DENVER (KDVR) — With the arrival of new bivalent booster shots that target omicron subvariants of COVID-19, Colorado is reviving nearly a dozen community vaccination sites from the Front Range to the Western Slope.
The governor announced the sites Wednesday afternoon as Gov. Jared Polis rolled up his sleeve to get the shot himself. According to a release from the governor’s office, community sites will be opening up starting next week. The Ball Arena site is already up and running with 207 appointments filled up out of the 400 doses available.
Here are the locations for the next wave of community vaccination sites:
- Ball Arena, Denver
- The Citadel Mall, Colorado Springs
- DICK’s Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City
- Front Range Community College, Fort Collins
- La Plata County Fairgrounds, Durango
- Mesa County Community Services Building, Grand Junction
- Pueblo Mall, Pueblo
- Southwest Weld Community Services Complex, Longmont
- Summit County Public Health, Frisco
- Water World, Federal Heights
Until now, COVID vaccines have only targeted the original strain of the virus, but the Food and Drug Administration granted authorization to Pfizer and Moderna bivalent shots, which combine the original mRNA-targeting mixture and a new formula that targets the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel gave the final recommendation with a vote of 13-1.
The sole no vote in that panel wanted to see more human data since this version of the vaccine did not go through human trials. It is still delivered using the same mRNA method as the original Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.
Under Colorado’s vaccine finder, doses are also available through the state’s fleet of mobile vaccine clinics, pharmacies and local clinics.