Video: Polis Outlines Colorado’s Coronavirus Vaccine Distribution Plan

This could be the beginning of the end of the pandemic …. but the end is going to take a while for most Coloradans. Here's how Gov. Jared Polis described it:

"This is the really the gateway to the end of the pandemic, to return to normalcy, so let's double down in the next few weeks and months," he said

Colorado's finalizing orders for about 142,000 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, but that's only enough to get started. When they arrive the immunizations will be limited to the most exposed health workers and people in long-term care facilities.

This spring, the state will ramp up vaccinations for people with high-exposure jobs and certain medical conditions. But the general public may have to wait until next summer.

"We know that in the early weeks and months of supply distribution that supplies will be limited," said incident commander Scott Bookman. "This has been a historic effort to create this vaccine in a record period of time. And while we're going to get there, it is going to take many months to get this out to the general public."

Polis continues to report being asymptomatic after he and his partner, first gentleman Marlon Reis, tested positive for the coronavirus. Reis was discharged from the hospital Tuesday after he was admitted with shortness of breath on Sunday.

Also on Tuesday, Colorado conducted a test run of plans to distribute the first coronavirus vaccines in the state. The first doses are expected to arrive next week.