Polis’ campaign called the charge a “false comparison.” 

The two candidates had predictably hewed to their talking points, even as Ganahl pledged, if elected governor, to not sign any abortion-related bill that comes her way and to instead let voters decide changes to Colorado’s abortion statutes. Polis, meanwhile, argued the government shouldn’t intervene between a woman and her doctor on a matter as intimate, difficult and challenging as abortion.

“If you care so much about women’s health care choices, how come you fired so many women health care workers because they didn’t feel comfortable getting a vaccination during Covid?” Ganahl said. 

Polis answered that he certainly encourages people to get vaccinated.

“Did they lose their jobs? Did you fire them?” Ganahl said.

“No,” Polis replied. “State workers? There was a period of time during the midst of the pandemic, where they either got tested or they had the vaccine.”

 “You either believe in women’s health care choices or not,” Ganahl said. 

“I am opposed – and I have been opposed and you know I have been – to vaccine requirements,” Polis said.

Ganahl replied, “So, why didn’t you put your foot down? You’re in charge. You’re the governor.” 

“Because it’s not about rhetoric. It’s about encouraging people to do the right thing,” Polis said. 

The claim appears to be broader than just whether Polis himself literally “fired” women for refusing to get vaccinated. It deals with actions he allegedly took during the pandemic, specifically as it relates to vaccines and health care workers.

In a statement, Polis’ campaign reiterated points the governor made during the debate, which The Denver Gazette, The Colorado Springs Gazette, Colorado Politics, KOAA News5 and the El Pomar Foundation’s Forum for Civic Advancement sponsored. 

“Heidi Ganahl would take away a woman’s right to choose, she would put women and doctors in jail for making their own healthcare decisions,” Amber Miller, the campaign’s spokesperson, said. “Coloradans see right through the false comparisons in order to distract from the real life choice voters face on Nov. 8 between less freedom in Heidi’s Colorado or more freedom with Governor Polis.” 

The record shows that in August 2021, Polis asked the state Board of Health to “engage in expedited rulemaking” to require that health care workers, including staff in long-term care facilities, be vaccinated against COVID-19. He also announced that staff working in state-run “24/7 facilities” be inoculated by the end of September of that year. 

Polis asked the board to require inoculation for “all personnel working directly with our vulnerable populations, personnel working in facilities with medically vulnerable populations and personnel in the settings where people receive essential medical care.” 

Two weeks later, the state health board voted to require licensed facilities vaccinate their workforce against COVID-19 by Oct. 31. By a 6-1 vote, the board adopted the emergency rule, which placed the onus on the state’s roughly 3,800 licensed, certified health care facilities to ensure their workforces are vaccinated. At the time, officials said individual providers would not face threats to their license if they refused to be vaccinated, but the facilities themselves may be penalized, up to the revocation of their license.

It’s not immediately clear how many health care workers left or lost their jobs as a result of the mandate.

In October 2021, The Denver Post, citing officials, said UCHealth fired more than 100 workers for refusing to get vaccinated. The majority of the hospital system’s workforce complied with the mandate, and a spokesperson said less than 0.5% of UCHealth’s workforce either did not get vaccinated or got an exemption.

In November 2021, the Colorado Sun, citing data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said 5,290 health care workers left or lost their jobs because of the mandate. That sum amounted to, at the time, 1.8% of the Colorado’s 280,000 health care workers. 

Polis also signed an executive order in October 2021 that suspended certain personnel rules, the effect of which was to expedite the pre-disciplinary process for state employees who are out of compliance with the vaccination requirements for agency staffers who interact with vulnerable populations, notably with those who live in congregate settings.

“The existing process would prevent, hinder, or delay the state in addressing noncompliance by state employees,” the governor’s order said. “State employees’ noncompliance with existing COVID-19 vaccination and/or testing requirements threatens the state’s ability to adequately respond to and recover from the ongoing pandemic and endangers the health of fellow state workers, members of the public who interact with the state, members of vulnerable populations and populations in congregate living settings, and the general public.”

The order added: “The State must remain vigilant in light of variants that continue to circulate among our population, and take action when needed to continue to protect public health and our economy from the pandemic’s effects.”