DENVER (KDVR) — Governor Jared Polis said there are 2,091 new COVID-19 cases but that number includes over 800 added as backfill from the past few days.

Polis said 616,000 first doses of vaccine have been given and 271,000 second doses have been administered. He announced 302,338 Coloradans age 70 and up have received shots, which is more than 3/4 (77%) of the way to the goal.

He is confident the state’s goal to vaccinate 70% of Coloradans age 70 and up by the end of February will be successful.

Polis said 35,618 Coloradans ages 65 – 69 have been vaccinated which is 22% of the way to the state’s goal to have that group done by the end of March.

Coloradans age 65 and up, educators and childcare workers became eligible to receive the vaccine on Feb. 8.

In his news conference earlier this week, Polis said the federal government promised an additional 9,000 COVID-19 vaccines per week.

With arctic weather moving into Denver this weekend, Polis is hoping that will not slow down the state’s vaccination efforts.

“It’s very important we don’t let Mother Nature slow our progress against the pandemic. We in Colorado are not afraid of a little bit of cold. So, I think we’ll get through this just fine,” Polis said.

He expects vaccine efforts to go uninterrupted as frigid temperatures overtake the state.

“The message for this weekend is: if you have an appointment, please show up, please keep your appointment,” he said during a press conference. “We are having cold conditions, but most of the larger clinics, you remain in your vehicle, you simply roll down the window, you get the vaccine, you wait 15 minutes, and you go. I’d be more concerned if we were facing blizzard-like conditions. That’s not what we are facing this weekend.” 

Some health providers are still taking extra precautions. The site of the state’s largest mass vaccination clinic to date is going indoors Sunday. UCHealth announced the second doses for their drive-thru clinic at Coors Field is heading to the hospital’s conference center in Aurora.