Colorado Coronavirus Vaccine Rollout: Timeline Update

Coloradans ages 60 and older will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine under Phase 1B3 on March 5, Gov. Jared Polis announced during a virtual news conference Friday.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized Saturday the Johnson & Johnson's single-shot COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use. The company has pledged to provide the country with 100 million doses by the end of June.

“This is great news — our country will quickly be equipped with another life-saving and crisis-ending vaccine to help us in the fight against COVID-19," Polis said in a statement. "Colorado will continue working around the clock to ensure that there is an arm for every dose, that we are reaching at-risk populations and administering the vaccine as equitably as possible.”

As of Saturday night, it was not yet clear how the new vaccine authorization will impact Colorado allocations, but the approval can only improve the current distribution.

The new phase, 1B3, will include Coloradans ages 16 to 59 who have two or more high-risk conditions, agriculture workers and grocery store workers.

Coloradans ages 50 and older will be eligible to get vaccinated by late March, Polis said.

Other groups that will be able to receive vaccinations by late March, depending on vaccine supply:

• People in student-facing roles in higher education;
• Restaurant and food service workers;
• Bus drivers;
• U.S Postal Service workers;
• Manufacturing workers.

Don't miss the latest coronavirus updates from health and government officials in Colorado. Sign up for free Patch news alerts and newsletters for what you need to know daily.

“Equitable distribution of the vaccine is a top priority for Colorado and to continue that trend, the state is moving to a new phase next week of the vaccine prioritization plan where more doses of this lifesaving vaccine will be available to most vulnerable communities," Polis said.

"I’m focused on ensuring that Coloradans who are at the most risk of COVID due to the environment they work in can receive the vaccine, so we can save more lives and end this pandemic.”

Around 90 percent of Colorado's front line healthcare workers — those who deal directly with patients — have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, Polis said.

As many more Coloradans become eligible to receive the vaccine over the next few months, many will have to wait after signing up for an appointment, Colorado Brigadier General Scott Sherman said.

“Please be patient and sign up for an appointment," Sherman said. "As we announce this next phase and put more people into the phases, sign up and please be patient, you will have your turn to get the vaccine.”

>> Learn more about how to get vaccinated here.