COVID-19 Vaccination Milestone for Larimer County

The Larimer County Department of Health & Environment (LCDHE) has announced, in collaboration with more than 19 vaccine providers, that the county has reached the 200,000 mark of vaccine doses given against the COVID-19 virus, 35% with one dose and 21% full vaccinated. The milestone came yesterday as vaccination sites throughout the county gave thousands of shots to members of the Larimer County community.

All Coloradans over the age of 16 who want a vaccine can now receive one and LCDHE is encouraging every Larimer County resident to make a plan to get vaccinated without delay. Vaccine supply has increased significantly over the past few weeks. Today alone, it’s anticipated that nearly 5,000 doses will be given in Larimer County.

“It’s exciting to meet this milestone,” said Tom Gonzales, Larimer County Public Health Director.  “Every shot in an arm is getting us closer to the light at the end of the tunnel and removing local restrictions, but we can’t stop now,” says Gonzales.

In Larimer County, 123,505 people have received at least one dose of vaccine, and 75,836 have completed a vaccine series. 21.2% of Larimer County residents are fully vaccinated. Populations over age 60 who are widely vaccinated in Larimer County have seen COVID-19 cases drop dramatically since they started being vaccinated. Less vaccinated groups are continuing to drive COVID-19 cases, and these are the groups continuing to have more severe illnesses, hospitalizations, or deaths.

“We are focused on ensuring that every Larimer County resident 16 years and older who wants a vaccine will be able to receive the first dose in the coming weeks, helping us achieve the wildly important goal of 65% of our eligible population vaccinated with at least one dose by May 25th,” said Tom.

As vaccination continues to ramp up, LCDHE and local vaccine providers are offering pop-up clinics to reach those who might face barriers to visiting vaccine sites, including communities of color, those with disabilities, those who are unhoused, and people not used to navigate technology and health systems. Since the end of January, the number of LatinX community members receiving the vaccine has grown six-fold, from 2% to 12% of the community with at least one dose, as vaccine providers, community organizations, and advocates who serve these communities have taken action to register, transport, and host clinics in their facilities and neighborhoods.

“Vaccination of all residents who want a vaccine has been a community-wide effort. The only way out of this pandemic is for everyone to make this final push, including continuing to take basic precautions like wearing a mask and limiting indoor gatherings a little longer. Cases and hospitalizations are still increasing and I’m pleading with our community to work together to protect our most vulnerable who cannot get vaccinated or are still waiting for an appointment,” says Andrea Clement-Johnson, Larimer County Deputy Public Health Director and Vaccine Operations Lead.

Information about COVID-19 is constantly changing, and the public health response adjusts as more is learned about this virus.

LCDHE is encouraging Larimer County residents to view the latest credible information on COVID-19 at www.larimer.org/coronavirus or www.CDC.gov/coronavirus.