COVID In Colorado: Coloradans Age 50 And Above To Be Eligible For Vaccine Starting March 19

DENVER (AP/CBS4) — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said on Friday that residents ages 50 and above will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine starting March 19. Phase 1B.4 of the state's vaccine distribution also includes several frontline workers who previously haven't been eligible. That includes those in the postal service, restaurants, higher education and those over the age of 16 with one high-risk condition.

Polis also said he expects every resident in the state to be eligible to get the vaccine by mid-April, a faster timeline than what President Joe Biden previously announced. On Thursday, Biden said that he's directing all states to open vaccine eligibility to all ages on May 1.

"In Colorado, we always aim to do better," Polis said at a news conference on Friday. "We're very competitive and ... we're able to announce today that we expect we will be there by mid-April. We will have that date in the next week or two as we further refine our supply projections."

When eligibility opens to all residents, providers will be able to use their own discretion to prioritize those in higher-risk categories, said Scott Bookman, COVID-19 Incident Commander.

The state estimates that around 2.5 million people will be eligible as part of Phase 1B.4, Bookman said.

Colorado expects to receive over 3.4 million vaccine doses in the next 10 weeks, according to Brigadier General Scott Sherman.

(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)