Colorado, United States
As of today Friday, all the people of Colorado will be able to register online to receive the covid-19 vaccine free of charge, even those without a legal presence in the country, although each group will have to wait their turn depending on their age or occupation, he indicated in Governor Jared Polis’s press conference.
The Democratic leader indicated that it was necessary to “break down the barriers” that prevented the “equitable distribution” of the vaccine in this state, since during the first month of distribution white people were vaccinated three times more frequently than that of minority groups.
In the specific case of Denver, the state capital with 705,000 inhabitants, the Hispanic neighborhoods west and northeast of the city were the areas with the least vaccinated, Although there are recorded 46% of local active cases of coronavirus. In all, fewer than 40,000 people were vaccinated in Denver, according to municipal data.
And in Pitkin County, home to the famous Aspen Ski Resort, local health officials said Friday that they “have no explanation” for the increase in coronavirus cases, a situation that disproportionately affects Latinos and which makes this county the jurisdiction with the highest proportional number of infections per 100,000 people.
Polis stressed that from now on “everyone will have access to the vaccine” as part of a “rapid and equitable distribution” focused on “saving lives” and “ending the crisis caused by the pandemic.”
Among the measures announced are the distribution of the vaccine in community clinics and centers, as well as in churches and neighborhood pharmacies, and not just as so far in large hospitals. In addition, efforts will be redoubled to reach “vaccine-reluctant” (mostly African American) communities through a multilingual educational campaign.
Vaccination centers
To facilitate access to the centers of vaccination, The Colorado Government will cooperate with bus companies (public or private) and car-sharing services to provide free transportation to those who need it.
And for those without internet access, Colorado’s top medical services implemented a telephone reservation system.
According to Polis, as of this Friday, 6% of the 5.7 million inhabitants had been vaccinated Colorado. The plan, which he described as “a race against more contagious coronavirus strains, includes vaccinating 70% of those over 70 during February and expanding vaccination to teachers and other essential workers starting in March.
For now, as in the rest of the country, health workers and security forces have priority. It is anticipated that by the middle of the year the majority of the Colorado population will have received two doses of the vaccine.
“The vaccine is free for everyone and is available regardless of people’s immigration status,” Polis repeated several times during the announcement of the new measures, which could eventually benefit some 150,000 undocumented people living in Colorado.