The Montezuma County Health Department will soon be switching to an online platform for scheduling appointments for vaccination clinics.

Beginning Monday, the email address the department has used for sign-ups will no longer be available to schedule appointments.

According to county Public Information Officer Vicki Shaffer, it might take a few days for the new scheduler to come online. The department will post a link to it on its website and on social media when the scheduler is ready.

During the transition, individuals will still be able to call the health department to get help scheduling an appointment.

People can also use Southwest Health System’s online portal for signing up.

There also is the option of contacting local pharmacies about their vaccine availability.

People who have already signed up with the health department have no cause for concern.

“Those who have already signed up are still going to remain signed up,” Shaffer said. They don’t have to sign up again or anything. They’ll still be notified when it’s their turn.”

The Montezuma County Health Department also will offer a vaccine clinic from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tuesday for Spanish speakers at the health department annex, 107 N. Chestnut St.

Gov. Jared Polis announced Friday that the state would be moving into Phase 1B.4 of its vaccine distribution on March 19.

Phase 1B.4 includes people ages 50 and up, people between the ages of 16 and 49 with one high-risk health condition and a large cohort of frontline workers such as U.S. Postal Service employees, student-facing higher education workers, faith leaders, journalists, restaurant employees and manufacturing workers,

Polis also announced at the news conference that all Coloradans will be eligible for the vaccine by mid-April.

anicotera@the-journal.xom