EL PASO COUNTY — Colorado public health leaders plan on phasing out large community COVID-19 vaccination clinics over the next couple of weeks. They are shifting the task to regular clinics and health providers.
Less than 50% of eligible Coloradoans have been fully vaccinated. So, the shift is not because vaccination goals have been reached. Instead, it is a shift in operations that is more practical because vaccine supplies are now widely available. "In urban areas it's readily available at local health providers," said Dr. Chris Urbina with El Paso County Public Health. Mobile vaccination unites will continue traveling to parts of the state with less access to medical facilities.
State and county health leaders continue their campaign encouraging everyone who is eligible to get fully vaccinated. "We know that respiratory viruses are particularly mutatable, they change, they vary in their structure." said Urbina. Another new version of the virus is now causing infection numbers to rise in Western Europe.
Recent studies also show new concerns about the aftermath of catching COVID=19 even when cases appear relatively mild. Issues like shortness of breath, weakness and brain fog are among long haul health issues with an impact showing up in people beyond those who end up in the hospital. "That's now becoming true also of people that have mild to moderate disease,” said Urbina, “So we didn't know that in the beginning but now we're learning more and more as we go along." He said it indicates vaccines have even more importance than was previously recognized.
