What does Pfizer’s FDA approval mean for Colorado?

Until the FDA's approval on Monday, the Pfizer vaccine was available under emergency use, as it had been since December 2020. The U.S. is now the first country to fully approve the shot.

“There may be people out there who had been hesitant to get vaccinated because technically, the vaccine was still experimental,” explained Campbell, the chief clinical research officer with UCHealth. That was certainly the case among some people in the group of health care workers and their supporters who protested against vaccine mandates outside UCHealth on August 9. (Like many major hospital networks, UCHealth is requiring all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.)

While Colorado is out-performing most states in terms of getting people vaccinated, about a third of eligible Coloradans still are not fully vaccinated. Rocky Mountain PBS reached out to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to find out if the agency has any data on the driving force behind vaccine hesitancy in the state, but has not heard back.

According to Kaiser Family Foundation’s COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor, which tracks the public’s attitude toward vaccination, about 30% of unvaccinated people nationwide said they would be more likely to get vaccinated if one of the vaccines received full approval from the FDA. 

That is not the only way FDA approval could lead to more vaccinations. “I think with the full approval, then eventually—just like getting a flu shot—any doctor’s office will likely be able to have it in stock,” Campbell explained.

This is important in regards to vaccine hesitancy because as KFF found in a survey earlier this year, 75% of respondents said they would be “very likely” to get the COVID-19 vaccine if it was available at their doctor’s office. KFF also found that personal physicians and pediatricians are people’s most-trusted sources when it comes to information about vaccinations.

In a news release, CDPHE officials said Colorado has "enough vaccine supply for providers to keep up with any increased demand related to today’s FDA announcement."

“We also want to remind everyone that all three of the available vaccines have gone through rigorous testing, and more than 362 million doses have already been administered in the United States," said Dr. Eric France, CDPHE's chief medical officer. "Scientists and doctors throughout the country agree that all of the available vaccines are safe and effective, and it’s much safer to choose to be vaccinated than risk getting COVID-19.”

Colorado Governor Jared Polis celebrated the Pfizer vaccine’s approval. In a statement, Polis emphasized the importance of the vaccine in the fight against the highly contagious Delta variant.

“I know that some people were waiting for full FDA approval to get vaccinated, and now that day is finally here and you can start the protection clock today,” Polis said in a statement. “This remains a pandemic of the unvaccinated and we know that the Delta variant has threatened our progress, our economy and way of life and the FDA approval of the vaccine is a step forward.”

As the Associated Press reports, more than 200 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been administered in the United States. The Pfizer vaccine is the most prevalent in Colorado: over half of the nearly 6.8 million doses administered in the state have been from Pfizer.

The approval from the FDA is also expected to lead to more vaccine mandates by companies, schools, and local governments.

[Related: From ‘carrots’ to ‘sticks’—Why vaccine mandates may work where incentives haven’t]

The City and County of Denver was ahead of the curve concerning mandates: On August 2, Mayor Michael Hancock introduced a “far-reaching” health order requiring all city employees, including some private sector entities in high-risk settings, to be fully vaccinated by September 30. The order applies to over 10,000 workers including teachers, police officers and people working in nursing homes.

“Even our 70 percent vaccination rate among those eligible is not enough to fully protect our residents, families, and businesses, or the economy from another devastating blow this fall and winter,” Hancock said.

“The only way out of this is with mandatory vaccinations,” added Bob McDonald, the executive director of Denver Department of Public Health and Environment (DDPHE).

On August 17, Polis sent a letter to the State Board of Health urging the body to “quickly engage in rulemaking” that would result in vaccination requirements 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.”

The governor’s office is also requiring all unvaccinated state workers to undergo twice-weekly COVID-19 testing, but stopped short of a vaccine mandate. Rocky Mountain PBS asked Polis’ office if the FDA approval will lead to a mandate, but has not heard back.

The FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine means that Pfizer can technically start charging for the doses, Campbell added. How much the doses will cost recipients remains to be seen—Campbell said we should learn more about price in the “coming months”— but it should be noted that, according to a U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey, more than 20 percent of unvaccinated Americans make less than $25,000 a year, and over half of unvaccinated Americans make less than $50,000 a year. A breakdown of that data is available here.

So Campbell's message? Get it while it's free.

"To me, it's an incredible deal," he said. "You have a safe, effective, free vaccine. What more would you want?"

Kyle Cooke is the Digital Media Manager at Rocky Mountain PBS. You can reach him at kylecooke@rmpbs.org.

Brian Willie is the Content Production Manager at Rocky Mountain PBS. You can reach him at brianwillie@rmpbs.org.