Summit County residents who are 75 and older will be able to get their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine starting Thursday after local public health officials said they received more doses of Moderna’s shot than expected.
The availability of the vaccine for this age group — which is part of the broader Phase 2 — comes ahead of schedule, and is one of the first instances in Colorado of the shots going to the wider public. The state is still in the initial part of Phase 1 of its distribution plan, which prioritizes health care workers with close contact to COVID-19 patients and those living and working in long-term care facilities.
The state’s vaccination plan calls for people 65 and older to be vaccinated in Phase 2, which is expected to take place this spring.
“Summit County received several hundred more doses of Moderna vaccine than originally anticipated, and we are happy to be able to offer the opportunity for our residents in one of the highest risk categories to receive the vaccine to protect themselves this week,” said Amy Wineland, public health director for Summit County, in a news release. “This is truly a holiday gift.”
So far, 73,867 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Colorado, according to the state health department’s website.
In Summit County, frontline health care workers and first responders, which make up the second part of Phase 1, also will receive their first dose of the vaccine from this week’s shipment. The Moderna vaccine requires two doses, given a month apart, to be effective, according to the news release.
The shots will be delivered via the health department, Safeway and City Market. As of Wednesday, people who qualify for the shots can make appointments online. They are asked to bring a photo ID with proof of Summit County residency. The shots are free, according to the news release.
Source: Read Full Article