DENVER (KDVR) — Governor Jared Polis announced a new program called Colorado Comeback Cash on Tuesday, which will feature five $1 million prizes given out starting on Friday, June 4, when the first winner is announced.
So, how do you enter for a chance to win the Colorado vaccine lottery? According to the announcement, entries are automatic upon an individual receiving at least the first shot of the COVID-19 vaccination and the individual’s vaccination information being received and accepted as valid by the Colorado Immunization Information System by 11:59:59pm Mountain Standard Time the night before the drawing. That is the only way to enter the drawing.
You can check your immunization record here.
Poll: Could you find your vaccination records?
What if my immunization record doesn’t show up on the website?
According to Colorado.gov, here’s what you do:
If you have been unable to verify your immunization information through the online Colorado Immunization Information System (CIIS) portal, it is most likely because the information the provider reported does not exactly match what you are entering in the portal.
When searching through the portal, the following fields must match exactly what the provider entered: first name, last name, date of birth, gender, and mobile phone number and/or email address. If you entered your information in the portal and believe you entered it exactly as the provider did, you should contact your provider to ensure your information was entered accurately and to confirm how it was reported to CIIS.
If that’s not possible, you can contact the CIIS Help Desk to verify you are in the system and/or to update your contact information on your CIIS record.
Here are the numbers for the CIIS help desk:
- 303-692-2437, option 2
- 1-888-611-9918, option 1
What if I was vaccinated out of state?
You could still be eligible! You’ll just need to submit your immunization records to the state. Read more about that here.
Who is eligible to win?
You are eligible to win if you:
- are a living resident of the State of Colorado.
- are at least 18 years of age.
- are not an administrator of the Colorado Immunization Information System, a Colorado Lottery employee conducting the drawing, an auditor certifying the drawing, the Governor of the State of Colorado, the Lt. Governor of the State of Colorado or the Senior Director of the Colorado Lottery.
- received at least your first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine if receiving the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or one dose if receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccines and your information is contained in the Colorado Immunization Information System (CIIS).
- have not already won.
- have signed and submitted all required documentation and releases as part of the claims process by the required deadlines.
Problem Solvers looking into issues
The Problem Solvers are investigating multiple reported issues with Coloradans, who should be eligible, not showing up on the state’s CIIS database.
Specifically, a veteran reached out to the Problem Solvers saying the outpatient Veterans Affairs facility he received his vaccines in was in Cheyenne Wyoming. That veteran is concerned he and other veterans may not be eligible.
A spokesperson for CDPHE says, “We are pleased to announce that individuals vaccinated through the VA will be eligible. Discussions with the Department of Defense are ongoing, and we are confident we will have more positive news to report soon.”
The spokesperson said, “There are more than 5.6 million COVID-19 vaccine entries in CIIS, and we are confident the database is working as it should. We have 10 staff members dedicated to ensuring the data is accurate.”
CDPHE also said Coloradans who were vaccinated out of state may not be on file:
“Coloradans who were vaccinated out-of-state likely do not have their COVID-19 vaccine(s) on their record in CIIS. CIIS does not automatically receive vaccination data for Colorado residents from non-Colorado providers. They can contact the CIIS Help Desk, and if they provide proof of vaccination, CIIS staff can add them.”
