executive and Judicial branches of state government
- People ages 65-69.
- 1B.3 - Frontline essential workers and people age 16-64 with two or more high-risk conditions
- Frontline essential workers in food and agriculture, manufacturing, U.S. postal service, public transit and specialized transportation staff, grocery, public health, frontline essential human service workers, faith leaders, and direct care providers for Coloradans experiencing homelessness and essential frontline journalists.
- People 16-64 with 2 or more high-risk conditions as listed: Coloradans with cancer (defined as patients who are currently receiving treatment or have received treatment within the last month for cancer), chronic kidney disease, COPD, diabetes mellitus, Down syndrome, specific heart conditions (heart failure, cardiomyopathies or coronary heart disease, and severe valvular/congenital heart disease), obesity, pregnancy, sickle cell disease, solid organ transplant and people with disabilities that prevent them from wearing masks.
Phase 2 - Spring
As more doses become available, Coloradans aged 60-69 will be able to receive the vaccine, along with other essential workers and those that received a placebo vaccine during the trials. Coloradans aged 16-59 who are immunocompromised or have other underlying health conditions will also be included in this phase.
- People age 60-64, people with high-risk conditions, and the continuation of operations for state government and continuity of local government
- People age 60-64
- People 16-59 with 1 high-risk condition as listed: Coloradans with cancer (defined as patients who are currently receiving treatment or have received treatment within the last month for cancer), chronic kidney disease, COPD, diabetes mellitus, Down syndrome, specific heart conditions (heart failure, cardiomyopathies or coronary heart disease, and severe valvular/congenital heart disease), obesity, pregnancy, sickle cell disease, solid organ transplant and people with disabilities that prevent them from wearing masks.
- Local continuity of local government defined as executives of those branches of government and a limited amount of essential support staff needed to provide for continuity of government.
- Continuation of operations for state government is defined as those individuals defined by continuity of operations plans that each agency holds to continue to provide services.
- Adults who received a placebo during a COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial
Phase 3 - Summer
The general public will be the final part of the distribution process which means anyone else who is 16-59. This is expected to happen this summer.
