Colorado Transitioning From Mass Vaccination Sites To Traditional Health Care Settings

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (CBS4) - Thursday marks the beginning of the next chapter in the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes a transition from mass vaccination and testing sites to providers, community organizations and mobile clinics.

With the majority of Coloradans partially vaccinated, the lines at drive up sites like the one at Dick's Sporting Goods Park are often empty, but for months, these were an important part of the state's COVID-19 response.

"I think it really was important and helpful as one of the many strategies to make vaccines accessible," said Michele Askenazi, Director of Emergency Preparedness Response and Communicable Disease Surveillance for the Tri-County Health Department, which supported the state-run sites.

But after this Thursday, shots will no longer be available at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. It's one of 12 community sites closing as the state transitions its vaccination efforts to more traditional health care settings.

According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, people can still get their vaccines from more than 2,000 providers around the state. Those include private providers, pharmacies, community clinics and mobile clinics, Askenazi said.

"The work isn't done yet; it's just shifting to make sure that we're addressing the needs of the community," Askenazi said. "It's looking at what's a more sustainable model, and to make sure that it's accessible and available to our communities to best meet the community needs."

The change comes as federal COVID funding is running out. This week, the program that reimburses clinics for testing and treatment stopped accepting claims, and next week it'll do the same for vaccine administration, a major change that could affect the uninsured.

"This really does beg the question, where should we focus our limited resources?" Dr. Celine Gounder, an infectious disease specialist told CBS News.

At Tri County, Askenazi said they're working to answer that. Still, no matter the changes, vaccines and treatment won't be hard to find.
 
"Vaccines are available," Askenazi said. "It's readily available, and we want to make sure it's accessible, it's free."

As part of the state's transition, testing sites will be gradually scaled down as well until July 1. A spokesperson for CDPHE said decisions will be data driven, and tests are still available across the state and through the federal at home testing program.