Larimer County coordinates with local organizations to ensure resources are available to assist with public health volunteer needs. You can also register as a volunteer with these Colorado organizations. 

Medical and health professions: The Colorado Volunteer Mobilizer is currently working to recruit and train individuals from the following areas: Physicians, Nurses, Pharmacists, Respiratory Therapists, EMT/Paramedics, Behavioral/Mental Health and Veterinary/animal response to name a few, to respond to "all-hazards" incidents.

Non-medical/health volunteers: sign up here to be contacted as volunteers are needed in Larimer County.

Register to volunteer to help in Colorado through the Colorado Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, Department of Public Safety. 

• We expect that the initial supply of COVID-19 vaccine(s) will be very limited for several months. This means that a vaccine will not be immediately available to everyone who wants one. 
• To be as fair and efficient with distribution as possible, the state has developed a phased approach to vaccine distribution to save lives and end the crisis that has been brought on by the pandemic as quickly as possible. The phased allocation plan will prioritize people at high risk of getting exposed to COVID-19, people who work in essential or critical jobs, and people who are at high risk for getting very sick or dying of COVID-19.
• Prioritization is subject to change based on data, science, and availability.
• The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment recognizes the Tribal sovereignty of the Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute Indian Tribes, and that the Tribes have the authority to determine how vaccine supply will be prioritized for their populations, even if their prioritization scheme is different than what the department recommends.

In the early stages of vaccine distribution, healthcare providers will provide information to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment on how much vaccine they need and how many people are getting vaccinated. Once we believe we have distributed enough vaccine to those who want a vaccine in the first phase, we will move to the next phase. The speed at which we are able to move through the phases will largely depend on the supply of vaccine.

• The FDA requires that vaccines undergo a rigorous scientific process, including three phases of clinical trials, before they authorize or approve a vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccines are subject to the same safety standards as other vaccine trials. 

• To date, the independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board overseeing Phase 3 trials of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines has not identified or reported any serious safety concerns. All phase 3 studies have Data Safety and Monitoring Boards. The boards are made up of independent scientists hired by the company to look at the safety data and check at regular intervals whether the company should cancel or continue with the study.  

• Additionally, two independent advisory committees will review a vaccine’s safety data before it is made available to the public. These committees are the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC), which advises the FDA, and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which advises the CDC. 

• Learn more about the Vaccine safety and development process.

You will not be immediately protected from COVID-19 after receiving the vaccine. Studies show that it takes about one to two weeks after your last dose for your body to be able to protect itself against illness.

Current information suggests it is possible that someone who has been vaccinated against COVID-19 may still have a mild or asymptomatic infection or spread the virus to others. So it is important to continue taking precautions. Continue wearing masks and practicing physical distancing until it is clear that it is safe to stop.

While no vaccine is 100% effective, Pfizer and Moderna have reported that their vaccines are about 95% effective.

Employers may be able to require COVID-19 vaccination for in-person work for their employees, but an employee may be entitled to an exemption through the ADA and Civil Rights Act of 1964. The state of Colorado is not currently pursuing any mandates. The U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission has more information on this on their website: https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/pandemic-preparedness-workplace-and-americans-disabilities-act

Feeling a little under the weather in the day or two after getting a vaccine is quite normal. Pain at the site the shot was given is common. 
It's common to have flu-like symptoms like muscle aches, fatigue, chills, and fever after the injection. It's more common to have these symptoms after the second shot, but they can still happen after the first. These symptoms can be managed by resting, drinking lots of fluids, and taking over-the-counter medications like tylenol or ibuprofen unless your doctor has told you in the past not to take these types of medications. If the symptoms don't go away after 1-2 days, or if you have any concerns about their duration or severity, we recommend that you reach out to your physician for further guidance.

Severe reactions are rare. If you believe you are having a serious reaction the a vaccine, please contact your healthcare provider for advice. If you would like to report an adverse (bad) reaction to a vaccine, you can do so through the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). VAERS is an early-warning system that collects and analyzes reports of any problems that happen after vaccination. Anyone can submit a report, including parents, patients, and health care professionals.