Colorado’s COVID-19 vaccination rate of eligible people 5 and older has reached 80%, the governor’s office announced Friday evening. 

Denver mask order ‘likely’ to end next week; Tri-County may end Monday

As of Friday night, more than 4.3 million Coloradans received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 3.8 million Coloradans were fully immunized, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. 

“We are thrilled that 80% of Colorado kids and adults over the age of five have received the doctor-approved, safe, and effective vaccine,” said Gov. Jared Polis in a news release. “The vaccine is delivering much needed protection and peace of mind to Colorado parents and families. We are all eager for life to get back to normal, and the safe and effective vaccine is helping us forward.”

Broad immunity from omicron surge may bring peaceful months, state modeling projects

Despite the high percentage of the population being vaccinated, COVID-19 cases within Colorado remain high – higher than any point prior to the omicron wave beginning a month ago. But they’re falling quickly, and the state researchers have said they will continue to do so in the weeks to come.

Because of the decrease, Colorado’s health department amended its public health order on Friday for the state and no longer requires people attending an indoor event of more than 500 people to provide proof of their vaccination status in Denver, Arapahoe, Adams, Boulder, Broomfield and Jefferson counties. 

Despite the changes, officials are still encouraging people to get vaccinated and stay up-to-date on their boosters. 

“This milestone is significant, but we must keep pressing forward,” said Jill Hunsaker Ryan, executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, in a news release. “Let’s continue to do everything possible to stay ahead of it and get back to the lives we love and miss.”

This flu season in Colorado is still far milder than pre-pandemic times