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Some Coloradans Feel Reassured With New FDA Vaccine Approval, Others Still Skeptical

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - Increased vaccination rates and company-enacted vaccine requirements could be among the ripple effects of the FDA's full approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for Americans 16 and up. Experts say more public confidence in the shot could be a result too, as the Delta variant continues to spread across Colorado.

Among the crowd at a busy mobile vaccination clinic in Aurora, the reasons for getting the shot varied Monday. For some it was the chance to get a $100 Walmart gift card, and others the convenience of a clinic near their home, but for Nancy Griffin it was a chance to live life again.

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"I might want to go to a concert or might want to go out and eat or might want to go to another state and I won't have to worry about that," Griffin said.

For months, Griffin was apprehensive about the vaccine and had planned to wait for FDA approval, but a spreading Delta variant made her nervous. Earlier this month, she decided to go get her first shot.

"[The vaccine] kind of seemed to come out so fast and people were pushing and pushing, and I like to see some results," Griffin said. "After the Delta variant came out and started hitting people really hard, little kids and things of that nature, I decided it was probably time to do it."

Now that Pfizer has that full approval, she's more at ease. She learned about the news on the way to the mobile clinic Monday morning.

"It gives me a little bit of satisfaction," she said. "Does it make me 1000% 'wow I'll go with that they say?' No."

John Rue also got his second shot of the Pfizer vaccine Monday, but for a much different reason. He works as a service technician, and said he wants to be ready for any vaccine requirements that could follow FDA approval.

"That means a lot of overtime because there's other people who are not getting it, again for their own personal reasons, but yeah it means a lot of work," Rue said.

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Whether more minds change moving forward remains to be seen. CBS4 spoke with several people who said they still won't get the vaccine.

While none would agree to an on-camera interview, they shared a wide range of reasons, including feeling the approval was rushed. One man said he wants to see even more evidence, though he couldn't say what that would look like, and others said they will never get it.   

"I'd much rather be respectful to others and get vaccinated for the health of my family, that's why I'm here," Griffin said.

"You have very smart people doing the things they need to do, and they know what to look for, so I'm going to place trust in that and go from there."

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