The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe is offering free COVID-19 vaccinations today in Towaoc to anyone age 18 and over.

A vaccination clinic is at the Ute Mountain Casino Bingo Hall, 3 Weeminuche Drive, and will be open until 3 p.m. Identification is required, and masks wearing and social distancing protocols are in place.

The tribe has been receiving COVID vaccination doses from Indian Health Services, and has vaccinated 1,900 of its tribal members and staff.

The tribe has enough of a Moderna vaccination supply to open it up to the wider public, said tribal Chairman Manuel Heart.

“We have extra doses, so we want to provide those vaccinations to the community,” he said. “The more people we get vaccinated, the safer we all are and the faster we can get out of this pandemic.”

The tribe has enough doses for 2,000 vaccinations to the general public, he said. You do not have to be a tribal member.

Moderna requires two shots, with the second one 28 days later. Patients will be given a time and place to receive the second shot.

Five tables are set up to deliver the shots, which are being administered by staff from IHS and the Colorado Department of Health and Environment. Patients will be monitored for 15 to 30 minutes after the shot to check for side effects.

Also, the Ute Mountain Ute tribe is offering testing for COVID-19 variants at the Recreation Center at 495 Sunset Blvd.

For more information on the vaccination clinic or testing, call (970) 560-3494.

jmimiaga@the-journal.com