Coronavirus Vaccine

Corrections officers were among the second group to get early access to coronavirus vaccines late last year. Experts are mixed on how well monetary vaccine incentives actually work. In the two months since CDOC’s bonus was introduced, vaccinations for staff who regularly work in the correctional facilities only increased about 15%, remaining just over half in total.

In another sign the pandemic is starting to end, people at hundreds of residential care facilities across Colorado no longer have to wear masks. The caveat is the same as the one for the general public: the rule applies only to those who are vaccinated.

"It feels exciting because a year ago today, we didn't even have a vaccine. And now, I'm just getting closer to the second dose day by day and I won't have to live in constant fear of catching the virus or spreading it to my family."

You may be familiar with the TV show “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” Colorado has launched its own version, and all residents who are vaccinated against COVID-19 are eligible to win. The state announced it will give away $1 million weekly between June 4 and July 7, using federal CARES Act money that would have gone to vaccine advertising. But how well vaccine incentives actually work remains a bit of an open question.

Cases across rural America are at their lowest levels since last July. But a public health official in Montana suspects some sick people just aren't getting tested.

The rate of COVID-19 vaccinations has slowed considerably around the Mountain West, but most people are still unvaccinated in the region. Epidemiologists say areas with low rates of immunity could allow the virus to mutate into a more dangerous strain.

The visible signs of a deadly pandemic are fading quickly inside the state Capitol. Staff have removed the yellow caution tape that blocked the basement cafeteria for many months. Swarms of lobbyists and tourists are back. And people like Brett Frizzell are even taking off their masks deep inside the poorly ventilated building that historians once labeled a “disease breeding ground.”

Many Hispanic Americans who aren't yet vaccinated against the coronavirus are eager to get the shot, according to the results of a new survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation. 33% of unvaccinated Hispanic respondents reported wanting to get vaccinated "as soon as possible," compared to about 16% of unvaccinated non-Hispanic white and Black respondents.

With demand for vaccines declining across the state, community groups and government leaders alike are scrambling to keep interest alive, especially among Colorado’s Latino population.

A recent poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation found Black and Hispanic adults surveyed worry about missing work due to side effects, paying out-of-pocket for the free vaccine, or finding a reputable clinic to obtain the shot.