Colorado pediatricians struggling to get COVID-19 doses

DENVER — With fall weather just around the corner, doctors say now is the time to get updated flu and COVID vaccines. But if you’re looking for a COVID vaccine for a young child, you may have to wait.

The newly updated COVID-19 vaccine remains out of stock at many Colorado CVS and Walgreens locations. Many pediatric offices are reporting a shortage in supply as well.

Dr. Rachel Herlihy, state epidemiologist, says late approval by the Food and Drug Administration has led to some delays, but the shots are expected to be widely available in Colorado in the coming weeks.

“I would say the vaccine is coming,” she said. “There always is this time period of a couple of weeks in the early fall where there is some catch-up in the number of doses that are arriving in the state.”

Herlihy says there should still be plenty of time to get your child vaccinated before the anticipated winter surge of COVID-19 arrives.

“The ideal timing of vaccination is going to be September into October,” she said. “So we still have plenty of time to be prepared for that typical winter viral season.”

At Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children, Dr. Neil Cella says they’re just now gearing up for a busy cold and flu season.

He says patients who are vaccinated continue to show better responses to both. Despite the delay in arrival, parents should continue seeking out the vaccine over the next few months.

“In a perfect world, maybe it would have rolled out at the beginning of the school year, but a little late. Better late than never,” he said. “It’s going to be a tough winter so getting it on board is definitely recommended.”