December 2020 LETTER TO PHASE 1 COVID-19 VACCINE PROVIDERS Today, Governor Polis provided an update on the State’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the latest on Colorado’s vaccine distribution and administration plan, rolled out earlier this week. To ensure that not one dose of the vaccine goes to waste, the State will be sending a letter to all the hospitals and facilities who have enrolled as Phase 1 providers to guarantee that they are prepared to administer the vaccine within 72 hours of receiving it. The ability to quickly vaccinate prioritized populations and report those doses as administered is paramount to Colorado’s ability to receive future allocations of COVID-19 vaccines. Yesterday, the FDA Advisory Panel, made up of independent scientific experts, infectious disease doctors, and statisticians, formally recommended that the FDA approve the Pfizer vaccine, which means we are one step closer to final approval. Currently, the State is working to get vaccines to every Coloradan in the state who wants one: Our first shipment from Pfizer will include 46,800 doses and could arrive as soon as this weekend. We expect the second shipment to have 95,600 doses. With the vaccine arriving in Colorado soon, the Governor reminded Coloradans that we are another step closer toward ending the crisis brought on by this once-in-a-century pandemic, but we must redouble our efforts to wear masks and avoid socializing these next few weeks. WESTERN STATES TAKE ACTION FOR FEDERAL RELIEF Recognizing the need for more federal relief in the coming months, Governor Polis announced today that he, along with the governors of Utah, Arizona, and Nevada, are urging Congress to ensure that Western states can fairly address the financial and public health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the Governor joined a bipartisan group of governors representing 1 in 3 Americans in calling for action to defeat COVID-19. THE HOLIDAYS REIMAGINED When Dr. Fauci joined Governor Polis a couple of weeks ago, he highlighted some of the risks around the holiday season, including crowded shopping areas, traveling to see family and friends, and gatherings with people outside your household. In the next week or so, we expect to see the impacts of the Thanksgiving holiday, which means more prevalence of the virus in our communities. The best gift to give this holiday season is the gift of health. This year we need to reimagine what celebrating the holidays looks like, and there are many ways we can do that: Connect virtually: This year the Governor will be celebrating the holidays with his parents virtually. Connecting virtually could mean Zoom calling your family and eating dinner together or even watching your favorite holiday movie online as a family. Avoid Travel: Celebrate the holiday at home and only with those who live in your household. Shop locally or online: Avoid the crowds and shop locally in your neighborhood or order your gifts online! And as always, make sure to wear a mask and social distance if you are shopping in public. Colorado is full of small businesses that carry Colorado-made products that are perfect for letting your friends and family know that you care. Visit ColoradoSBDC.org/Shop-Local to find local businesses to support near you, and use the hashtag #ShopLocal when sharing ideas. For more holiday tips, visit Covid19.Colorado.gov/For-Coloradans/Winter-Holiday-Tips. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Visit Website Office of Governor Jared Polis | 136 State Capitol , Denver, CO 80203 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by [email protected]