Hospitals and care providers prepare for the COVID-19 vaccine distribution plans.
Governor Jared Polis announced in a press conference Colorado's plan for the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.
First in line for the vaccine will be people who have been in direct contact with COVID-19 patients for 15 minutes or more. This will include emergency room workers and staff at long-term care facilities. Additional healthcare workers come next, such as staff dental offices, hospice workers, and first responders. All of these healthcare workers are included in the first phase of a three-phase distribution plan of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Colorado is expecting its first shipment of 46,800 Pfizer vaccinations on December 13-16. Additionally, Moderna will ship 95,600 Moderna vaccine doses about a week after.
Courtesy of State of Colorado (official website)
It's expected Colorado residents will have many questions about the new vaccine and its distribution. For that reason, officials have set up a hotline to call for information. For any questions regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, call 1-877-462-2911 or click here for more state information.
The vaccine distribution plan will occur in three phases; in winter, spring, and summer. The final phase includes the general public. The second phase includes people at higher risk due to age or health problems, essential workers, and those who deal with the public on a daily basis.
Phase 2 of the plan include:
- Chronic Health conditions
- Educators
- Grocery store workers
- Employees in high-density environments
- People age 65 or older
- Healthcare workers not included in phase 1
- Adults who received a placebo when participating in the vaccine trial
Polis noted that these conditions can include prisoners, as phase 2 includes anyone who lives in a congregate setting, like a prison. However, the vaccine will not be mass distributed to everyone in those places during the second phase. Additionally, during phase 2, the vaccine will only be available to those 18 and older.
Eight hubs across the state will store the vaccines. The locations will not be identified for security reasons. The distribution of the vaccines from each hub will prove to be a difficult task, as they must be stored in extremely cold temperatures while being moved across the state. For this reason, a task force has been set up to monitor the process, report any issues, and make any necessary changes.
The Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE) will be in charge of approving and enrolling providers in the vaccine program. Additionally, the CDPHE will coordinate with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is likely the first vaccines will be distributed by employees, which include healthcare settings and local public health agencies. However, there will be limited availability from pharmacies.
In terms of reporting and tracking, the responsibilities include the following:
- Providers that administer COVID-19 vaccines must document the administration of the vaccine in the patient's vaccine record within 24 hours. They must also report required information to the Colorado Immunization Information System (CIIS) as soon as possible—no later than 72 hours after the vaccine administration.
- CDPHE will submit daily COVID-19 vaccine administration date to the CDC as required.
- CDPHE will monitor compliance with CDC documentation and report requirements. There will be additional tracking through the CIIS Vaccine Ordering and Inventory Module (VOM).
- CDPHE will offer direct assistance and technical support to providers to make sure they meet reporting requirements.
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