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'Major milestone': JeffCo says 70% of residents 70+ have received COVID-19 vaccine

The county has the largest population of 70+ residents in Colorado and reached the milestone ahead of their goal which was the end of the month.

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — At least 70% of Jefferson County residents who are 70 and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) announced Tuesday.

The county and state have had the goal of reaching that milestone by the end of February, and with a few days to spare, JCPH said they've met that goal.

>The video above explains the science behind the COVID vaccines.

Health leaders called it a "major accomplishment" in the county’s pandemic recovery effort and another step forward to slowing the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

 As of today, 70.0% (44,843 individuals) of Jefferson County residents ages 70 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 34.8% (22,275 individuals) have received both doses.

Jefferson County has the largest older adult population in the state, with about 64,000 adults over the age of 70. Since the start of the pandemic, this population group has had the highest rate of hospitalizations and mortality due to COVID-19, accounting for approximately 80% of deaths in Jefferson County, health leaders said.

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“It’s important that we celebrate this major milestone in the COVID-19 vaccination effort here in Jeffco, because what it really means is more lives saved,” said Dr. Dawn Comstock, Executive Director at JCPH.

“The older adult population in Jeffco has been severely affected by this virus and we are so grateful that the vaccine is now available to provide much needed protection. However, we can’t stop here — we are going to stay focused on getting the rest of the 70+ population vaccinated as well as push forward to vaccinating other high-risk groups as quickly as possible.”

As next steps in the county’s COVID-19 vaccination strategy, local public health system partners will focus on reaching the remainder of Jeffco’s 70+ population to ensure they have access to a vaccine.

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Providers will also continue work to vaccinate populations that recently became eligible to get the vaccine, including people age 65-69, Pre-K through 12th-grade school staff and educators as well as licensed child care providers. 

“Accomplishing this major milestone took the entire Jefferson County community coming together — from health care providers and pharmacies who helped get this safe and effective vaccine into arms, to city and county leaders who advocated to get more vaccine allocated to Jefferson County, to community organizations and neighbors who helped older adults register or get to a vaccine appointment,” Comstock said. “On behalf of JCPH, we thank you and we celebrate alongside you.”

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Older adults in JeffCo who have not yet signed up or received a vaccine are encouraged to do so now. Below are some helpful tips:

  • Sign up directly with a local vaccine provider. For a list of providers, visit covid19.colorado.gov/vaccine. A National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) employee created an appointment search tool, called the Colorado COVID-19 Vaccine Finder, that may be helpful for finding an appointment.
  • Help is available if you need assistance with registering for a vaccine. You can call Benefits in Action at 720-221-8354 and they will help you sign up.
  • If you are on a wait list, check your email, voicemail and/or text messages often so you do not lose your spot in line.
  • You can get vaccinated in any city or county. You are not required to get vaccinated in the community you live in.
  • The vaccine is free. Providers should not ask you to pay for the vaccine or other administrative costs, regardless of your insurance status. If you have insurance, the provider may seek reimbursement from your health insurance company for these fees, but you should not be charged.
  • You should not be asked to provide ID when registering or when you go to your appointment. However, you may be asked to verify your age or health care worker/first responder status.
  • You do not need to be a U.S. citizen, and you will not need to prove lawful presence to get a COVID-19 vaccine in Colorado.

For more information, visit www.jeffco.us/covid-vaccine or view JCPH’s vaccine fact sheet for older adults. You can also call JCPH’s Vaccine Call Center at 303-239-7000 and press option 1 for vaccine information.

For additional help or other questions, please call 1-877-CO VAX CO (1-877-268-2926). Operators are answering calls 24/7 and in multiple languages.

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