Coloradans 16 and older will be eligible for the Pfizer vaccine, and those 18 and older will also be eligible for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. The state has been planning to open vaccine eligibility to the general public in mid-April, but it has come earlier than planned. Colorado will join at least 12 other states across the country that have expanded eligibility to the general population or will do so by the end of the week. Children under the age of 16 will be the only population group in the state of Colorado ineligible for vaccination starting Friday. It could take until the end of this year or early next year before those trials are completed, and shots are authorized for younger children.

Gov. Jared Polis announced the state is expanding vaccinations to Phase 2 on Friday, April 2. That includes the general public. “Just because we’re opening it to all of Colorado doesn’t mean they’ll get it that first weekend,” Polis warned. He said it is currently projected that all Coloradans who want a COVID-19 vaccine will receive it by mid or late May. Colorado has been regularly recording more than 1,000 new cases a day. Gov. Polis said that number is a key reason why Coloradans should get the vaccine. We also need to continue following public health measures like wearing a mask and avoiding large crowds, especially indoors.

Now that the general public and young adults can get vaccinated, more opportunities are opening up for the state of Colorado. Polis repeated his previously stated belief from earlier this year that life in Colorado would return to some level of normalcy by mid-June. Polis believes Colorado is moving toward more localized enforcement of COVID restrictions. The state is targeting April 16 to start handing over those decisions to local commissioners and mayors about COVID restrictions. Clinical trials have taken place in teens as young as 16 years old. The results of phase 1 and 2 trials of the vaccine concluded that several vaccines administered to thousands of adults demonstrate these vaccines are safe and well-tolerated.

If you’re over 16 years old and you’re thinking about getting vaccinated, talk to your local vaccination centers and get scheduled! Together we can stop the pandemic even if you don’t get the vaccine. Continue to follow COVID guidelines to keep yourself and others safe.