The pandemic isn’t over, but COVID-19 numbers are looking better in Greeley and Weld County
By Kelly Ragan
The pandemic isn’t over, not by a long shot. But we’ll take good news when we can get it.
For now, that means numbers in Colorado are looking better.
At a city council meeting Tuesday, Greeley Emergency Manager Dan Frazen said that hospitalizations were down across the state.
“Only 727 people are hospitalized in Colorado,” Frazen said. “Under 800 is great news for us. Our local hospitals are stable, too.”
According to the Weld County Department of Health and Environment, Weld’s two-week average positivity rate as of Wednesday came in at 8.45%. Since January 1, eight people have died due to the virus.
On average, Frazen said, Colorado receives about 80,000 vaccines per week, though Gov. Jared Polis put in a request for extra doses given Colorado’s population.
“I think Colorado will have an extra 40,000 to vaccinate our 70 and older population,” Frazen said.
Frazen said it was difficult to gauge exactly how many people in Weld have received a vaccine so far, since so many vaccines have been administered by hospitals.
According to the Weld health department, it has been directly involved with distributing nearly 10,000 initial vaccine doses and about 2,208 second doses.
At the meeting Tuesday, city council voted to extend the Local Disaster Emergency Declaration through June. The move will enable the city to continue to work with CARES Act dollars and FEMA Public Assistant Grants.
Who qualifies for a vaccine?
Weld County is currently in Phase 1B of vaccine distribution. Here’s who qualifies:
Health care workers with less direct contact with COVID-19 patients (home health, hospice, pharmacy, dental, etc.) and EMS
Firefighters, police, COVID-19 response personnel, correctional workers, and funeral services
People age 70 and older
Frontline essential workers in education, food and agriculture, manufacturing, U.S. postal service, public transit and specialized transportation staff, grocery, public health, frontline essential human service workers, and direct care providers for people experiencing homelessness
Essential officials from executive, legislative and judicial branches of state government
Essential frontline journalists
Where to get a vaccine
If you qualify for the vaccine now or want to be prepared for when you do, here’s where you can get one: