More people will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccines starting this week after Gov. Jared Polis on Monday said those 16 and older in Colorado will be able to sign up for a shot.
The change opens up vaccine appointments for the general public starting on Friday. Previously, only people meeting certain criteria were able to get a vaccine, including people 50 or older.
Polis said the state got about 413,000 vaccine doses this week. Of course, the new rules don't mean everyone will be getting a vaccine this week. Polis said the state anticipates everyone who wants to get vaccinated will have received their shot or shots by mid- to late May.
President Biden on Monday said 90 percent of adults will be eligible for the vaccine within the next three weeks.
The new rules mean a huge chunk of Denver residents will now be eligible to get vaccinated, though people have been getting shots here since mid-December.
About 100,000 people had been fully vaccinated in Denver as of March 22. Nearly 185,000 people at that point had received their initial vaccination, according to the city of Denver.
"This important milestone gets Denver closer to herd immunity, which occurs when a significant portion of a community becomes immune to a disease, and when the spread of disease from person to person is significantly reduced," the city said in a statement.
The city was unavailable for comment on Monday, as most city offices were closed in observance of Cesar Chavez Day.
The city's website, denvergov.org, lists several places where people are encouraged to get a vaccine. At the top of the list is the large community vaccination site at Dick's Sporting Good Park, just north of the city. This site is one of five major vaccination sites in the state (you can set up an appointment through that link) and each site can administer a maximum of 6,000 doses per day depending on supplies, according to a spokesperson for the state health department. Doses are provided six days a week.
A sixth site will open at Pepsi Center Ball Arena on Thursday. All six sites will be open to people 16 and older starting Friday.
Denver's four community vaccination sites, which are co-sponsored by the state, are reserved for people who live in those neighborhoods.
Your age may determine whose vaccine you can get. As Polis pointed out Monday, people age 16 and older can get the Pfizer vaccine, while the Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines are approved for people 18 and older.
The city is still under Level Yellow on the state's dial, but more than 100 businesses including restaurants are operating under fewer restrictions thanks to the state's 5 Star Program. The city will reopen some recreational centers starting in May.
