Colorado vaccination providers have resumed giving the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine after a two-week pause. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Colorado Join Vaccine Task Force approved the resumption on Friday, April 23.
The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended the pause in response to extremely rare blood clots in several women who received the J&J vaccine.
CDPHE has also sent information to health care providers about how to identify and treat thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome; the rate of occurrence is 15 cases in 1 million for women ages 18-49. There are no statistically significant issues with men or older women.
The state is reviewing the latest CDC guidance on mask use for fully vaccinated people. Colorado’s mask order does not require masks outside, but local communities may have additional mask restrictions.
With an uptick in cases among unvaccinated younger Coloradans, and rates decreasing in vaccinated populations older than 50, getting vaccines to people as soon as they’re of eligible age will be critical to mitigating the impacts of this fourth wave.
The Pfizer vaccine is approved for use in patients ages 16 and older and is on its way to approval for patients 12 to 15 years old. Children’s Hospital Colorado is accepting appointments for everyone eligible to receive the two-dose vaccine.
In Colorado Springs, appointments are available at Children’s Hospital Colorado, 4090 Briargate Parkway. Call 720-777-8889 or visit tinyurl.com/p2ye7x29.
Everyone 16 and older is eligible to sign up, and minors must come with just one parent or legal guardian. Once you are registered, Children’s will send an email with time slots when an appointment becomes available. Appointments are generally available on weekdays and take approximately 30 minutes.
“Vaccines for All” Community Vaccination Sites offer same-day, walk-in vaccination appointments, with no advance registration required, when appointments are available.
In El Paso County, those are being given at the Broadmoor World Arena, 3185 Venetucci Blvd. They’re available 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Fridays-Tuesdays.
Call: 720-263-5737 or go to www.centura.org/covid-19/covid-19-vaccine-information/vaccine-events.
For other locations in the county, check www.elpasocountyhealth.org/how-can-i-get-a-vaccine.
As of Tuesday, April 27, El Paso County has experienced 777 coronavirus deaths since March 1, 2020.
According to the county’s data dashboard, 335 people have tested positive, an increase of 12 people from April 20, in the 80829 ZIP code. The number of tests administered has increased from 4,683 to 4,796 in the past week.
When Gov. Jared Polis signed the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act last year, all regular employees working full-time or part-time in the state became eligible to receive paid time off for health and safety-related needs.
That means most workers have the right to take off four hours of paid time or sick leave for a vaccine appointment, even during work hours, and use personal time off while recovering from side effects.
If your employer’s answer to “Can I take time off?” is “No,” or the pay rate does not match the hourly rate you would normally receive plus the same benefits, call the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment’s Division of Labor Standards and Statistics at 303-318-8441 to ask questions or voice a complaint.
