745 Hospitalizations Among Not Fully Vaccinated: CO Officials

COLORADO — Around 82 percent of ICU beds in Colorado were in use as of Wednesday as the delta variant continues to spread, state public health officials said.

Out of the 898 people who were hospitalized on Wednesday, 745 were not fully vaccinated, said Scott Bookman, COVID-19 incident commander with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Bookman presented the following graph:

“Every single county has at least one vaccine provider in their county so please get the safe and effective vaccine today and urge your friends and family to join you," Bookman said in a statement.

"The effort to vaccinate 75% of Coloradans has been a remarkable effort between the state and our providers. We’re not done yet and we will do all that we can to vaccinate the remaining 25% while ensuring that it is easy for all Coloradans to receive the booster when it is their turn to get it.”

The majority of cases are among adults; however, 12 people under age 17 were hospitalized as of Wednesday, said Dr. Rachel Herlihy, state epidemiologist.

“We know that the risk to children is higher than it’s ever been because of the delta variant’s high transmission rate,” Herlihy said.

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Colorado is planning to offer booster shots to everyone who is already vaccinated beginning Monday, Gov. Jared Polis said in a news conference Tuesday.

“The state has been working hard to ensure we continue to protect Coloradans and our most vulnerable from this deadly virus," the governor said. "Colorado has the resources and the infrastructure in place to continue offering the vaccine to the unvaccinated to end the pandemic, while also distributing boosters."

Our state began offering third doses to immunocompromised Coloradans in August.

>> More information about how to get vaccinated in Colorado can be found here.