DENVER — So far, Don and Joyce Newman have gotten lucky: none of the seven health aides who come to their house each week has brought COVID-19 along.
They'd rather not keep relying on luck, but since only one of the aides has been vaccinated, they've had to, Don Newman said.
Joyce Newman, who has cognitive impairment and other health conditions, needs the help getting out of bed and into her wheelchair in the morning, and getting undressed and ready for bed, he said. He was able to get his first shot on Sunday, but there hasn't been an appointment available for her at a time when a caregiver could come along to help.
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Newman, of Arvada, said he's helped some of the caregivers to go online and sign up with UCHealth, but he'd like to see a solution that doesn't rely on individuals navigating the system. The state told home health agencies to get their staff vaccinated, but didn't tell them how to do it, he said.
"How is kind of important in this case," he said.
State officials instructed people eligible for the vaccine because of a job to work through their employers to set up an appointment, while directing those who qualify because of age to sign up with a local health care provider. In some cases, that's worked well: hospitals and nursing homes could vaccinate their employees on site, and some large school districts quickly partnered with health systems.
In other cases, however, employers weren't prepared to run vaccination clinics, and told their workers to join the same waiting lists that were frustrating seniors around the state.
Michele Lawonn, a physical therapist, said the agency she works for didn't coordinate vaccinations, and just sent an email telling employees they could call Boulder County Public Health about appointments. She said she got her vaccination through Kaiser Permanente and helped three coworkers who were less comfortable with the process to sign up with other health systems, but one spent more than an hour on hold before getting an appointment.
"It shouldn't be this difficult," she said.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment advised employers who haven't yet made a plan to talk to their local health department, and to prepare a list of eligible staff before reaching out to health care providers. Schools and child care providers also can complete an online form to request help with vaccination planning.
Currently, people 65 and older and those working in health care, K-12 education and child care are eligible for the vaccine. The state has estimated it could open the next tier, which includes other essential workers -- including grocery store employees -- and people with two or more chronic conditions, in early March.
Amber Bilby, president of the Colorado Association of Family Child Care, said child care providers vary widely in how much help they can offer their employees with finding a vaccine. Some can work with nearby school districts, but others don't have those connections.
Some local early childhood councils, which coordinate child care training, may be able to help, but others have only one person on staff and barely handle their existing workload, she said.
"It's kind of hit or miss," she said. "It's almost like one of those 'who do you know' things."
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