Vaccinations Mandated For Some Colorado Transplant Recipients

COLORADO — One hospital system is requiring most organ transplant recipients and donors to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

UCHealth recently denied a woman a kidney transplant because she was not vaccinated, according state Rep. Tim Geitner. The health care system announced the new vaccination policy last week.

“In almost all situations, transplant recipients and living donors at UCHealth are now required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in addition to meeting other health requirements and receiving additional vaccinations,” UCHealth said in a statement to The Hill.

The system said that some of its transplant centers already have vaccination requirements and others are switching to the new policy. Some studies have said the death rate for a transplant patient who contracts the coronavirus can be as high as 32 percent.

"This is why it is essential that both the recipient and the living donor be vaccinated and take other precautions prior to undergoing transplant surgery," the system's statement said.

Colorado's vaccination rate is about 60 percent, higher than the 56.4 percent national average, according to 24/7 Wall St.

Earlier this month, state health officials said nearly 1,000 people — most of them unvaccinated — were hospitalized.

Currently, more than 100 COVID-19 vaccine clinics are currently being offered across Colorado.