Colorado Governor’s Office

The Polis administration announced today that Colorado’s vaccination rate for first doses among the 5-11 age group has surpassed 20%, making Colorado the eighth highest in the United States trailing only seven other states.

“It’s great to see so many of Colorado’s kids and parents making a common-sense decision to protect themselves against this dangerous virus by getting the safe and effective vaccine and leading other western states in the process. We need more Coloradans to follow the example set by our young people who are doing their part to help put this pandemic behind us and protect their health so we can get back to enjoying the Colorado we love,” said Governor Polis. 

As of this morning, 98,848 Colorado children in this age group (20.6% of the estimated 5-11 population in Colorado)  have received at least one dose of the two-dose pediatric Pfizer vaccine since the CDC approved it earlier this month. Additionally, 5,617 or 0.6% have received their second dose.

Last week, the state expanded three large community sites to provide additional vaccines and boosters. The state is working with Children’s Hospital Colorado and other providers within the state to make more appointments available. Zoos, museums, rec centers, and libraries across the state are hosting clinics where whole families can receive a first, second, or third dose or a booster. Parents can find upcoming clinics for children on our vaccine finder webpage or on Vaccines.gov. 

CDPHE continues to recommend parents and guardians make a plan to get their children vaccinated. Vaccines are the safest, most effective way to slow the spread of COVID-19 and help avoid the worst outcomes — severe illness, hospitalization, and death — among those who do become infected. Getting vaccinated means kids can look forward to holiday activities, participate in extracurricular activities, have fewer interruptions to in-person learning, and see family and friends without worrying as much about getting COVID-19 or having to quarantine and miss out.

Continue to stay up to date by visiting covid19.colorado.gov

DENVER – Today on the west steps of the state capitol, Governor Jared Polis celebrated a group of Colorado children ages 5 to 11 who participated in the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine trials. Governor Polis was joined by Dr. Eric Simoes, Primary Investigator of the Pfizer trial at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

“What an honor to celebrate some really heroic kids and parents who volunteered to try out the vaccine months ago to ensure that it was safe and effective for the rest of us. Thanks to their bravery, thousands of children across Colorado are now able to access the lifesaving COVID-19 vaccine. On behalf of a grateful state, I thank the scientists, researchers, and trial participants who brought this lifesaving vaccine to us,” said Governor Polis. “Now Colorado’s children have access to the COVID-19 vaccine and parents can have the much-deserved peace of mind that their children are protected from this virus. As kids across the state roll up their sleeves to get the vaccine, I urge my fellow parents and those who have put off getting protected to listen to the science and get the effective COVID-19 vaccine.”

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is now authorized and widely available for kids ages 5 to 11. So far, Colorado has administered at least 11,049 doses to children between the ages of 5 to 11 years old with the goal of reaching 50% vaccinated in the 5 to 11-year-old age group by the end of January. 

75 participants from the Pfizer trial for 5-11-year-olds at Children’s Hospital Colorado, the largest trial site in the country, joined Governor Polis today where they were presented certificates for their participation in helping get the effective COVID-19 vaccine approved for kids. Governor Polis also recognized the clinical research team at Children’s Hospital Colorado who dedicated their time and efforts to ensure the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids was thoroughly tested and deemed safe for children. 

“To our trial participants, your contributions are the reason why children ages 5 to 11 can get their vaccine. I thank our researchers and senior management at Children’s Hospital Colorado as without them this wouldn’t happen,” said Dr. Eric Simoes, Primary Investigator of the Pfizer trial at Children’s Hospital Colorado. “As principal investigator of this site, one of the largest in the world, I believe in the science behind this vaccine. As a father, doctor and researcher I encourage everyone to get the vaccine.” 

Governor Polis also provided an update on the COVID-19 pandemic in Colorado, noting that currently one out of every 48 Coloradans is infected with COVID-19 due to the highly transmissible Delta variant. Fewer than 120 ICU beds remain in the state right now and Colorado is seeing the lowest number of overall available beds than at any other point in the pandemic. 

To help hospitals ease the strain on their capacity, Colorado launched five mobile buses last week that will distribute monoclonal therapy to those infected with COVID-19. This therapy helps to alleviate mild to moderate COVID-19 cases to prevent them from becoming so severe it requires hospitalization. Additionally, over 160 providers across the state are offering monoclonal therapy. 

If you were recently diagnosed with COVID-19 and think you might be eligible, you can talk with your primary care provider about getting a referral and visit https://covid19.colorado.gov/for-coloradans/covid-19-treatments to find a treatment location near you.

View today’s press conference.

Today, Governor Jared Polis provided an update on the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Polis was joined by Dr. Rachel Herlihy, State Epidemiologist, and Incident Commander Scott Bookman.

“We hit an amazing accomplishment in the fight against COVID-19 yesterday by reaching 80% of adults vaccinated across Colorado with at least one dose of the lifesaving and free COVID-19 vaccine,” said Governor Polis. “But this milestone is nowhere near signaling that COVID-19 is over. Instead, Colorado is in the middle of record COVID-19 case transmission levels and close to record hospitalization rates largely coming from the unvaccinated minority in our state, who make up the vast majority of hospitalizations in all age groups. Currently, 1 out of every 51 Coloradans is infected with the virus. It’s critical now that every Coloradan takes advantage of every tool available to slow and stop the spread of COVID, with the most effective tool being the vaccine.”

Dr. Rachel Herlihy, State Epidemiologist, provided an overview of the current hospitalization and COVID-19 case rates across the state. 

“Over the last few days, we have seen an increase in hospitalizations across the state. As of today, we have 1,847 Coloradans hospitalized,” said Dr. Herlihy.  “That is the highest number we have seen in Colorado this year.  Given these numbers, it’s critical that unvaccinated Coloradans get vaccinated to drive down hospitalizations and slow the spread of COVID.”

Governor Polis reminded Coloradans that booster does for fully vaccinated Coloradans also play an important role in slowing and stopping the spread of COVID by providing an additional layer of immunity. Coloradans who work around others are at a heightened risk of contracting the virus and should get their booster as soon as they are six months past their second dose or two months if they received Johnson and Johnson. Coloradans can receive any of the approved boosters as the CDC approved a mix and match approach, meaning you don’t need to get the same COVID-19 vaccine as your booster despite what you received as your original vaccine. 

Incident Commander Scott Bookman provided an overview of how monoclonal antibody treatments play an important part in the fight against COVID if you are eligible to receive the treatment. 

“We continue to see the pandemic of the unvaccinated in our hospitals. The most important thing people can do to prevent hospitalizations is getting the vaccine,” said Scott Bookman, Incident Commander. “But we are also learning that monoclonal antibodies play an important role in preventing COVID-19 hospitalizations. Colorado is working hard to increase access to monoclonal treatment across the state, with 161 providers already enrolled to provide this treatment.” 

In order to receive monoclonal antibody treatment, the first step is finding out if you have COVID-19 or not. COVID-19 testing continues to be critical in identifying cases and slowing the spread of COVID-19. Those who are eligible for monoclonal treatments also have to meet the following eligibility criteria: 

• Adult or pediatric patients (at least 12 years of age)
• Have tested positive for COVID-19
• Are experiencing mild or moderate symptoms of COVID-19 prior to hospitalization
• Experienced your first symptoms of COVID-19 in the last 10 days
• Are at high risk of having more serious symptoms of COVID-19 and/or going into the hospital, including having an underlying medical condition

To find a monoclonal treatment site near you visit:

 covid19.colorado.gov/for-coloradans/covid-19-treatments 

Additionally, Colorado continues to offer free, readily available testing sites across the state. To find a testing site near you, visit: covid19.colorado.gov/testing. 

The state of Colorado is also planning several clinics to vaccinate children ages 5 to 11 once the COVID-19 vaccine is fully approved by the CDC, which is expected at any moment. Once fully federally approved, entire families can accompany their children at these clinics to receive their COVID-19 booster, first or second dose, or even their flu shot. Additional details about these clinics will be made available once the CDC signs off on the vaccine for children. 

View today’s press conference.

DENVER – Today, Governor Jared Polis provided an update on Colorado’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, reminding Coloradans that the pandemic is not yet behind us as COVID-19 related hospitalizations continue to increase across the state with almost 90% of the state’s ICU beds currently occupied. Governor Polis was joined by Dr. Rachel Herlihy, state epidemiologist, and COVID 19 Incident Commander Scott Bookman. 

“We have the ability to end the pandemic and get back to the Colorado we love but we need more Coloradans to get the lifesaving, and effective COVID-19 vaccine. Hospital beds across the state are filling up with COVID patients, most of which are unvaccinated but it doesn’t have to be this way,” said Governor Polis. “We have all the tools we need to defeat this pandemic. The risk of hospitalization if you are vaccinated and contract COVID is very low but much higher, almost a 1 in 10 chance, if you are unvaccinated. Show that you love yourself and that you support your friends and family by getting vaccines. Get protected, get vaccinated, and get boosted,” Governor Polis added.

Colorado is facing a strain on our hospital capacity as most Coloradans are back to living their normal lives, leading to more accidents and hospitalizations, while the state is also seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases, the majority of which are among the unvaccinated that lead to hospitalization. 

Dr. Rachel Herlihy, state epidemiologist, provided an overview of COVID-19 case rates in Colorado. “The increases that we are seeing in hospitalizations are across all age groups,” said Dr. Herlihy. “The rates are increasing a little more rapidly though in some of our older populations, specifically in our 70+ population. This is an important reminder of the importance of booster doses to protect individuals who are at a higher risk of severe disease, especially hospitalization or death.” 

To free up hospital capacity, Governor Polis reminded all Coloradans to get their flu and COVID-19 shot and encouraged eligible Coloradans to get their booster COVID shot. Research by Pfizer showed in a large study that booster shots are highly effective, especially against the highly contagious Delta variant. The effectiveness of the vaccine with a booster shoots up to over 95.6% effective, according to Pfizer’s study released today, Oct. 21. 

Scott Bookman, COVID 19 Incident Commander, also gave an update on the hospitalization capacity situation in the state. 

“As of today, we have 1,130 people hospitalized and the state only has 934 beds remaining. Surgeries are being canceled, brain surgeries, heart surgeries are being delayed because of a lack of availability to provide care to those patients due to the impact of COVID hospitalizations,” said Scott Bookman. “I join the Governor and Dr. Herlihy in urging all Coloradans who have not yet been vaccinated to take that step to get their first shot. And I also urge those that are eligible to get their booster to do so as soon as possible.”  

The Food and Drug Administration, as of yesterday, released new recommendations regarding booster shots of Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. The Johnson & Johnson booster was authorized by the FDA for anyone 18 and over. The Moderna booster, a half-dose of the original shot, was authorized by the FDA for people 65 and older and everyone who works around others at their job. Additionally, the FDA authorized a mix and match approach where eligible individuals can receive a booster dose after their primary series from any of the approved vaccines. 

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted on all of these recommendations today and soon the CDC Director is expected to also sign off on the recommendations, which will lead to final approval for boosters of Moderna and J&J. To date, nearly 8% of Coloradans have received their booster shot and it is expected that number will quickly rise once ACIP signs off on the boosters of J&J and Moderna. Booster shots will not just add additional immunity but will also help protect young children who are not yet vaccinated and other vulnerable populations. 

DENVER – Governor Jared Polis released a statement following a vote by the Advisory Committee U.S. to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the COVID-19 booster. The Advisory Committee to the FDA voted in favor of providing a booster shot of the safe and effective Pfizer vaccine for people age 65 and up and for high-risk individuals. Committee members also took an advisory vote and unanimously voted to support the administration of a booster for “healthcare workers and others at high risk for occupational exposure.”

“This recommendation helps remove a deadly impediment that stood in the way of Colorado getting highly effective boosters out to nursing homes residents, and are planning to start next week as soon as the FDA decision is finalized. Nearly everyone living in nursing homes got the Pfizer vaccine, because it was available first and we prioritized the elderly and most vulnerable, and now we will rapidly roll out the booster to save lives and help end the pandemic. This recommendation for a booster should cover everyone in Colorado who received a Pfizer vaccine at least six months ago,” said Governor Polis. 

“This recommendation to approve boosters six months after the second dose for people 65 and older, those considered high-risk, and those who work in frontline essential professions like teaching and healthcare that put them at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 is overdue but welcome news. Depending on the exact wording of the finalization of the decision, we expect that the recommendation for the booster will cover essentially everyone who received the Pfizer vaccine at least six months ago, as the vaccine was only available to those 65 and up, our frontline essential workers including healthcare workers, and teachers including childcare workers for their first dose during February, and in early March opened up to include first doses for those age 60 and up along with frontline workers. The recommended timing of the booster is about six months after the second dose,” the Governor added. 

“We want to end the pandemic now and our state is ready to administer the booster to our seniors in long-term care and residential facilities starting as soon as next week,” said Governor Polis. “The United States can get more people protected with the first two doses, give effective boosters, and export the safe and effective vaccine to countries abroad – this is not a time to pick just one – our country has enough safe and effective vaccine for all three.”