The Boulder County Health Department is allowing residents to sign up to be notified when the COVID-19 vaccine is ready to be distributed to their priority group.

The new system comes after Gov. Jared Polis changed the state’s vaccine distribution plan last week, including those 70 and older, moderate risk health care workers, first responders and front-line essential workers in Phase 1B.

“We are working with our hospitals, outpatient health care providers and local pharmacies to develop a multi-pronged strategy to get people vaccinated,” said Chris Campbell, Boulder County Public Health Emergency manager.

Colorado is in Phase 1A of vaccine distribution, which includes front-line COVID-19 hospital workers and residents and staff of long-term care facilities.

Once Boulder County begins Phase 1B, those 70 years old and up will be prioritized for vaccines before the rest of Phase 1B, according to Indira Gujral, division manager of Communicable Disease and Emergency Management.

In Boulder County, that means nearly 30,000 older residents will receive the vaccination before front-line workers such as teachers and grocery store workers.

Officials said it will be “many months” before everyone in Phases 1A and 1B has the opportunity to get the vaccine.

“We have already received hundreds of emails and phone calls from residents asking for vaccines,” said Chana Goussetis with BCPH.

“We are delighted that so many people would like to get the vaccine. We ask for your patience as additional vaccine doses become available and we identify resources to provide the additional doses.”

Last week, Polis also requested that all Colorado counties under Level Red COVID-19 restrictions be moved to the lesser Level Orange on Monday.

Boulder County will be following this guidance.

“We have some concerns about this move because we don’t yet know what the outcome of the holidays will be,” said Jeff Zayach, BCPH executive director. “But we will follow the state’s move and will not put a local public health order in place.”

Under Level Orange, indoor dining, indoor events, gyms and lounges are allowed to operate at 25% capacity. Personal gatherings are allowed with up to 10 people from two households.

“Hopefully, we’ve all only been spending time with our own household and we won’t experience another surge in a week or two,” Zayach said.

Boulder County residents can be notified when vaccines are available to them by completing the COVID-19 Vaccine Notification Sign-Up.