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Last night the CDC approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids aged 5 to 11. Finally, we have full federal approval of the COVID-19 vaccine for children. Now our youngest Coloradans can finally have the protection they need and deserve to stay safe from the COVID-19 virus. By getting this shot, our kids can enjoy in-person learning with their teachers and classmates without fear of getting sick. Our kids can go back to being kids! Colorado stands ready to swiftly distribute the COVID-19 vaccine to kids across all four corners of our state, ensuring equitable distribution and widespread access to every child in need of the lifesaving vaccine.
Colorado has also passed an important milestone in the fight against COVID-19, with 80% of adults having received at least one dose of the lifesaving vaccine. While this is an important accomplishment for our state and critical in our efforts to mitigate disease transmission, this is still very much a pandemic that continues to thrive because of the unvaccinated. To date, 72% of Coloradans are fully vaccinated and 23% have received a booster dose.
Currently Colorado is experiencing similar infection rates as we did during our peak from last fall. 1 out of every 51 Coloradans is infected with the virus. That means that during a regular trip to the grocery store or during a night out to dinner, you are likely to encounter someone with COVID-19.
The Delta Variant is brutally effective at seeking out the unvaccinated, infecting them, and killing them. It has never been more dangerous for an unvaccinated person than it is right now in Colorado.
The more Coloradans who get vaccinated, the less likely we are to see more cases, hospitalizations and deaths. We all have an important role to play in ending this pandemic, and it’s going to take all of us working together.
Below you can find our most up to date information surrounding Tests, Vaccinations, Boosters, and Numbers.
Below you can find our most up-to-date information surrounding Tests, Vaccinations, Boosters, and Numbers.
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Data as of 11:59:59 PM 11/1/2021 | |
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It’s easy to get a free, fast, and safe COVID-19 test with more than 100 free community testing sites across Colorado.
If you're experiencing symptoms or have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, make an appointment today -- neither insurance nor ID is required to get tested.
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NEED A FREE AND FAST COVID TEST? | |
COVID-19 BOOSTER ELIGIBLITIY | |
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Coloradans are eligible for booster doses if they have received both doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine and it has been more than 6 months since their second dose. Or if they have received the Johnson and Johnson single dose vaccine more than two months prior.
Find out who is eligible at the link below
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PROTECTION AGAINST THE FLU | |
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Getting your flu shot is also critical to building resistance against viruses and building up resilience in our economy. It's quick, easy, and free to do your part -- flu vaccines can be found in the majority of major grocery chains, pharmacies, community health clinics, and primary care practices.
Find sites offering flu vaccines in your community at the link below.
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DEPARTMENT OF AG FALL FARMERS' MARKETS LIST | |
The Fall Farmers' Markets List by our Colorado Department of Agriculture is out! This list includes farmers' markets from over 10 counties. | |
SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT EVENTS & PROGRAMS | |
The Office of Economic Development and International Trade offers help to existing and new businesses, including free confidential consulting and no or low-cost training programs available in English and Spanish. Read below for November programming: | |
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14th Annual Veterans Small Business Conference
November 4 | 8 am to 2 pm - This year’s premier business training event for veteran entrepreneurs will be on November 4, 2021. Those looking to start a business will learn how to utilize their skill set to lay the foundation for a successful venture. Those who already have a business will be able to explore options to grow their current operation such as government contracting, improved marketing, certifications and more.
The Colorado Tourism Office Presents Gov Con 2021
November 3-5, 2021 | The annual Colorado Governor’s Tourism Conference offers an ideal environment for tourism experts and industry leaders to explore avenues to build upon past successes and discuss future directions. Speakers from throughout the country will challenge and inspire participants, and several individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the industry will be honored. This year the Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) is offering two options for the 2021 Colorado Governor’s Tourism Conference: in-person or virtual.
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Join us at the State of Colorado! Find meaningful work serving the people of Colorado, and help create a state where all are proud to live, work, and play. You can find many more available jobs by clicking the button below. | |
OPEN BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS | |
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There are over 300 boards and commissions to which the Governor makes appointments. Boards and commissions are a critically important way for Coloradans to engage in their state government, help improve their communities and create a Colorado for All.
Visit our website to learn more about each board and fill out an application!
Openings:
- Cherry Creek Basin Water Quality Authority
- Colorado Food Systems Advisory Council
- Civil Rights Commission
- Judicial Performance Commissions
- Environmental Justice Advisory Board
For questions regarding the Governor’s Office of Boards and Commissions please contact [email protected]
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COLORADO AFGHAN EVACUEE SUPPORT FUND | |
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Colorado is committed to helping Afghan evacuees make Colorado home. We recognize their work and sacrifice as partners to the federal government and to our U.S. military and veteran communities.
That’s why in partnership with fiscal sponsor Rose Community Foundation and the Governor’s Office, The Colorado Afghan Evacuee Support Fund was created to welcome Afghan evacuees and connect them with community resources.
Contributions will fund grants to organizations in Colorado that provide refugee resettlement services, health and mental health services for newcomers, legal services to help evacuees navigate available pathways for permanency in the U.S., and other forms of needed assistance. This fund represents a holistic view of needs that newcomers will have over the long term and commits resources to areas where other funding mechanisms fall short.
To date, the Fund has raised $700,000 and is striving to reach a goal of $5.6 million.
To help support the fund, visit the link below. You can be assured that your funds go to a vital service currently neglected by other efforts, making your dollars all the more impactful.
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On Monday, I rolled out my request for Colorado’s fiscal year 2022-23 state budget. We all know that the last year has exposed challenges in our workforce, healthcare, and child care systems, as well as our small business sector. Hard-working Coloradans are struggling to get ahead with the rising cost of living. That’s why this balanced, fiscally responsible budget doubles down on my commitment to saving Coloradans money, putting money back into the pockets and paychecks of Coloradans, and protecting the Colorado way of life. We are building on the foundation that has been laid to help Colorado recover faster and stronger, and truly create a Colorado for all. This budget focuses on four key elements:
- Fiscal Responsibility with record reserve levels
- Historic Investments in Education and Workforce
- Putting Money Back in Coloradans Paychecks, reducing fees and payroll taxes, & Supporting Colorado Businesses
- Healthy and Safe Communities
From early childhood to entry into the workforce, this budget invests in workers through increased wages, educational opportunities, and reskilling to prepare our workforce for the jobs of tomorrow. I’m also proposing leveraging state and federal dollars to save both employers and employees money through tax relief and fee reductions and saving people money on healthcare for a healthier workforce.
This budget invests in our workers and our small businesses, with unemployment and FAMLI insurance premium relief, putting more money in Coloradans paychecks:
- $600 million for Relief from Pandemic-Related Unemployment Insurance charges to save employers money and protect worker wages
- $104 million in fee relief for individuals and businesses, including making it free to start a business, FAMLI family and medical leave premium relief, and healthcare professionals fee relief, $5 million to help workers find in-demand opportunities.
- $5 million to help workers find in-demand opportunities using navigational services, outreach, and work-based learning programs and apprenticeships. These funds will complement existing local efforts to support digital literacy while reaching a diverse group of people seeking quality job opportunities.
- $7 million to invest in our current and future workforce needs by providing financial support for those seeking in-demand non-degree credentials at our state’s community and area technical colleges.
- $7 million in technical assistance for access to capital. These resources include the CLIMBER fund, Energize Colorado, and the Colorado Startup Loan fund. Investments in technical assistance will help ensure that more businesses can access resources through the state as well as community development financial institutions and small business development centers.
- $30 million to create more child care facilities; Colorado can create more child care options for hard-working Coloradans by renovating existing state buildings, including higher education institutions, so that these facilities can be used as child care centers for the public, state employees, and students. This effort will increase the supply of child care for Colorado’s workforce and help build the workforce of the future once OEDIT receives these funds.
- $20 million to waive licensing fees for nurses and mental health care workers for two years to reduce the financial burden for these workers. Additionally, this proposal would waive license fees for nursing homes and assisted living facilities whose residents have been particularly vulnerable throughout the pandemic.
- $1.2 million ongoing to create a Public-Private (P3) Office within OEDIT. This P3 Office will be responsible for developing and managing contracts and building collaborations between the private sector and government to complete major infrastructure projects and other programs through long-term, performance-based procurements commonly referred to as public-private partnerships, or P3s. Accordingly, the office will leverage private investment in combination with state assets to ensure that state resources are used as effectively as possible.
In addition, Healthy & Safe Communities are a top priority. The budget invests $113 million to reduce crime, improve public safety, and get people the treatment they need. It also recommends $200 million over the next few years to support local government work to reduce homelessness.
This is a budget informed by Coloradans and for Coloradans, combining fiscal responsibility with the building blocks for transformational change and immediate relief for hardworking Coloradans.
I look forward to working with legislative leadership, the Joint Budget Committee, and members of the General Assembly to bring this vision to life for the people of our state.
Read the Governor’s letter and the entire proposal.
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Have a safe and happy Halloween, Colorado! | | | | | |
