COLORADO, USA — Colorado started administering COVID-19 vaccines to children ages 6 months to 4 years old.
The state began distributing the vaccines on June 20, just two days after the United States opened COVID-19 vaccines for young children, according to Vanessa Bernal, spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).
So far in Colorado, Bernal said 5,560 kids between the ages of 6 months to 4 years old have been vaccinated.
To put this number into perspective of where the state's numbers fall, Bernal said that "there are 290,000 children in this age range here in Colorado."
Bernal said the state is making various efforts to get young children vaccinated. Some of those efforts include:
- Sending text messages and emails to parents.
- The "Champions for equity in vaccines" program consists of a group of community leaders who reach marginalized regions.
- Educational events.
- Publicity campaigns.
The vaccine is available free of charge and parents can take their children to get the vaccine with their pediatrician or family doctor, community centers, mobile clinics, pharmacies and clinics at Children's Hospital, Bernal said.
Individuals can visit the state website to learn more about the COVID numbers in the state and access to vaccines.
Dr. Ricardo González-Fisher of Servicios de la Raza wants to remind parents that vaccines against COVID-19 are safe and to realize the work that has been done for the pharmacovigilance of these vaccines.
"There hasn't been such an intensive monitoring of the side effects of a vaccine in world history as the ones that we've been applying to COVID-19 vaccines," he said. "And with millions of doses applied around the world, we can be sure that this is a very effective and very safe vaccine for children also."
Servicios De La Raza, the state's largest nonprofit serving Latinos, will continue to offer its vaccination clinic each week but starting this week, it will change the usual day from Tuesday to Thursday.
It will be available from 4 to 8 p.m. at the organization, which is located at 3131 W. 14th Ave every Thursday. Appointments are not required but are recommended. People can call 303-458-5851 to make an appointment.
Gonzalez-Fisher said the organization will administer vaccines in the Westwood and Brighton neighborhoods next month.
July 9 they will attend the Mole Festival at 3742 Morrison Rd. in Westwood and they will be in Brighton July 10.
No form of identification, Social Security number or health insurance is required to get vaccinated.
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