More than 70 percent of Colorado’s population have received one or more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Chaffee County’s COVID vaccination rate remains stubbornly behind its neighbors at 63.1 percent, a gain of only 1.7 percent in over a month.
Chaffee has a low rate even compared to neighboring Pitkin County (86.2 percent) and Gunnison County (73.3 percent) – all of this despite Chaffee County Public Health (CCPH) and the State’s (CDPHE) best efforts.
Chaffee County Public Health offers in-office COVID-19 vaccinations open to the public on Thursdays from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Moderna vaccine, 18+ years) and Fridays, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., (Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccine for 12+ years).
CCPH is also offering to travel to a workplace or organization for an on-site vaccine clinic in addition to their walk-up vaccination sites in accessible locations throughout the summer (see featured image at top). What’s more, there are several private medical providers and pharmacies offering vaccinations in Chaffee County.
Vaccination rates are more than just arbitrary statistics. According to a press release from state health officials , higher vaccination rates means less COVID-19 cases in the county.
“There are large differences in estimated immunity and in vaccination uptake across the state. Regions of the state with higher vaccination rates have fewer SARS-CoV-2 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.” said the July 8 release.
Even with a relatively low vaccine uptake, Chaffee County’s COVID positivity rate is currently low. Of the future COVID-19 cases, the majority are expected to be from the more contagious Delta variant which now accounts for 89 percent of total cases in the state. It has been confirmed in Chaffee County. Data shows the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are nearly 90 percent effective against the Delta variant.
For those still physically impacted by lingering COVID-19 symptoms, Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center offers a post-COVID-19 rehab program. For more information or to schedule an assessment, call 719-530-2057.
AVV readers looking for more state-level information can follow these links:
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