Colorado health officials announced on Monday night that the entire state is a high-risk environment for COVID-19, and called on vaccinated adults to receive booster shots to help fight off the virus once enough time has passed since their initial vaccination.
Dr. Eric France, the state’s chief physician, said in a press release that there is a spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across the state, “a significant wave of the spread of the disease,” making it a place with a potentially high risk of living and working.
The CDC revaccination guidelines for Pfizer and Moderna vaccine recipients identify high-risk locations as one of the qualifications for third doses, but they are much more narrowly defined: only people who live in or work in community settings such as nursing homes. places requiring extensive interaction with the public participating in the reduction.
“The vaccine continues to protect against serious illness and hospitalization, but could allow people to get mild illness, which leads to ongoing transmission,” France said in a statement. “With continued transmission, Coloradans – and especially unvaccinated Coloradans – are at high risk of contracting the virus. As much as we want it to end, the pandemic is still raging. “
In addition, the Colorado Department of Health and Environment drew attention to a recent public health order that included a provision prohibiting any state vaccine provider from refusing to re-immunize anyone 18 years of age or older who claims to be eligible and who is the latest. vaccinated with Pfizer or Moderna at least six months ago, and Johnson & Johnson at least two months ago.
Some local departments, including Boulder County Public Healthhave adjusted their posts to emphasize that almost anyone can get a booster to help stop the spread of the virus.
The prevalence of COVID-19 in Colorado makes the state a high-risk area to live and work. Anyone who is 18 years of age or older and 6 months after the initial batch of mRNA vaccine or 2 months after the J&J vaccine should have a plan for getting the vaccine or discuss it with their doctor. Https://t.co/bzfFfjKmTR pic.twitter.com/M2YfjEKz3p
– Bo Ko Public Health (@bouldercohealth) November 8, 2021
It is unclear if the statement by government officials represents a change in their approach to the fifth wave of the virus. In previous press conferences, health officials have emphasized that statewide measures, such as a ban on the use of masks, are unnecessary because there are different levels of prevalence in different regions.
On the other hand, Gov. Jared Polis has previously downplayed some of the CDC’s stricter guidelines, including suggesting that older people who wanted extra protection simply claimed they had a compromised immune system, which most providers would not be able to verify. In addition, the state sent text messages to vaccinated Coloradans telling them to get boosted regardless of whether they followed CDC guidelines, except for the time since their initial immunizations.
According to current CDC guidelines, people who received a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and wanted a third dose had to have a different qualification, such as being over 65; the presence of one of more than a dozen chronic conditions; or live or work in a high-risk environment. Anyone who has received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine can either get a second dose of J&J or switch to one of the other two brands to boost.
A state health department spokesman said on Tuesday that Colorado is in compliance with the CDC because the federal agency’s guidance says you can get boosted if you are “at high risk because of where you live or work.”
Pfizer is expected to file documents later this week with the US Food and Drug Administration to expand revaccination rights for all adults, The Washington Post reported. The FDA had to agree to expanding vaccine approvals, and CDC Director Rochelle Walenski issued a final statement on the country’s booster policy.
In the summer, the Biden administration urged everyone to stimulate, but backed down after experts declined. More scientists have now joined us as evidence has accumulated that protection against vaccines wanes over time and that most people experience similar side effects as they did from their initial vaccinations.
