Gov. Polis Provides Update on COVID-19 Pandemic, State’s Plans to Vaccinate 5-11 Year Olds

DENVER - Today, Governor Jared Polis provided an update on the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Polis was joined by Dr. Eric France, Chief Medical Officer, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Diana Herrero, Deputy Director, Division of Disease Control and Public Health Response, and Dr. Lalit Bajaj, Pediatric Emergency Medicine Specialist and Chief Quality and Outcomes Officer, Children’s Hospital Colorado.

“On Tuesday, we got some exciting news from the FDA, with their advisory committee voting unanimously to approve the Pfizer vaccine for 5 to 11-year-olds. Just as we did with previous groups, we’ve invested several months in planning to get as many 5 - 11 year olds vaccinated as quickly as possible,” said Gov. Jared Polis. “I can’t wait to get my kids vaccinated. This vaccine is really the best way to protect our children, as well as getting vaccinated ourselves and getting the booster.”

While the state is preparing to vaccinate this cohort, hospital capacity remains high and Colorado is considering potential statewide action to relieve it. These actions include requesting FEMA medical surge teams, temporarily stopping cosmetic surgeries and other elected procedures, reactivating crisis standards of care, a new executive order on patient transfer, and scale distribution of monoclonal treatment. More information will be available in the coming days.

“This is an exciting day for pediatricians, families, and family medicine doctors. The vaccine is safe and effective for children — it works extremely well to prevent infection and severe illness,” said Dr. Eric France, Chief Medical Officer, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. “More than 2,000 children have safely received the vaccine. We have fought deadly diseases with childhood vaccines for decades. Making sure children are vaccinated against COVID will help keep our communities safe and healthy.”

“Our state has had great success vaccinating adolescents aged 12-17 and we intend to build on that success while we vaccinate those aged 5-11. I am particularly excited as my child falls into this group,” said Diana Herrero, Deputy Director of the Division of Disease Control and Public Health Response. “We have a goal of reaching 50% of Coloradans aged 5-11 years old with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine by January 31. Our pediatric vaccine campaign includes 384 clinic locations statewide, numerous partnerships, and a robust equity effort, so that every child, no matter their background, has access to this vaccine.”

In addition to his regular duties at Children’s Hospital Colorado, Dr. Bajaj also serves as the executive sponsor of the Pfizer clinical vaccine trial for children ages 5 to 11 at Children’s Hospital Colorado, which was Pfizer’s largest trial site (in the world). Dr. Bajaj has treated some of Colorado’s youngest COVID patients and has firsthand knowledge of how important this vaccine will be for our children.

“There are nearly half a million children in this age group in the state of Colorado and Children’s Hospital Colorado had the honor of working with 253 of them as the largest research site for the Pfizer vaccine trial in the 5 to 11 age range,” said Dr. Lalit Bajaj, Pediatric Emergency Medicine Specialist and Chief Quality and Outcomes Officer, Children’s Hospital Colorado. “I want to thank the brave children and families who participated, some of them skipping into the clinic, some overcoming their fear of needles, all of whom understood the role they were playing in history and science. For these kids, and all the kids who want to return to normal, we are excited to partner with Governor Polis and the State of Colorado to vaccinate as many kids as possible ahead of this holiday season.”