Teachers and other workers whose priority was moved higher on the state's COVID vaccination plan will wait until after Boulder County residents 70 and older receive the vaccine, Boulder County Public Health announced in a Monday news release.
Gov. Jared Polis last week announced changes to vaccination prioritization, adding more individuals to the list of people who will receive a vaccine in the first phase of distribution. The change to the prioritized groups significantly increased the number of individuals eligible to receive the vaccine in the first phase, the health department stated in the release. Those newly added to Phase 1 priority have been dubbed 1B.
“There is now a dotted line separating 1B workers, with individuals 70 and older above the dotted line and frontline essential workers below the dotted line,” Indira Gujral, Communicable Disease and Emergency Management Division manager, stated in the release. “State health is telling us that all vaccine providers need to focus on the 1B group above the dotted line before they can move to the populations identified below the dotted line, this means that teachers and other frontline workers in transportation, grocery stores, etc. will be next after we provide the vaccine to the nearly 30,000 residents who are 70 years of age and older.”
The change in prioritization increases the number of people eligible to receive the vaccine in the first phase but does not include an increase in the supply of vaccine, according to the release. Because vaccine supply continues to be limited, it will be many months before all individuals in Phase I have the opportunity to receive the vaccine, Boulder County Public Health stated.
“We have already received hundreds of emails and phone calls from residents asking for vaccines,” Chana Goussetis, Boulder County Public Health spokesperson, stated in the release. “We are delighted that so many people would like to get the vaccine. We ask for your patience as additional vaccine doses become available and we identify resources to provide the additional doses.”
Chris Campbell, Boulder County Public Health Emergency manager, in the release stated, “We are working with our hospitals, outpatient health care providers, and local pharmacies to develop a multi-pronged strategy to get people vaccinated.”
Residents who would like to be notified about where and when to get the vaccine when it becomes available for their priority group can complete the COVID-19 Vaccine Notification Sign-Up.
