UCHealth’s goal for this weekend was to vaccinate 10,000 Coloradans by 2 p.m. Sunday. That achievement is on track to be accomplished since all the spots for those eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine filled up within 36 hours of the opening of registration. 

Mass event at Coors Field in Denver to vaccinate 10,000 seniors this weekend

For those heading to Coors Field on Saturday or Sunday, there are a few things you need to know, based on what Dr. Richard Zane, UCHealth’s chief innovation officer and professor and chair of emergency medicine for the University of Colorado School of Medicine, told The Denver Gazette.

Q: What time will the event be held this weekend?

A: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Q: Where are people being vaccinated supposed to go? The baseball field, or another lot?

A: For those who have an appointment enter (the lot) at 33rd and Blake streets.

Q: How many people have currently registered for this weekends event?  

A: 10,000

Q: Do you know when the registration list became full and how did it work?

A: It never really opened or closed (because) the way that it works is you can register with UCHealth if you’re interested in getting a vaccine. There are three ways you can do that, if you’re a UCHealth patient and over 70, you’re automatically registered. If you’re not a UCHealth patient you can either go to the website and register or call in to the hotline and register. Once you’re on the registration list and we have appointments available for vaccination we invite you to sign up for an appointment, and you’re given the option for all of the clinics available. 

Q: Were people only chosen from the metro area or are people coming throughout from all over the state?

A: We sent out the first large group of invitations to people in the larger metro Denver area, so essentially they got first choice to go there. We first targeted seven zip codes in and around Aurora, and six zip codes in and around Denver, (while) working with the State of Colorado and Denver Public Health. They wanted to make sure that we primarily recognize areas that have lower socioeconomic levels or underrepresented minorities. So we sent out invitations to those areas first and expanded until it was full. But we sent out over 35,000 invitations. 

Q: Are walk-ins allowed? 

A: No walk-ins are allowed at any of our clinics.

Q: How long will this experience take?

A: Last weekend we did a trial run, where we did 1,000 patients in less than two hours, so the same pace we’ll do tomorrow, and the longest it took any single person from entering the parking lot to exiting including the 15 minute (observation period) was 26 minutes.

Q: Will people being vaccinated be required to show identification?

A: (It’s) very important that we don’t ask for identification. We only confirm that you have an appointment and date of birth.

Q: What will this weekend look like for the 10,000 people coming out to Coors Field this weekend?

A: I can tell you exactly what it’ll look like. When you receive an invitation, you sign up for an appointment at Coors Field and you are given exact directions including a pin with where to enter. You enter the parking lot at 33rd and Blake. It’s one way, there’s lots of signage on where to enter and lots of reminders that it’s appointment only. You enter the parking lot where there are a number of lanes cordoned off. You go down the lane to a big tent where is the registration where you give your name and date of birth. Very important that we don’t ask for identification. We only confirm that you have an appointment and then there are a number of people who are giving directions and you go to one of our vaccination tents, there are a number of tents, you roll down your window, you roll up your sleeve, you get a vaccine and then you drive another 200 yards forward to our observation area where you are asked to be observed for 15 minutes from time of injection and then you leave. 

Q: Is there any plans to hold future events similar to this?

A: These large vaccination clinics will become much more feasible and prominent when there’s a larger supply of vaccine available. Right now, the biggest limiting factor is the supply of vaccine. It will make a lot of sense to have another one of these events when there is a lot of vaccine available and a lot of people who have not yet been vaccinated. 

Q: How many vaccine locations does UCHealth have in total?

A: We have We have 11 fixed locations meaning they are designated as vaccination clinics and then essentially three work streams, the fixed vaccination clinics that I just described to you, pop-up clinics where we work with community leaders, usually churches and community groups to set up clinics in different neighborhoods and areas, and then this mass vaccination clinic.

Q: Will there be any security?

A: Yes, we’re partnering with Denver Police and Denver EMS. Denver Police will be there for traffic mitigation and general security, but there will also be security there from the Rockies as well.