'We Won't Skip You': Boulder County Officials Issue Letter

BOULDER COUNTY, CO — While Boulder County residents wait to be notified about when their age and risk category can receive vaccines, Boulder County Public Health officials have penned a guest opinion column that outlines their personal mission to distribute the vaccine as soon as possible.

Indira Gujral, the agency's communicable disease and emergency management division manager; and Chris Campbell, emergency manager, issued the joint letter, which is posted here, in full:

COVID-19 vaccination is underway with the promise that we could soon reopen schools, businesses and one day allow us to hug our loved ones. Vaccination distribution is a complex logistical endeavor, and it can be confusing when the plan seems to constantly change. I assure you, there is nothing we want more than to provide the COVID-19 vaccination to every single Boulder County resident who wants it.

We’re on the brink of a solution to change the last ten months of hardship, sacrifice and loss; the hardest time most of us have or will experience in our lifetimes. And we need your help. Help in understanding that along with these brand-new vaccines comes an equally new and unprecedented vaccine roll-out more complex than the vaccine campaigns for polio or smallpox in the 1950s and 60s.

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First, the supply of vaccine is very limited. Currently, the entire state of Colorado only receives about 60,000 doses per week from the federal government, with the first 20,000 automatically allotted to Long Term Care Facility (LTCF) residents and staff who have been disproportionately impacted by this pandemic. Only about 3,000 doses make their way to Boulder County, with a population of just under 330,000. While each vaccine provider (Public Health, hospitals, clinics) orders the doses they need each week from the state, how much and when they receive them changes from week to week. Not surprisingly, this can make it difficult for our partners to plan ahead.

Second, the COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna require special handling. The Pfizer vaccine must be stored at -94 Fahrenheit, requiring special ultracold freezers – something most healthcare providers don’t have. Each must be thawed just before use, but not too soon before use. And once thawed and punctured, each dose must be used within hours. . Further, both vaccines require a second dose be provided by the same provider as the first. While a two-dose vaccine is not uncommon, it adds another layer of complexity to the logistics.

Lastly, constantly shifting guidance, directives, and prioritization of the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out makes it difficult to be as effective as we’d like. For example, the recent change to the statewide prioritization to include vaccine to older adults earlier in the distribution – an increase of about 30,000 people in Boulder County – was a surprise to us and required that we revise the plan we’d written and change course. While we understand and have made this adjustment, it is another factor that slows our progress getting vaccine to the next individuals on the priority list.

Despite these bumps in the road, we want you to know that you’re on our mind, day in and day out, as we make agreements with additional vaccine providers, hire additional nursing staff, and plan for the arrival of new vaccines too. We ask you to bear with us as we continue down this unprecedented mass vaccination road to stop this unprecedented pandemic.

The state has a priority for vaccine distribution, and it is subject to change, sometimes without notice. We want everyone to know when vaccine is available to their specific priority group. We invite you to learn the latest by following Boulder County Public Health on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. You can also join us for our Community Updates every Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. via Zoom, where we share what we know and answer your questions. And, you can sign up to receive our media releases or be emailed when vaccine is available for you by visiting our COVID-19 website at BoulderCountyCOVID19.org.

We are delighted so many residents are interested in getting the COVID-19 vaccine. We take this to heart and our team is working tirelessly to ensure everyone who wants the vaccine will get it. Thank you for your patience as we navigate this complex undertaking, and know that because of your support, we will soon be able to enjoy the things we miss the most.