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As the country turns a new page, so too come new plans and ideas. I am excited to serve my first term as the State Representative for House District 11, but I am also conscious of the incredibly tough challenges we face ahead; none more pressing and critical than the COVID-19 pandemic. As we continue to expand our state response, I am hopeful that we can work in harmony with the federal government and the new administration to ensure not only that we tackle COVID itself, but also help with the ripple effects it has had across our economy and society.
With the many challenges ahead it is clear that we must first end this devastating pandemic by getting vaccinated and making sure all of our friends and family are vaccinated. We currently have two vaccines being administered in the United States, with more coming over the next few weeks. We have already administered over 15 million vaccines to those populations who are most at risk. From the data we have seen that these vaccines are upwards of 95% effective. Although this is not perfect, it is one of the most effective vaccines ever created, on par with vaccines for diseases like the measles or polio. This first phase, one of innovation and science, has given us a powerful tool to end this pandemic.
Now that we have the scientific breakthrough of these vaccines, it is up to each of us as community members and leaders to continue to do our part to end the pandemic. Together, we all must exercise both diligence and patience in the coming months. As the vaccination process unfolds, we must continue to social distance and wear masks until we can be immunized. We must also create a plan to get vaccinated when vaccines become available to us. If you are over the age of 70, you are already eligible to get the COVID vaccine. The state is currently dealing with a large number of people who want the vaccine and a shortage of vaccines, so it is important to remain patient. If you are under 70, be sure to regularly check the updates from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment so that you can see when the vaccines will be made available to you.
Finally, for those under the age of 70 and who are medical or healthcare professionals, Colorado is looking for volunteers to help administer the vaccine rollout. I encourage anyone who has the time to get involved so that together we can finally end this pandemic.
In my role as a state legislator, I will continue to support the Governor’s Office and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment in their efforts to get Coloradans vaccinated. Parallel to my work assisting in the public health response, I will continue to look ahead at the other challenges of recovery, in areas like our local businesses and schools. By working to keep each other safe, we begin returning to normal life, and turn the page into a new era of prosperity and health.
