DENVER – Colorado will expand vaccine access to 60-64 year olds starting March 5, Gov. Jared Polis announced Friday.
Workers in agricultural processing plants, supermarkets and Colorado residents aged 16 to 59 with two or more comorbidities will also be included in the extended access, known as Phase 1B.3.
Comorbidities include cancer, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Scott Bookman, COVID-19 Incident Commander of the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment, estimates that 958,000 people will be part of Phase 1B.3, including 200,000 grocery workers and 400,000 people ages 16-59 with comorbidities .
The state also expects the vaccine to be available to those 50 years of age or older by the end of March, a phase known as 1B.4. Essential workers such as postal workers, higher education teachers, religious leaders, and direct care providers for the homeless will be eligible in phase 1B.4.
On Friday, Polis announced the scheduled date for March 21 for access to the vaccine is 50 years and older, although that could change depending on the supply.
Polis also reiterated: All Colorado residents 65 and older are eligible to receive the vaccine now and can make an appointment to receive a dose.
Polis said about 67 percent of Colorado residents age 70 and older have received a dose of the vaccine; Colorado’s goal was to vaccinate 70% of Colorado residents aged 70 and over by the end of February. Vaccines are taking place over the weekend, including one in Thornton, which still had 1,700 places available as of Friday afternoon.
Polis strongly encouraged all eligible Coloradoans to enroll in the vaccine. Colorado residents can visit cocovidvaccine.org for information on how to enroll in the vaccine.
With access to job-specific vaccines until the end of March, Polis estimated that vaccine access to the general public could occur as early as late April or early May, depending on the ‘offer.
Colorado Brigadier General Scott Sherman, who coordinates state vaccine distribution, said Colorado’s supply should receive a big boost once the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine is approved. . Colorado should receive about 400,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine by the end of March, Sherman said, if 20 million doses are made available nationwide.
Sherman said the state expects a White House announcement next week about the projected increase in vaccine supply.
Polis warned Coloradoans to stay safe, despite increased vaccine distribution. The governor did not say whether he would extend the last state mask term when it expires next week, but urged Coloradans to wear a mask anyway.
“The journey is not over, the race is not over yet,” Polis said. “We have to keep being patient.”