FORT CARSON, Colo. — Fort Carson became the first military installation in Colorado to receive a shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Evans Army Community Hospital (EACH) received the vaccine shipment Monday and will begin vaccinations Tuesday morning, according to Fort Carson public affairs.
The vaccine will be given to EACH's health care workers and emergency services personnel first, Fort Carson staff said.
EACH patients, military family members and retirees will receive the vaccine at later dates after prioritized groups of people are vaccinated according to the Dept. of Defense's distribution plan, staff said.
>Video above: What Colorado has learned one week after vaccinations began.
Fort Carson's public affairs office said getting vaccinated is voluntary, but that the Dept. of Defense is encouraging personnel to get the vaccine to protect their families, people on base and to lower the public health risks of the coronavirus.
Fort Carson is nine miles south of downtown Colorado Springs.
The base is home to more than 25,000 active duty military members. When you add in military member families, civilians and others, nearly 65,000 people are on base daily, according to data provided by Fort Carson.
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