All Coloradans Now Eligible For Vaccine, But Competition High

Colorado's coronavirus vaccination race ramps up Friday as millions of people in the state become eligible to receive their vaccine. But even some of the state's most tech-savvy generations are no match for the competition it often requires to get a vaccination appointment.

More than 1.6 million people in our state have already received their first dose of the vaccine, and more than 1 million are fully immunized, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

All Coloradans over age 16 are now eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine, and everyone over the age of 18 is eligible to receive both the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

Useful appointment finding tools such as this one, which was created by a Colorado computer programmer, scan many vaccination sites to find open appointments; however, you often have to be extraordinarily quick on the draw — in the mere seconds it takes many to log into a portal, the open appointments can already be taken.

Here are some other tools:

• Vaccine Finder
• Find A Shot

Health care providers, pharmacies and public health clinics have their own registration websites — list of providers can be found here.

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A new state community vaccination clinic opened Thursday at the Ball Arena in Denver. The site will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can register for the clinic here.

You can also register for an appointment through one of the state's other community vaccination clinics:

• Adams County - Dick's Sporting Goods Park

• Sunday – Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Register
• Call: 720-263-5737

• El Paso County - Broadmoor World Arena
• Friday – Monday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Register
• Call: 720-263-5737
• Mesa County - Grand Junction Convention Center
• Monday - Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m
• Register
• Larimer County - The Ranch Events Complex
• Monday - Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Register
• Pueblo County - Colorado State Fairgrounds
• Friday – Monday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Register
• Call: 720-263-5737

If you need help registering for a vaccine, you can call Benefits in Action at 720-221-8354, and the group will help you sign up.

Public health officials offered the following tips for making appointments:

• If you sign up for a vaccine provider, you may need to create an account — if you receive a reference code, write it down.
• 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.

>> More information about the vaccine rollout in Colorado can be found here.