DENVER — State health officials said vaccination efforts and accessibility to vaccines will continue to grow.
Brigadier General Scott Sherman said Colorado's allocation of 325,600 doses for last week came in before the weekend snow snowstorm. Sherman added the CDC held up delivery of this week's doses until Tuesday because of the storm's impacts.
Officials said new community vaccination sites opening around the state will help their efforts. Two vaccination sites opened Wednesday; one at Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs and the other at the Grand Junction Convention Center in Mesa County.
In all, Colorado hopes to be able to open six vaccination sites around the state. The Ranch in Loveland is expected to open March 24, and Ball Arena in downtown Denver is scheduled to open on April 1. Sherman said they hope all of the sites will be able to provide 6,000 vaccinations per day, six days a week once supplies allow.
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Dr. Emily Travanty with the state Public Health Lab gave an update on COVID variants we're seeing in Colorado.
Travanty said there are 225 cases of the B.1.427 and B.1.429 variants, which was first discovered in California, in Colorado.
There are also 326 cases of the B1.1.7 variant, according to Travanty. This variant was first discovered in the United Kingdom. A third variant, B.1.351, has infected 11 people, Travanty said. The B.1.351 variant was first discovered in South Africa. Both of these strains are labeled as variants of concern by health officials.
People over 50, those with at least one preexisting condition and multiple categories of essential workers will become eligible for a vaccine starting on Friday.
The state reached its goal of vaccinating 70% of people over 70 at the end of February.
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