Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, looking to speed-up the distribution of COVID-19 vaccinations in the state, has signed an executive order allowing health care professionals such as dentists, chiropractors and veterinarians to give vaccines to people “in hospital-like settings” where the state has already approved COVID-19 distribution, according to the local NBC 9News.
The emergency rules were part of an executive order applying to inpatient, outpatient, and hospital settings under certain delegations.
An amendment of the executive order reads, “I direct the Executive Director of DORA, through the Director of the Division of Professions and Occupations (DPO), to promulgate and issue temporary emergency rules to permit the licensed professionals listed below to cross train, supervise, and delegate responsibilities concerning the temporary care and treatment of patients to the professionals listed in Section II.B., below, in hospitals, inpatient medical facilities, including emergency departments, and outpatient settings, including but not limited to providing the COVID-19 vaccine, as long as such delegated responsibilities are appropriate based on each delegated professional’s education, training, and experience.”
A list of approved professions under the executive order includes certified nurses aide, practical nurses, podiatrists, optometrists, chiropractors, dentists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, veterinarians, respiratory therapists, speech-language pathologists, and surgical assistants.
Polis last week said he was “shocked we were lied to” about a reserve stockpile of the COVID-19 vaccine from the Trump administration, but said “the state is still on track to vaccinate 70% of Coloradans over age 70 by the end of February” according to 9News.
The executive order allowing additional health care workers to administer COVID-19 vaccines will expire 30 days from Jan. 7, 2021, unless the order is extended.
“My administration, along with other State, local, and federal authorities, has taken a wide array of actions to mitigate the effects of the pandemic, prevent further spread, and protect against overwhelming our health care resources,” Polis wrote. “This Executive Order … [will] ensure that inpatient healthcare facilities have sufficient resources and personnel to treat patients suffering from COVID-19 and to ensure that inpatient facilities and outpatient settings have sufficient resources to administer COVID-19 vaccinations.”
To read the executive order go to https://drive.google.com/file/d/17I0tXNEPlzEeX6jk-PH1h86JGFxAXIio/view.
