DENVER -- Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who opted to ignore federal guidelines by allowing adults 18 years and older to receive COVID-19 booster vaccinations this week, strongly suggested that his administration's efforts in convincing the unvaccinated have failed to meet their limits.
Polis stated that his Thursday executive order regarding booster shots was essential in relieving pressure on hospitals overloaded by contagious coronavirus beta variant patients. He said Colorado has enough vaccines to provide booster shots for all.
With his order, the Democratic governor defied federal guidelines on booster shots. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows booster shots for individuals aged 18 and over who are at highest risk of contracting the virus. This includes people 65 and older and adults with special medical conditions. The number of people eligible for boosters has increased significantly since Polis' order deemed all of Colorado at high-risk of infection.
Jen Psaki, White House Press Secretary, responded to questions about the order during a Washington briefing on Friday. She said that this was not the current guidance being projected by health and medical professionals, as they are still analyzing and understanding data.
Polis also supported his efforts to convince those who were resistant to getting vaccinated, and said that they had reached their limits. "We did well. He said, "We always wish we had done better." "We did a lot of things to get to where we are."
Around 80% of Colorado residents are eligible to receive at least one dose.
