Volume 14 • Edition 02
January 20, 2021
Delivering 9,800 copies to rural Adams, Morgan, and Weld Counties
“Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains taken to bring it to light” George Washington “If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed” Thomas Jefferson
COVID Vaccines In Colorado: Your Always Up-To-Date Guide To Finding The Info You Need By Francie Swidler, CPR News What are the different vaccine phases in Colorado? State of ColoradoColorado’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan as of Dec. 30, 2020 As of Dec. 30, Colorado’s vaccine distribution plan is broken down into four sections: Phase 1A, Phase 1B, Phase 2 and Phase 3. Phase 1A: Frontline health care workers that have direct contact with COVID-19 patients for 15 minutes or more Staff and residents of long-term care facilities (vaccinated by the federal government’s Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program.) Phase 1B: All people 70 and older Health care workers who have less direct contact with COVID patients (like home health care workers, dentists, pharmacists, Rita Maes awoke east 5 a.m. and was the first in line for Otero County Health Department’s mass COVID-19 vaccination driveEMS) through clinic for those 70 and older at the Arkansas Valley FairFirst responders (like grounds in Rocky Ford on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. police, firefighters and Hart Van Denburg/CPR News correctional workers) Funeral service workers Frontline essential workers* (like teachers, food and agriculture, manufacturing, postal workers, transportation, grocery workers, human services workers, care providers for people experiencing homelessness) Essential state government workers Essential frontline journalists Phase 2: People 60-69 People 16-59 with certain pre-existing conditions or are high risk (obesity, diabetes, chronic lung disease, cancer, immunocompromised) Other essential workers and state government workers Adults who received a placebo during a clinical COVID-19 vaccine trial Phase 3: People 16-59 *Essential workers are defined in Colorado’s public health order from March 26, 2020. “Frontline essential workers” are not however defined. How are different people prioritized in each phase? Right now, we only know how Phase 1 is prioritized. On Jan. 5, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment directed public health agencies to focus their efforts on prioritizing vaccination for outstanding highest risk health care workers in phase 1A, along with moderate risk health care workers and first responders in phase 1B. All other vaccine providers, like hospitals, health systems, pharmacies, clinics and correctional facilities are directed to focus on vaccinating people 70 and older — the first group in Phase 1B. Once providers finish vaccinating those groups, providers will be ready to vaccinate teachers and other essential workers listed in phase 1B. How long will each phase take? Vaccinations in Phase 1 (that includes A and B) are expected to conclude in February, according to a timeline released by Gov. Polis during a Jan. 6 press conference. More specifically, the majority of Phase 1A health care workers in the state are expected to be vaccinated by Jan. 15, according to an announcement from CDPHE on Jan. 5. For the first part of 1B — Coloradans 70 and older — the state’s goal is to have 70 percent of that group vaccinated by February 28th. Frontline essential workers, like teachers will follow, likely in early March. Vaccinations in Phase 2 are expected to take place in the spring of 2021, and vaccinations in Phase 3 are expected to take place in the summer of 2021. What phase is Colorado in right now? As of Jan. 12, Colorado is in Phase 1. On Dec. 30, Gov. Jared Polis announced that some counties have completed their vaccines for Phase 1A, and were ready to move on to the beginning of Phase 1B and start vaccinating people over the age of 70. However, vaccine supply in Colorado is still limited — while a county may be ready to
move to Phase 1B, it may not yet have enough doses to vaccinate everyone in that group. Polis said it will take 4-5 weeks for all Coloradans over 70 to get vaccinated. Why is the vaccine rollout taking so long? On Jan. 7, the general leading the Colorado’s distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine said that the holidays slowed efforts, but that the coming weeks will see a dramatic increase in the number of Coloradans getting injections. In a Jan. 12 press conference, Gov. Polis indicated that each week, Colorado expects to receive around 70,000 vaccine doses, but that’s not always what’s delivered — and that makes it difficult to plan more than a week in advance. I’m over 70 years old. Where can I make a vaccine appointment right now? Some of Colorado’s largest counties — like Denver, Jefferson, El Paso and the counties that part of the Tri-County Health Department (Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas) — have not indicated they are ready to vaccinate people over 70. You should check with your doctor’s office or your provider to be sure. As of Jan. 12, here are the counties that have started accepting vaccine appointments for adults over 70 as part of Phase 1B. Information about how to make appointments are linked below: Alamosa, Bent, Chaffee, Cheyenne, Clear Creek, Conejos, Costilla, Crowley, Custer, Delta, Dolores, Eagle , Elbert, Fremont, Garfield, Gilpin, Gunnison, Jackson, Kit Carson, Lincoln, Logan, Otero, Park, Pitkin, Pueblo, Rio Blanco, Saguache, Silver Thread (Hinsdale and Mineral counties) , Summit, Teller, Washington Additionally, Denver Indian Health and Family Services has a limited COVID-19 vaccine supply from Indian Health Services, and is working to vaccinate those over 70. Do we need to add to this list? Email us at health@cpr.org My county isn’t on that list. How do I find out when the vaccine will be available for me? Can I pre-register for an appointment? What’s the process? It’s not entirely clear yet how or if you’ll be notified — but you can visit your county’s public health website or call them for more information. You can also start following your county’s Facebook page for updates. In some counties — Las Animas and Huerfano, Boulder, Broomfield, Grand, Larimer, Mesa, Montrose, Ouray, Routt, San Miguel and counties in San Juan Basin Public Health to name a few — you can pre-register for a vaccine appointment, or sign up to be notified when the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available for your priority group. Cont. on Page 2, See COVID-19 Vaccines in ColoradoYou can also call the state’s COHELP vaccine hotline, at 303-389-1687 or 877-462-2911. The hotline is available
WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE:
Page 2: Way of the World Page 3: Weld County Chair, Pro-Tem and Department Heads Named Page 4: Payback Page 6: Colorado Pedestrian Deaths up 89% Page 8: Colorado’s New Unemployment System Page 10: Premier Farm Credit to Return $4.5 Million to Patron-Members
