DENVER (KDVR) — The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment strongly recommends booster shots as a way to protect adults 60 and older and people with compromised immunity. Boosters are also a key to reducing transmission rates, according to the CDPHE.

The state’s positivity rate is still above 9%, although rates may have reached a plateau, according to the CDPHE.

The number of people hospitalized in Colorado is currently 1,576, an increase of 50 since last week The peak reached last December was 1,847.

“Compared with two doses of the vaccine administered at least five months ago, receiving a third dose was estimated to have an effectiveness of 93% in preventing COVID-19-related admission to hospital, 92% in preventing severe disease, and 81% in preventing COVID-19-related death,” Dr. Eric France, chief medical officer, said. The information is from a study of 1.46 million people in Israel, half of whom received a booster dose.

Over 930,000 Coloradans have gotten a booster shot, 35% of eligible adults. Booster shots have been given to 55% of residents in long-term facilities, with a goal of 90%.

“Shortly after the third-dose vaccination campaign was initiated in each age group, the incidence treatment began to decline in the respective groups,” France said in reference to the Israeli study.

The news conference was held on Wednesday at 11:10 a.m. and featured Scott Bookman, COVID-19 Incident Commander, Dr. Alexis Burakoff, Medical epidemiologist, Nicole Comstock, Outbreak and Field Epidemiologist Manager and Dr. Eric France, Chief Medical Officer.