September 2021 QUICK COVID RESOURCES COVID19.COLORADO.GOV COVID TESTING FIND A VACCINE PROVIDER CO EXPOSURE NOTIFICATIONS GOVERNOR POLIS PROVIDES UPDATE ON COVID-19 & PLANS FOR VACCINE BOOSTERS Today, Governor Polis provided an update on Colorado’s response to the pandemic and the State’s plans to provide boosters beginning on September 20 to the more than 75% of eligible Coloradans who are already vaccinated. The Governor was joined by Scott Bookman, COVID-19 Incident Commander, and Jamie Pieper, Lieutenant Colonel in the Colorado National Guard and Senior Advisor for COVID-19 Vaccination. “The State has been working hard to ensure we continue to protect Coloradans and our most vulnerable from this deadly virus. 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,” said Governor Polis. “We have the ability to end the pandemic and have to show the will to end it — getting the safe and effective vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and your family and to end the pain brought on by this pandemic.” The federal government has informed the public that September 20 is the planned date to begin providing boosters to the general population and in mid-August, the State of Colorado advised vaccination providers to offer third doses to immunocompromised Coloradans. To break down barriers to immunocompromised Coloradans getting their third dose, the State has made it so Coloradans can self-report their conditions, including simply stating they have a weak immune system due to age and preexisting conditions. A third dose of the vaccine allows the immunocompromised to achieve the same level of protection from the COVID-19 virus that healthy people have with two doses. 2.4% of Coloradans have received boosters to date. “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. 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,” said COVID-19 Incident Commander Scott Bookman. “Our initial vaccine plan focused on protecting our most vulnerable populations like our seniors and our booster plan will follow a similar goal of saving the most lives. The State is currently working with our long-term care facilities to ensure that we can provide boosters to our most vulnerable,” said Lt. Col. Jamie Pieper, Colorado National Guard and Senior Advisor for COVID-19 Vaccination. “We are being aggressive with our planning estimates and making the forward-thinking assumption that 100% of Coloradans who received their second dose vaccines will want to receive a booster.” More than 75% of all eligible Coloradans have received at least one dose of the vaccine and efforts continue to reach each and every unvaccinated Coloradan. The majority of people hospitalized due to COVID-19 are unvaccinated. For more information on where to get the vaccine, please visit covid19.colorado.gov/vaccine. VIEW TODAY'S PRESS CONFERENCE WORKPLACE VACCINATION PROGRAM Getting the vaccine should be as easy as showing up for work. That's why Colorado offers a workplace vaccination program, which gives employers, unions, and trade associations of any size to provide their workers more opportunities to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in a familiar and convenient location. And this is a great way for Colorado employers to help Power the Comeback. To date, over 150 clinics have been hosted through the program! Employers can join hundreds of other organizations small and large that are doing their part by filling out the Google form linked below to request a free, on-site vaccination event. ENROLL IN WORKPLACE VACCINATION PROGRAM All staffing, logistics, and vaccine supplies will be coordinated and provided by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. FREE COVID-19 TESTING SITES If you're experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed to someone who is positive for COVID-19 and want to get tested, Colorado sponsors more than 80 free community testing sites throughout the state. These sites do not require identification, insurance, or a doctor’s note. Click the button below for a map of free community testing sites and view the list here. VIEW MAP OF FREE TESTING SITES MOBILE VACCINATION CLINICS Offering both Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, these mobile clinics are for everyone 12 years and older! Click the button below for the full list of mobile vaccination site stops. VIEW MOBILE VACCINATION SITE STOPS LEARN ABOUT VACCINE INCENTIVES "POWER THE COMEBACK" BUSINESS PLEDGE From the beginning of this pandemic, we’ve been making decisions based on saving lives and livelihoods. And we know that the good times come back when we all do our part to power the Colorado Comeback for ourselves, our families, businesses, and students by supporting the decision to get vaccinated. Business owners and employees have been innovative and nimble in the face of this crisis. There are incredible stories of resilience, and that is in no small part due to so many Coloradans getting the vaccine, who can now do the things they love and give our economy a much-needed boost in the process.  That’s why the State launched a new business tool as part of our "Power the Comeback" campaign, which will encourage businesses to do their part by encouraging employees to get vaccinated and by promoting policies that create COVID-safe workplaces. Here are some of the ways we are asking Colorado businesses to help public-facing workers understand the benefits of getting vaccinated and understand the support their employers can provide: Host a vaccine clinic for employees. Promote information about the Colorado law that mandates paid time off to get the vaccine and recover from vaccine side effects. Provide incentives for employees to get vaccinated (e.g., cash bonuses, additional paid time off, etc.). Share information about nearby vaccination clinics with employees and customers. Commit to posting ample signage about safe COVID-19 behaviors, mask rules for those who are unvaccinated, employee rights, and quarantining rules if exposed to COVID-19. Have a policy in place that encourages any individual aged 12 and older, who is not fully vaccinated, to continue wearing a mask inside your workplace. A toolkit that includes posters, graphics and other materials for use will be available once your pledge is received. TAKE THE PLEDGE! The State of Colorado has been ahead of the curve in getting our workforce protected against this virus. All regular employees in Colorado receive four hours of paid time off (PTO) to use for vaccine appointments and to recover from vaccine side effects. If you’re a regular employee and find this is not the case in your workplace, call the Department of Labor and Employment’s Division of Labor Standards and Statistics at (303) 318-8441 to ask questions or voice a complaint. Now, getting to your appointment or a walk-in site is easier than ever. Click above, call 211, or text your zip code to 898-211 for access to free rides (up to 25 miles each way) to vaccination sites across Colorado through Mile High United Way’s “Ride United” program. ‌ ‌ ‌ Visit Website Office of Governor Jared Polis | 136 State Capitol , Denver, CO 80203 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]