Millions more Coloradans now eligible for vaccine

Starting Friday, an additional 2.5 million people in Colorado can get a COVID-19 vaccine.

The state is moving to phase 1B.4 and the new groups eligible include:

• People ages 50-59.
• All ages with certain high-risk conditions.
• Restaurant workers and those who work at food pantries.
• Other frontline essential workers in the fields of higher education, manufacturing and public transit, as well as postal workers, journalists and religious leaders.
• State and local government employees.

The big picture: This is the final priority group before vaccines become available to everyone in Colorado in mid-April.

What's next: With this new phase, the state is opening six mass vaccinations sites across the state in preparation for the boost in demand.

• The first two opened Wednesday in Grand Junction (register here) and Colorado Springs (register here).
• The next four will come in Pueblo on Monday, Loveland on Wednesday and soon in Denver and Commerce City.

This story first appeared in the Axios Denver newsletter, designed to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news unfolding in their own backyard.

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