Chana Goussetis, Boulder County Public Health. Last week Governor Polis announced some unexpected changes to the Covid-19 vaccination prioritization for Colorado, adding more individuals to priority levels in Phase 1, and moving counties in Level Red: Severe Risk to Level Orange: High Risk, beginning Monday, January 4, 2020.

Vaccination Prioritization

The change to the prioritized groups for vaccine distribution significantly increased the number of individuals eligible to receive the vaccine in Phase I.

“There is now a dotted line separating 1B workers, with individuals 70 and older above the dotted line and frontline essential workers below the dotted line,” said Indira Gujral, Communicable Disease and Emergency Management division manager. “State health is telling us that all vaccine providers need to focus on the 1B group above the dotted line before they can move to the populations identified below the dotted line, this means that teachers and other frontline workers in transportation, grocery stores, etc. will be next after we provide the vaccine to the nearly 30,000 residents who are 70 years of age and older.”

“We are working with our hospitals, outpatient healthcare providers, and local pharmacies to develop a multi-pronged strategy to get people vaccinated,” said Chris Campbell, Boulder County Public Health Emergency Manager.

The change in prioritization increases the number of people eligible to receive the vaccine in the first phase but does not include an increase in the supply of vaccine. Because vaccine supply continues to be limited, it will be many months before all individuals in Phase I have the opportunity to receive the vaccine.

“We have already received hundreds of emails and phone calls from residents asking for vaccines,” said Chana Goussetis, Boulder County Public Health spokesperson. “We are delighted that so many people would like to get the vaccine! We ask for your patience as additional vaccine doses become available and we identify resources to provide the additional doses.”

Residents who would like to be notified about where and when to get vaccine when it becomes available for their priority group are invited to complete the Covid-19 Vaccine Notification Sign-Up, Covid-19 Vaccine Notification Sign Up (wufoo.com).  

Level Orange

Last Wednesday evening, Governor Polis requested that the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) move counties at Level Red: Severe Risk on the state Covid-19 Dial to Level Orange: High Risk on Monday, Jan. 4. Boulder County Public Health will follow CDPHE’s guidance and move to Level Orange: High Risk on Monday.

“We have some concerns about this move because we don’t yet know what the outcome of the holidays will be in terms of spread and new cases,” said Jeff Zayach, Boulder County Public Health executive director. “But we will follow the state’s move and will not put a local public health order in place. Hopefully, we’ve all only been spending time with our own household and we won’t experience another surge in a week or two.”

Level Orange: High Risk restrictions on gathering and capacity are eased slightly for individuals and businesses compared to Level Red: Extreme Risk. The primary changes are:

Indoor and outdoor personal gatherings: up to 10 people from a maximum of two separate households with face coverings indoors and social distance of six feet

Non-critical business: 25% of posted occupancy with face coverings indoors and social distance of six feet

Higher education: 25% posted occupancy not to exceed 50 people per room excluding staff with face coverings indoors and social distance of six feet

Field services and indoor events: 25% posted occupancy not to exceed 50 people excluding staff with face coverings indoors and social distance of six feet

Indoor dining: 25% posted occupancy not to exceed 25 per room with face coverings and social distance of six feet

Outdoor dining: tables six feet apart up to 10 people with face coverings and social distance of six feet

Indoor gyms/recreation/pools: 25% capacity not to exceed 25 people with face coverings indoors and social distance of six feet

Smoking lounges: 25% occupancy not to exceed 10 people per room with face coverings indoors and social distance of six feet

Level Orange: High Risk does not change permitted occupancy levels for non-critical manufacturing, personal services, limited healthcare services, indoor or outdoor organized youth or adult league sports, alcohol service hours, or retail. Also, indoor adult and youth sports leagues are not permitted.

(Originally published in the January 7, 2021, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)