State and El Paso Co. agree on vaccine discrepancy, 25,000 doses coming this week
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers said after a COVID-19 vaccine shortfall in El Paso County, state officials, including Governor Jared Polis, are on the same page about the discrepancy and about 25,000 vaccine doses will be sent to the county this week.
KRDO was the first to report last week that local health officials felt El Paso County wasn't getting its fair share of COVID-19 doses.
Previously, the Governor's office said that they would send more vaccines after El Paso County administered the thousands of doses sitting on shelves that providers had.
"There are no inventory issues in El Paso County, and I think we've convinced the Governor of that fact. I'm very pleased that he's made a commitment to make up for any shortage that El Paso County has had, and that's being reflected this week," Suthers said.
At UCHealth's COVID-19 vaccine clinic, 1,700 people are receiving doses each day, according to Suthers. Health officials anticipate that they will soon vaccinate up to 2,000 people a day when the federal supply increases. UCHealth's regional goal is vaccinating 15,000 Coloradans a week.
On Thursday afternoon, Centura health leaders were out doing a trial run of the county's first drive-thru vaccination event this weekend. The event will be at the Broadmoor World Arena on Saturday and Sunday. They plan to administer 5,000 vaccines.
It's an invite-only event, and officials estimate that 75% of those participating are 70 and older.
"Some are known patients that are in our known medical system, and then we're going to anybody who has went online and just put their information in our online form," Penrose St. Francis CEO Brian Erling said. "We take that information and randomize it, and we start sending out invites."
Erling said that Centura also wanted to make sure it was equitable in its vaccine administering and reached out to leaders in underserved and minority communities for participation.
To get a vaccine at a mass vaccination clinic or provider, you must have an appointment.
