Colorado to start offering vaccine appointments to the general public

DURANGO, C.O.— Coloradans over the age of 16 can now receive their COVID-19 vaccine, but sixteen and seventeen-year-olds will only eligible for the Pfizer vaccine for now.

“We anticipate that everyone who wants to get vaccinated will be able to get it by the end of Mary," said Colorado Gov. Jared Polis.

On Monday, Gov. Polis announced that vaccines for the public will be available this Friday.

“Frankly, if you are 65 and up and haven’t gotten it yet, we want to make sure that you get it, and we encourage our providers to prioritize our most vulnerable—but other than that, it is open to everybody," said Gov. Polis.

Vaccine supply is still limited, which is why San Juan Basin Public Health in Durango is asking people to be patient.

“But we do expect that each week there will be first dose appointments available at one or more providers, so people should absolutely go to our website and sign up for notifications," said Brian Devine, deputy incident commander for San Juan Basic Public Health.

Vaccination rates in Archuleta and La Plata counties remain high. With Durango being so close to New Mexico, health officials are also expecting people to cross state lines to get vaccinated.

“People in New Mexico have been getting vaccinated in Colorado and people in Colorado have been getting vaccinated in New Mexico, so we know that it’s most important to protect the entire community rather than to worry about who’s getting vaccinated where," said Devine.

Health officials are encouraging people not to make multiple appointments since it can lead to wasted doses.

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