COVID Vaccinations Dwindling In El Paso County As Hospitalizations Increase
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - According to new statistics released by UCHealth, they are now caring for more than 125 COVID-19 patients statewide. That's the most in nearly three months. In addition, hospitalizations for COVID-19 across the UCHealth system have doubled in less than four weeks.
"We are in a spike directly caused by the unvaccinated," said Dr. Richard Zane, Chief Innovation Officer for UCHealth and Chair of Emergency Medicine for the CU School of Medicine. "Those patients are almost all in the areas with the lowest vaccination rates."
It's all thanks to the new highly contagious Delta variant and some people still refusing to be vaccinated. Carolyn Carroll Flynn is the Nurse Manager for the COVID Vaccine Clinics at UCHealth Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs.
El Paso County, where Colorado Springs is located, is one of the areas with the lowest vaccination rates in the state. The county ranks 25th among the percent of eligible people immunized with one or more doses of any COVID vaccine. Flynn says she hasn't been giving out many vaccinations lately.
"At the height of our vaccination we were doing over 2,000 patients a day. We've seen probably about 100 today," said Flynn.
She says she spends a large part of her day talking with people and combating misinformation they hear online. Zane says misinformation is also heard from patients the ER. Some of the sick and dying cling to it even in their hospital beds while others are regretful.
"The response really runs the gamut from, 'I refuse to believe that I have COVID. COVID does not exist. I'm not going to talk to you about a vaccine' even though they are so obviously dying of COVID to 'I wish I would have gotten vaccinated,' to 'can you give me the vaccine now?'"
Both he and Flynn say it doesn't have to be this way. Zane says the time is now.
"Get vaccinated. There is nothing to wait for," he said.
Flynn says it is a personal choice, but remember it's a choice that could affect others besides yourself.
"Consider your family. Consider your children. Consider those who are close to you who may have compromised immune systems, and do you want to expose them potentially to something that is lethal?" she said.
UCHealth will give you a free vaccine at any of their clinics, and they have even added additional clinics to accommodate more people. If you want to get vaccinated you can visit any one of these clinics:
University of Colorado Hospital, 12605 E. 16th Ave., Aurora (Bruce Schroffel Conference Center)
- Saturday, Aug. 7; 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (Pfizer vaccine, age 12 and older)
- Saturday, Aug. 14; 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (J&J vaccine, age 18 and older)
Medical Center of the Rockies, 2500 Mountain Ave., Loveland (Navajo Peak Conference Room, lower level)
- Saturday, Aug. 7; 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (Pfizer vaccine)
- Saturday, Aug. 14; 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (J&J vaccine)
Memorial Administrative Center, 2420 E. Pikes Peak Avenue, Colorado Springs (Cuchara Room)
- Saturday, Aug. 7; 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (Pfizer vaccine)
- Saturday, Aug. 14; 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (J&J vaccine)
- Note: Vaccinations are also available at the Memorial Administrative Center from 7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Fridays.
Walk-ins are welcome at the clinics; no appointments are necessary.
