'Summer Will Be Very Close To Normal': Colorado Counting On COVID Vaccine Projections
DENVER (CBS4) - Gov. Jared Polis says the number of Coloradans getting the COVID-19 vaccine could double by the end of April based on the projected supply for the next several weeks.
Later this week, more Coloradans will be eligible for a vaccine including anyone 60 years and older, frontline and essential workers such as grocery and meatpacking employees.
Younger people with two or more high risk medical conditions are included in the next phase.
"I'm confident that summer will be very close to normal, based on these vaccine predictions that we have today. We are very hopeful that people who want the vaccine will be able to access it in April and May in time to have a summer that allows them to enjoy everything Colorado has to offer," Polis said at a news conference on Tuesday.
Restaurant, postal service, manufacturing and public transit workers will be included in another phase later this month.
"We're going to get about 45,500 doses this week, and we plan to get nearly all those in the arms by Sunday, that's our goal. We're going to get we're going to get them, and we're going to use them within a few days. We also know based on a call with the White House this morning that there will likely be zero Johnson and Johnson doses the following week, and then the week after that perhaps a small amount," Polis said.
He urged Coloradans to continue wearing masks. Officials at the governor's office said Monday Colorado is more than 99% of its way to vaccinating 70% of Coloradans ages 70 and up, a goal officials hoped to accomplish by the end of February.
More than 930,000 Coloradans have received their first dose of the vaccine which accounts for more than 16% of the population. Nearly 500,000 Coloradans have received both doses.
That Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment says 64% of all educators and child care workers have received their first dose. The state hopes to have 75% of them with at least one shot by March 5.
