CDPHE acknowledges discrepancy in vaccine distribution to El Paso County

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- As seniors continue to struggle to get their doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, the disagreement on vaccine distribution in El Paso County continues between state and local officials.

The Colorado Governor's office contends El Paso County has as many as 9,000 unused vaccines sitting on shelves. However, El Paso County leaders and the Mayor says that is inaccurate and that doses are being used for mass vaccination events this weekend, and necessary second doses.

On Tuesday, El Paso County Public Health told 13 Investigates it wasn't getting its fair share of the COVID-19 vaccine compared to other counties.

Late Thursday night, Gov. Jared Polis' office told 13 Investigates it was anxious to send over 12,000 additional COVID-19 vaccine doses to El Paso County next week, adding that the state was sending more based on the assurance that vaccine providers would immediately get vaccines in arms.

CDPHE did acknowledge during a news conference Friday that there was a discrepancy in vaccine distribution to El Paso County, but specific numbers weren't given in terms of how many doses should've been delivered. Jill Hunsaker Ryan with CDPHE said the state is working to fix the discrepancy.

“We’re always open to hearing if counties don’t feel like they’ve gotten their fair share, because that’s certainly our goal," she said.

Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers said CDPHE has been professional in working to fix the problem. However, Suthers takes issue with how the governor's office has handled the whole thing.

“For the life of me, I do not understand why the governor continues to double down on this scenario that somehow the reason why we’re short is because we’ve hoarded inventory,” Suthers said.

Following KRDO's investigation, CDPHE announced it will make vaccine data available to the public.

“We are going to have a dashboard to increase and improve transparency," Ryan said.

Suthers is satisfied with the resolution for now, as long as it holds true.

“If it doesn’t straighten out soon, we’ll obviously be talking to legislators as well," Suthers said.

Gov. Polis also reiterated that any doses not used within three days of being distributed by the state will end up being moved to other areas that can use them more immediately. He added that no vaccines from El Paso County have been reassigned recently.