Ag worker vaccination phase starts Friday
Phase 1B.3 also includes 16-59year-olds with special conditions
Colorado will enter
Phase 1B.3 of vaccine distribution Friday, and that means essential frontline workers in grocer y and agriculture will be eligible.
Colorado Agriculture Commissioner Kate Greenberg announced over the weekend that the state’s 220,000 essential food and agriculture workers are next in line for COVID-19 vaccinations.
“Nearly a month ago, Gov. Polis announced that the state would begin vaccinating Coloradans in Phase 1B.3 starting in March,” Greenberg said. “Given what the state knows about our vaccine supply, we will be moving for ward with these vaccinations in a phased approach that maximizes the doses available and provides access to those who continue to be at risk.”
The phase will continue over several weeks; the length of the phase will depend on variables including vaccine supply and local county health procedures. Phase 1B.3 will include people age 60 and older, frontline essential workers in grocer y and agriculture and people 1659 with two or more high risk conditions.
Greenberg said patience will be needed because nearly 1 million Coloradans will be newly eligible for vaccination in the 1B.3 categor y.
“It’s going to take some time before ever yone can get their vaccine,” she said. “For some Coloradans in 1B.3, it could be next week, for others it could be in a few weeks, or even a month, but patience is key to ensuring this phase happens smoothly and ef ficiently.”
People in agriculture or meatpacking facilities who work in close contact with many people, especially indoors, may contact their employer about scheduling a vaccine appointment. Cargill Meat Solutions and JBS meat packing plants will be vaccinating their facility employees.
People who work in grocer y stores in close contact with others may schedule a vaccine appointment through their store’s pharmacy. If the store does not have a pharmacy, workers should their local public health agency about scheduling a vaccine appointment.
Ag and grocer y store workers may be asked to provide a recent pay stub to verify they are in this phase.
People age 16-59 with two or more high risk conditions may contact a local vaccine provider to find out more about scheduling a vaccine appointment. For more information call 1-877-CO VAX CO (1-877268-2926) 24 hours a day, seven days a week. By midMarch, regional Community Vaccination Sites can be utilized by this group to receive their vaccine.
“It is incredibly encouraging to have arrived at this day,” Greenberg said. “Our agriculture industr y has remained resilient and determined for the past year, and I am confident we will come back stronger than ever. Please reach out with questions, and we will do our best to get answers for you.”
While vaccination is voluntar y, COVID-19 vaccines have been proven to be safe, highly ef fective and the key to helping industr y and the world to recover from the pandemic, Greenberg said.
The vaccine is free; any request to provide financial information is a scam. Greenberg said insurance status will not be used to deny or deprioritize any patient from getting the vaccine. Also, providers may ask, but they cannot require an individual to provide state-issued or other government-issued ID as a condition to receiving the vaccine.
Several webinar events with state vaccine exper ts are being planned to help answer questions. Greenberg urged Coloradans to watch for information coming soon with dates, times and how to join.
The CDC Employer Vaccination Toolkit for essential workers can help communicate with employees about the vaccine. It can be found at https:// www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/ toolkits/essentialworkers.html.
A large number of vaccine-related FAQs are answered here: https:// covid19.colorado.gov/vaccine-faq.
For the most up-to-date and comprehensive vaccine information, visit the Colorado COVID-19 Vaccine website, https:// covid19.colorado.gov/vaccine, or call 1-877-CO VAX CO (1-877-268-2926).