DENVER (KDVR) — The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment held a news conference Monday afternoon to discuss the continuing impacts of COVID-19 in the state and the rollout of various vaccines.
As Colorado nursing homes wrap up vaccinations through the Federal Pharmacy Partnership, the department highlighted the staggering impact the pandemic has had on those facilities.
About 15% of all outbreaks came from long term care facilities, and 38% of all deaths in Colorado came from these facilities, according to CDPHE.
CDPHE analyzed the cases and deaths in long-term care facilities, and found the surges in cases often directly related to surges in the community.
The percentage of Colorado cases that currently exist in long-term care facilities is sitting at less than 1%. The percentage of COVID-19 deaths in the state linked to nursing homes has hit it’s lowest point in the pandemic at 24%.
COVID-19 incident commander Scott Bookman says 100% of 1st and 2nd dose clinics have been completed. 72,873 residents have been vaccinated, with 62,193 staff getting their doses.
According to Bookman’s information from Walgreens and CVS, 88% of residents and 66% of staff were vaccinated, suggesting some hesitation among staff.
“We are continuing to do public campaigns and leadership at facilities to address hesitancy issues among staff,” Bookman said.
The press conference comes after the Food and Drug Administration gave emergency use authorization to Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine over the weekend, with first doses shipping to Colorado Sunday night.
J&J will deliver about 4 million doses immediately, with 16 million more doses by the end of March and 100 million total by the end of June. Colorado receives 1.6% of the country’s weekly allocation, so the state could see more than 300,000 doses of this vaccine within that time frame.
Because J&J’s vaccine only requires one shot, and does not need to be refrigerated at ultra-cold temperatures, experts say these doses would have a significant impact on vaccinating rural communities.
Bookman said CDPHE is excited to have a third vaccine as a tool in the toolbox, and will have an emphasis on bringing it directly into the community.
“All these vaccines are safe, they are all effective,” Bookman said. “J&J vaccine has a broader ability to use it. We are looking at logistically what is the best way to use this vaccine. We need to stand up mass vaccination sites, we need to do smaller vaccination clinics.”
The state anticipates 45,000 doses of J&J will arrive in Colorado this week, but does not yet have a clear idea of what future shipments will look like, and the timing of those shipments.
You can watch a replay of the update above.