DENVER (KDVR) — Gov. Jared Polis said disruptions in the supply of COVID-19 vaccines could impact older Coloradans trying to get the shot. However, he’s promising the majority of people in that age group will get vaccinated by the end of next month.
The federal government has promised Colorado 70,000 doses of the vaccines every week.
Polis said, “So it’s possible that there could be disruptions in the supply and the federal government might say, ‘You are getting 52,000 or 58,000.’ We have had under-delivery, particularly on the Pfizer vaccine at times, in the past few weeks.”
Still, the governor said he is committed to having 70% of people 70 and older vaccinated by the end of February.
Polis said hospitals are now contacting people in that age group.
Doug Gott, 77, told FOX31 he has’t been contacted about receiving a shot.
“I don’t know where to get it because I don’t live in a nursing home. I’m 77 and I’m a chronic asthmatic. It’s (hard) not having the security of being vaccinated,” said Gott.
On Friday, the State announced stepped-up efforts to search for pockets of the fast-spreading COVID variant after two new cases were discovered this week.
“We are rapidly expanding our surveillance in the state for not just the B.1.1.7 variant but all variants, so our lab is now receiving specimens from a network of hospitals across the state,” State Epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy said.
Across the state, there has been a sharp rise in the number of people teasing positive.
Still, Polis said the recent decision to move counties from Red to Orange levels was the right thing to do.
“We have been for a period of time at a relative plateau,” said Polis.
The big question now is, how much of an impact will New Year’s celebrations have on infection rates in the days to come.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said that New Year’s data is still coming in.
Meanwhile, Polis is hoping to begin receiving additional doses of the vaccine once the Johnson and Johnson and the AstraZeneca versions are approved.