Gov. Polis gives updates on Colorado’s vaccine distribution, in-person learning
(KRDO) -- Colorado Gov. Jared Polis gave an update Wednesday as the state enters the last few weeks of Phase 1A and prepares to vaccinate more people in Phase 1B.
Polis said moderate risk health care workers, first responders, and people over the age of 70 will be prioritized for the vaccine in the months of January and February.
Jill Hunsaker Ryan, the executive director for the state's public health department, said she anticipates most Coloradans over the age of 70 to be vaccinated by the end of February. Then in March, frontline essential workers will be prioritized for the vaccine, according to Ryan.
Last week, the state had announced a transition into Phase 1B of the vaccine distribution plan, which expands the list of frontline essential workers who can get the vaccine.
Watch the full Wednesday press conference below:
Polis said the state has received 243,000 vaccines so far and administered 129,552 of those. State health officials are examining the possibility of having churches and workplaces as places to be vaccinated.
As vaccines rollout, Polis is also pushing for students to return in-person to schools through a "layered approach."
Immediate testing for those symptomatic, contact tracing, mask-wearing, social distancing, ventilation, hand-washing, and vaccine prioritization are some of the tools the state will use to bring back students to class. Many of the younger students may return to in-person learning by late January.
Polis said the state has provided nearly 2,500,000 KN95 masks to schools in Colorado and deliveries of masks will continue through the end of the year.
Colorado is also one of three states to partner with BinaxNOW tests. About one million of these at-home tests will be available to school districts each month, according to Polis. These at-home tests can give results within minutes and help prevent large outbreaks at schools.
