Public Health

How Primary Care Physicians Can Provide the COVID-19 Vaccine

The rate of new COVID-19 infections in Colorado remains stubbornly high, despite substantial progress toward vaccinating the population. Both the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest maximizing vaccination whenever possible. Moreover, Colorado Joint Vaccine Task Force advises providers to take every opportunity to…

Previously vaccine hesitant Coloradans could be moving toward a change of heart

Since COVID-19 vaccines became a reality in late 2020, public health officials have watched closely all available data on vaccine hesitancy including the impacts of race and ethnicity as well as gender, education and age on the likelihood that a person would express concerns about taking a COVID vaccine. In September 2020, when the first…

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In Colorado, Vaccine Preventable Disease Costs Are Up, But Childhood Vaccination Rates Are Down

According to a new report released by Children’s Hospital Colorado and Immunize Colorado, the state is experiencing two troubling trends: skyrocketing costs for care for children and adults suffering from vaccine-preventable diseases and plummeting rates of childhood vaccinations. The new data examines CDC National Immunization Survey data and 2019 Colorado Hospital Association inpatient and emergency…

Groups Focused on COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Efforts

For many months, Colorado has been ramping up its COVID-19 vaccine equity efforts. As we move away from a time of vaccine scarcity, that effort becomes more important than ever. From both inside and outside state government, organizations large and small across the state of Colorado have been focused on vaccine equity, both in access…

Changes to Colorado’s school entry immunization process

After a robust legislative session, changes to Colorado’s school entry immunization process will take effect when students return for the 2021-2022 school year, beginning July 1.  The changes, approved by the legislature and signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis on June 26, 2020 and further codified by the Colorado Board of Health in November…

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A Joint Letter to Governor Polis About Extending the Mask Order

Dear Governor Polis, On behalf of the undersigned healthcare professionals and organizations, we urge you to maintain the existing Executive Order requiring masks in indoor public spaces. While there will be a time in the near future when masking can be eased, relaxing the mandate now would be premature and could undermine our progress against…

Resources for Both New and Seasoned Vaccinators

COVID-19 vaccination has been challenging for both seasoned vaccinators and those newer to vaccine administration. The following resources may be especially useful to those who do not have a lot of vaccine administration experience but are involved in the COVID-19 vaccination response. These resources may also be useful to vaccinators with more experience: Understanding How…

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PRESS RELEASE: CAFP Board Member Speaking at Governor Polis Press Conference

Today, at 1:30 pm, CAFP Board Treasurer/Secretary Alan-Michael Vargas, MD, FAAFP, will be joining one of his COVID-recovered patients to speak at a press conference with Governor Jared Polis. The press conference will discuss the seriousness of this new phase of the pandemic. The press conference will be streamed at the governor’s Facebook page. CAFP…

Immunization Reminder/Recall: Why It’s Important & How to Do It

Having worked with providers over the last several years to develop quality improvement strategies to improve vaccination rates, one thing has become clear… immunization reminder/recall systems work, and you can’t use one without the other. Reminder and recall, although two separate activities, must exist together to raise immunization rates and remind patients and parents how…

Thumbs-up for Immunization Webinars

Webinars often provide a brief overview of vaccination recommendations and practical guidance for implementing them. The following webinars provide guidance for maintaining routine vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic, steps for improving vaccination service delivery, and points to consider when discussing shared clinical decision-making with patients: Maintaining routine vaccination during COVID-19: An MMWR report released in…

The Importance of Influenza Vaccination for the 2020 – 2021 Season

Ensuring immunization services are maintained (or reinitiated) is essential for protecting individuals and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases and outbreaks. Influenza vaccination will be doubly important this 2020-2021 influenza season by reducing: The impact of respiratory illnesses in the population, and The burden on an already strained healthcare system. During the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing the overall…

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Colorado Academy of Family Physicians and American Academy of Pediatrics – Colorado Chapter Support Statewide Mask Order

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DENVER, COLORADO – The Colorado Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP) and American Academy of Pediatrics – Colorado Chapter (AAP-CO) support and fully endorse the order issued today by Governor Jared Polis requiring the use of cloth masks in Colorado. This order comes as Colorado is facing a rise in new COVID-19 infections….